Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-04-06

W HlIa Tue UDNsd States and
aeXico are forging ahead in the pro
auction of petroleum, feverishly de-
Veloping their discovered field and
tapping new ones" says bulletin
issued b. the National Geographic
Society, the Russian fields. where
some biologists believe are situated
the worlds most extensive oil re-
sources, are to considerable extent
marking time because OF disturbed
conditions resulting from the World
War. Although the Mexican oil
fields are more spectacular. and
though those Of then United States
are now yielding in the aggregate
much more oil, the Russian fields
especially. those near Baku oil the
shores OF the Caspian Sea. have
long been very near the front in
world interest
The oil territory about Baku is
not like that in our own mid con
tinent fields where grain grew in a
rich surface soil, and where there
were no indications to tell the lay.
man that far below the surface were
pools of liquid gold. The ol-bearing
Dt'~teS lCdSu tht SulidCS uI Uul+
crop over a considerable area in
TIE neighborhood OF Baku; and the
oil and gas escaping at the sur.
lace, have made their presence
known for ages.
Natural Gas Furnished "Holy Flame
There are no indications that in
remote times either the oil or gas
was put to much practical use as
modern people understand that
term, but there is little doubt that
priests of the fire worshipping cult
which fiourished in old Persia made
good thing out OF the phenom.
ena. Not far from Baku are the
ruins Of temple OF the cult which
is believed to have been in exist.
ence for more, than $500 years. Tow
er beacons and affairs are provided
with channels concealed in the ma.
sorry. which demonstrate that gas.
hitting is not a craft of modern
birth. These channels led from ifs.
sures IN the earth which once fur
nished natural gas. TO this temple
came pilgrims from all parts of the
East as late as the eighties of the
last century. Beside the walls OF the
temple today stands a modern rein.
cry, furnishing an emphatic con
trast in the old and new uses of Ma.
lures gift OF oil and gas.
Appreciable production Of petro.
1eum began in Russia in 1863, four
years after the first oil well was
brought in OIL Greek in Pennsyl-
Yania. The first year Russia turned
out little less than Al 900 barrels,
while production in the United
states was more than 2,500,0 bar
re!s.
Ens5ian CuShers Are Fountains"
"tarIy comm orcal development of
oil in Russia was strikingly differ
ent ftom the development in Am.
e3@a. Dug wells were used. They
were cevcral feet square and of
depths varying from few feet to
4i.iF' feet or more. The oil seeped in
to the bottoms of the pits and was
9Gled oat. These crude methods
continued for eight years but. under
taem a considerable production for
shpse days was maintained. In 1870,
the year before the bringing in OF
tie first drilled we'll, more than
100000 barrels were produced
The bringing in OF what Ameri-
cans would speak of as the first
tGsher was not an unmixed bles-
sing This fountain or 'spouter,' as
such wells are called by the Eng
lish oil men Of the Baku fields, was
unexpected. Nothing was known OF
the handling Of oil. flows under high
pressure at that time, so the well
ran wild and could not be brought
under control. Most of the oil was
a total loss.
"When later fountains were
brought in under control nothing
like the present demand for oil ex-
isted in Europe, carrying facilities
were poor. and the presence OF
great quantities of the liquid above
ground demoralized conditions. The
Russian government experimental
for a number of years with monop.
oily regulations and then heavy
taxes When taxes were reduced in,
1877 the Baku oil industry grew
very rapidly.
Carriers Fight Pipe Line
"Before tAe first drilled we'll was
brought in all oil was transported
o Baku from the oil fields, a dis
lance of eight or ten miles, in bar
rels on awkward two.wheeled Tatar
carts. An endless stream of them
traversed the unspeakahly bad road
from morning until night. After the
advent of gushers a pipeline was
projected. The Tatar carriers staged
a riot when the plan became known.
The pipe line was constructed how
ever, and the carting industry died.