Sketches in Crude-oil: Some accidents and incidents of the petroleum development in all parts of the globeMcLaurin, John J. (John James)
History
Sketches in Crude-oil: Some accidents and incidents of the petroleum development in all parts of the globe
McLaurin, John J. (John James)
Petroleum -- History; Petroleum industry and trade -- North America -- History
Gradually developments crept north and east. The Galloway—its Dolly
Varden well was a daisy—Lamberton and McCalmont farms were riddled with
holes that repaid the outlay lavishly. Henry F. James drilled scores of
paying wells on these tracts. In his youth he circled the globe on
whaling voyages and learned coopering. Spending a few months at Pithole
in 1865, he returned to Venango county in 1871, superintended the
Franklin Pipe-Line five years and operated judiciously. He was active in
agriculture and served three terms in the Legislature with distinguished
fidelity. He defeated measures inimical to the oil-industry and promoted
the passage of the Marshall Bill, by which pipe-lines were permitted to
buy, sell or consolidate. This sensible law relieves pipe-lines in the
older districts, where the production is very light, from the necessity
of maintaining separate equipments at a loss or ruining hundreds of
well-owners by tearing up the pipes for junk and depriving operators of
transportation. The late Casper Frank, William Painter—he was killed at
his wells—Dr. Fee, the Harpers, E. D. Yates and others extended the
field into Sugarcreek township. Elliott, Nesbett & Bell’s first well on
the Snyder farm, starting at thirty barrels and settling down to regular
work at fifteen, elongated the Galloway pool and brought adjoining lands
into play. Kunkel & Newhouse, Stock & Co., Mitchell & Parker, Crawford &
Dickey, Dr. Galbraith and M. O’Connor kept many sets of tools from
rusting. The extension to the Carter and frontier-farms developed oil of
lighter gravity, but a prime lubricator. Mrs. Harold, a Chicago lady,
dreamed a certain plot, which she beheld distinctly, would yield
heavy-oil in abundance. She visited Franklin, traversed the district a
mile in advance of developed territory, saw the land of her dream,
bargained for it, drilled wells and obtained “lashin’s of oil!” Still
there are bipeds in bifurcated garments who declare woman’s “sphere” is
the kitchen, with dish-washing, sock-darning and meal-getting as her
highest “rights!”
Jacob Sheasley, who came from Dauphin county in 1860 and branched into
oil in 1864, is the largest operator in the bailiwick. He drilled at
Pithole, Parker, Bradford, on all sides of Franklin and put down a
hundred wells the last two years. He enlarged the boundaries of the
lubricating section by leasing lands previously condemned and sinking
test-wells in 1893-4, with gratifying results. Rarely missing his guess
on territory, he has been almost invariably fortunate. His son, George
R., has operated in Venango and Butler counties and owns a bunch of
desirable wells on Bully Hill, with his brother Charles as partner. The
father and two sons are “three of a kind” hard to beat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account