USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 26
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But however interesting the botany of the northern part or the central part may be, the Sugar Grove region is the best of all-the Mecca for the botanist. In one day's ramble you may study the swamp, the rock ravine, the hill tops, the meadows and the pine thickets. The variety is endless. In the valley, which is rather narrow, the farmer plants his crops. The
soil is rich and the only danger to the crops is an occasional flood. Here and there in the fields a particularly fine tree has been allowed to stand. This valley is the home of the "Pride of Ohio," a magnificent sugar maple, said to be the most perfect tree in Ohio. A few elms have been allowed to stand, on account of their great size and graceful beauty, and here and there a slender shell-bark hickory re- mains. In the valley, but back close to the hills occasionally are found swamps, sole sur- vivors of the once wide-spread valley condi- tion. Here the swamp maples are tall and slender and very close together. The largest native tree, the sycamore, grown best here or along the streams, and alders and button- bushes are very common. Early in the spring the skunk-cabbage is abundant, and a little later the marsh marigolds appear, while in the summer very large swamp ferns flourish in the dense shade.
The flora of the ravine varies according to the width of the ravine. If the valley floor is wide, the south-facing slope will be much drier than the north-facing slope and the plants will differ ; but if the valley floor is narrow, the plants on the north and south-facing slopes will be similar. The south-facing slope of a wide ravine will have such trees as the oaks, chestnuts, scrub and pitch pines. The oaks will probably predominate and will be of fair size. The north-facing slope will be entirely differ- ent. The pines of the south are replaced by fine large hemlocks, and in place of oaks will be found maples, ashes, beech and tulip trees. The undergrowth is very dense. Along the rock ledges flourishes the rhododendron, which is conspicuous the whole year round. The shrubs grow to a height of from four to eight feet, and have rather thick, glossy evergreen leaves. The plant blooms the last of June or the first of July, and then clustered among the
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glossy, green leaves are the masses of delicate pink and white blossoms. Nothing in the plant kingdom could be more beautiful than the showy but delicate blossoms hanging over a steep ledge, or fringing a cliff or forming a tangled thicket down in some dark, cool crevice of the rocks. Quite often in this region the rocks are covered with a perfect carpet of ferns, usually the rock polypod, with here and there a patch of Christmas fern. Sometimes the ledges are fringed with green moss or masses of liverworts, or large lichens which look like patches of leather. In the spring the red columbine is abundant in crevices, and wherever a slight amount of soil covers the rocks the hepatica flourishes. In the rich soil at the base of the cliffs is found Solomon's seal, both the true and the false, and now and then a great patch of wild ginger, or a brilliant fire-pink or a showy orchis. Of course the violets are abundant, blue, yellow and white, and occasionally a rare species.
Another plant, which must not be forgotten is jack-in-the-pulpit. These plants grow so large that they are almost rank. And another favorite is the white trillium or wake-robin. It is not as common as some of the others, but usually several are found together. Later in the summer the flowers are not so abundant but the ferns take their place. This is the ideal habitat for the delicate maidenhair fern and exceedingly large specimens are sometimes found. The flowering dogwood is often abun- dant in these ravines and in the early spring is the most conspicuous plant. A person who has never been in these ravines can scarcely imagine the almost tropical luxuriance of the plants. The trees, shrubs and herbs grow to- gether in wild profusion and are bound to- gether into an impenetrable mass by the wild grape vines, the poison ivy, the Virginia creeper, and the creeping stems of the green brier.
Once in a while, in a more open ravine than the one described above, a person is fortunate enough to find the flame azalea. This is a near relative of the rhododendron and very much like it, but by many people considered even more beautiful. The flowers grow in great clusters and range in color from a pale lemon yellow to a deep orange. It is one plant which you do not have to hunt closely to find. Just one glance through a woods will tell you whether it is there or not. This plant is more rare than the rhododendron, occurring in only a few places.
In the more open ravines grows another flower, also a close relative of the rhododen- dron and azalea, but not large and showy like them. This is the trailing arbutus. The flow- ers are small and of a very delicate pink tint, and with an odor just as sweet and delicate as the flower itself. The stem is slightly woody and the leaves oval in shape and evergreen. The trailing arbutus is one of the earliest flow- ers to blossom, but it is often difficult to find because the whole plant may be covered by. the dead forest leaves.
In an open hillside, or even on the hill top is found another relative of the rhododendron -the laurel or kalmia. This plant is some- times as large as the rhododendron, though usually not as tall, but more spreading. Its leaves are evergreen and the flowers pink or white and arranged in terminal clusters. It is also one of the favorites of this region. It is a strange thing that this group of plants should exist in Fairfield County. The azalea lives in the eastern part of the United States, the home of the rhododendron is in the Allegheny Moun- tains, and the trailing arbutus is also at home in the east. But here they live along with the wintergreen and laurel, all members of the heath family. They are not found in the southern part of the state, neither do they oc-
VITASANTVILLE A
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MAIN STREET, PLEASANTVILLE
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HIGH SCHOOL, PLEASANTVILLE
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RESIDENCE OF JJAMES HAMPSON, PLEASANT TOWNSHIP
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MT. PLEASANT AND FAIR GROUNDS, LANCASTER
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cur in the northern part of the state, not even in the northern part of the county.
On the hill tops near Sugar Grove are the pure pine thickets. These are the pitch pines and grow so close together as to remind one of the famous pine forests of Michigan. There is very little undergrowth, because the pine forest is dark the year round. The ground beneath is covered with pine needles, but growing in these needles is found one of the curious and rare flowers of the region, the pink lady-slipper. The flower is an orchid, and orchids are rare and strange, and hence al- ways highly prized. The yellow lady-slipper is also found near Sugar Grove, but it belongs to the ravines. The pipsisewa and sweet brier are about the only other inhabitants of the pine grove. On the hill tops where the trees have been removed, or where the trees are scattered, will be found plenty of huckleber- ries, and along the fences the blackberries are thick. The farmers watch their berry crops as carefully as they watch their corn and wheat.
The botany of the county has changed very much in the past few years. The valuable tim- ber, such as black walnut, locust, hickory and hemlock, has been removed in great quantities and in place of these the hillsides are now cov- ered with hundreds of young fruit trees. The botanist or native student is still able, how- ever, to find an endless variety of interesting plant life in Fairfield County.
Edna M. McCleery.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OIL AND GAS FIELDS OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
By J. A. Bownocker. Edited by Jesse E. Hyde.
Oil and gas have been by far the most im- portant of Fairfield County's mineral re- sources. In fact, with these exceptions, Fair-
field County has been deficient in such wealth ; coal and limestone are wholly wanting, the clays are of little value and the sandstones give little promise of future importance.
The gas has been an important factor in the development of Lancaster but it is not in- tended to treat here of that phase of its his- tory. What follows is merely a sketch of the early development of the oil and gas field of Fairfield County, wholly in the words of Dr. J. A. Bownocker,* the state Geologist of. Ohio, a one time Fairfield County boy.
The Gas Fields
No other event in the history of Ohio has so stimulated the search for underground wealth as did the discovery of natural gas at Findlay in 1884. From that city the drill has moved out in all directions until every county in the state has been tested ; in some the wells may be reckoned by the score, yes, by the thousands. In the main these tests have pro- duced negative results only, and still they have formed the basis of two of the state's prin- cipal sources of wealth. The Findlay discov- ery was followed in 1885 by tapping the im- mense volume of oil stored in the Trenton lime- stone, and two years later by the discovery of gas at Lancaster.
The first step towards testing the rocks in the vicinity of Lancaster was taken December 2, 1885, when the Lancaster Natural Gas Com- pany was incorporated. The capital stock was $50,000 in shares of $50 each. On the date just mentioned the company organized by elect- ing the following officers: President, E. L. Slocum; Vice-president, A. Getz; Secretary, H. B. Peters; Treasurer, N. Butler.
*Geo. Surv. Ohio. 4th Ser. Bull. I. The Occurrence and Exploitation of Petroleum and Natural Gas in Ohio, pp. 101-125. Bull. 12, The Bremen Oil Field, pp. 7-30.
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The directors included, in addition to the Slocum, J. T. Busby, H. C. Drinkle, James Mc- officers, H. C. Drinkle, J. R. Mumaugh, J. C. Sweeny and A. H. Middletown. Reeves, E. Becker and George Lutz. In May, About the same time the East End Natural Gas & Oil Company was formed with a capital stock of $5,000. 1886, the company contracted with Albert Smith to drill a well, and work was imme- diately begun, the objective horizon being the The second well in the territory was drilled on the land of Joseph C. Kinkead, near the foot of Mt. Pleasant. [Just across the road on the south side of the hill.] The gas rock was struck October 5, 1887, at a depth of 1,989 feet. Nine days later the flow of gas was meas- ured and found to be 792,000 cubic feet per day, through a four and one-half inch casing. The third well was located about one mile southeast of the city. [Just east of Baldwin Run and south of the Pleasantville pike.] The gas rock was struck at a depth of 2,020 feet, October II, 1887, and the production is re- ported to have been 1,000,000 cubic feet in 24 hours. Trenton limestone which was then yielding such astonishing results in northwestern Ohio. The location was on a lot owned by the presi- dent of the company and was situated near the Hocking Valley station. [Just back of the Flint Glass factory near the old canal and close to the Sugar Grove road.] It was soon demonstrated that the territory is covered with a heavy mantel of drift. This retarded the work, and of course increased the expense, so that stockholders were required to pay ten dollars per share more than the face value of their stock. Gas was finally struck February I, 1887, at a depth of 1.957 feet. On the tenth of the same month the flow was meas- The companies owning these wells next be- gan to look for a market for their fuel. The most natural one was the city of Lancaster, and on Monday evening, October 23, 1887, the directors of the company owning the well at the foot of Mt. Pleasant asked the city council for a franchise permitting the com- pany to pipe the city. This precipitated a lively debate in which the representatives of the several companies took part. Finally the matter was referred to the committee on streets and alleys, but before a decision could be reached the three companies consolidated, the name being the Lancaster Gas & Oil Com- pany No. I. Officers of this organization were chosen December 5, 1887, as follows: Presi- dent, P. W. Bininger; Vice-president, C. P. Noll; Treasurer, F. X. Winter; Secretary, W. T. McCleneghan. ured at the casing head and found to be 74,880 cubic feet per day. However, the well con- tained a large quantity of salt water, and the pressure of this greatly weakened the flow of gas. Later the well was shot with 100 quarts of nitro-glycerine, and the gas piped to the works of the Hocking Valley Manufacturing Company. The great expense of drilling and the small production, together with the many other uncertain elements, such as the life of the wells, continuity of the gas rock, etc., made progress slow. That the citizens of Lancaster were not greatly discouraged, however, is shown by the fact that on April 7, 1887, an- other organization, the Mt. Pleasant Natural Gas & Oil Company was formed. The of- ficers were: President, George W. Welsh; Vice-president, S. H. Beck; Treasurer, H. B. Peters ; Secretary, Daniel Danehy. The board On the 18th of the same month the com- of directors consisted of the officers and E. L. pany was authorized to pipe the principal parts
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of the city. A committee was appointed to visit Findlay and other places where natural gas was in use, the object being to secure in- formation as to the best and safest methods of handling the new fuel. No pains were spared to make the company a success. The result was that within a month after the issuing of permits had begun, there were 500 gas fires in the city. Everybody was calling for gas, mak- ing the demand greater than the company could supply, owing to the heavy expense of laying the necessary mains. Fortunately, it had been provided when the three companies consolidated that if at any time the city saw fit to purchase the plant it might do so at actual cost plus six per cent interest on the investment. To make this possible a law was enacted by the legislature permitting the city to submit to the people a proposition to bond the corporation for $50,000 to purchase the existing natural gas plant, drill new wells, lay mains, etc. The election was held April 30, 1888, the vote resulting 1,260 in favor of and 25 against the proposition. Bonds bearing six per cent interest were at once sold. These were payable from 1892 to 1902 and all found ready buyers. The cost of the plant secured in this manner was about $24,000, the re- mainder of the money having been used for drilling new wells, laying mains, etc.
During the winter of 1888 and 1889 the sup- ply of gas was not equal to the demand. Thus far all the wells secured were small, while the call for fuel had become very heavy. Under such conditions there was considerable dissat- isfaction and many doubted the wisdom of having bonded the corporation for so large a sum. In fact the future of the field seemed al- together problematical. During this period of doubt and insufficient gas an event occurred which completely changed the aspect of affairs.
This was the great success of the Mithoff
well, which was drilled by Theodore Mithoff within the corporation limits [on the back of the lot on the southeast corner of Columbus and Allen streets], the object being to secure a supply of gas for his machine shop. The gas rock was reached, February 17, 1889, and a good flow at once secured. The drill was kept at work and the volume of gas increased rapidly as the rock was penetrated to a greater and greater depth, until the open flow rose to 12,000,000 cubic feet in 24 hours. This was one of the finest gas wells that had ever been drilled up to that time in this or any other conn- try. The citizens of Lancaster were quick to see what this meant for the city, and to prop- erly give vent to their feelings a jollification was planned, with torch light parade, speeches, etc. Arrangements were made to connect this well "The Old Man Himself" with the city mains, thus providing an ample supply of gas.
Another famous well was completed that year. It was located on the county fair grounds and had an initial open flow of about 10,000,000 cubic feet in 24 hours. A line was laid around the race track that fall, and "By this means the track was lighted up at night as never race track was lighted before, and the trials of speed went forward under this wan- ton illumination. The idea was novel and the scene unique and brilliant, but the waste was barbaric all the same." [Edward Orton, Sr.] Other wells were drilled with varying results ; still the quantity of gas at the command of the city was large and the next thing was to find a market for it. "The strange folly that seems bound up in the heart of a municipal corporation when it obtains a good supply of gas, that it must find some one who can use the fuel up in the largest way and most rapidly to whom to give it, without money and with- out price. broke out also in Lancaster. An ill-omened arch. bearing the illuminated in-
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scription 'Free Gas to Manufacturers' spans the main street of the town at the railroad crossing." [Edward Orton, Sr., 1890.]
After the Lancaster field had been tested sufficiently to show the presence of gas in good quantity drilling was commenced at many points in outlying portions of the county and a number of other pools have been discovered. The Thurston pool was the first of these. A well drilled in 1888 on the Bush farm near the railroad station only yielded sufficient gas to encourage further drilling, but the next one a mile to the eastward is said to have had an open flow of 7,000,000 cubic feet in 24 hours. A number of good wells were drilled later but by 1902 all had been practically abandoned.
The first well of the Sugar Grove field, the largest and richest field in Fairfield County, was on the Joseph Messbarger farm, now the I. Hennis farm, a mile north of the point where Big Rush Creek enters Berne township from Hocking County. From here the drill spread rapidly over that portion of southern Fair- field County roughly lying east of the Boys' Industrial School. The Hocking Valley passes through what was the heart of this field. Later it was extended southward well into Hocking County.
In later years the Pleasantville and Balti- more pools have been developed and several smaller outlying pockets.
THE BREMEN OIL FIELD
The discovery of the Bremen oil field is a result of the close association of oil and gas. As is well known, every oil well is to a greater or less extent a gas well, and large gas fields are seldom remote from oil. Oil, however, is usually more profitable than gas, and almost from the time of the discovery of the latter in the Clinton the search for oil has gone on. For years the result was discouraging, but the
driller for oil is as persevering as the miner who seeks the precious metals.
In the early spring of 1907 a well was com- pleted on the Weingartner farm between Pleas- antville and Rushville in Fairfield County, and began flowing oil at approximately 75 barrels per day. In July of the same year a well was completed on land of Frank Kittle in the adja- cent township of Rush Creek and proved to be a success. These two wells mark the open- ing of the Bremen field and the real beginning of the Clinton as a source of oil.
Location .- At present it includes parts of Rush Creek and Richland Townships of Fair- field County; Jackson, Reading and Pike Townships, and to a smaller extent several others, of Perry County. As the map shows, it is not one large field, but rather a number of small more or less disconnected areas. Thus we have the Pleasantville, Rushville, Bremen, Junction City and Straitsville pools. Whether or not further drilling will unite these is an open question. At present the indications are that the field is somewhat spotted, but that the Bremen and Junction City pools, at least, will unite, forming a continuous area from Bremen to New Lexington.
Early Drilling .- The discovery of this pool is due in no small measure to the confidence and perseverance of one man, Mr. J. E. Purvis. Its subsequent development is likewise due quite largely to the same individual. Nearly twenty years ago he secured options on about 5,000 acres of land around Bremen and at- tempted to organize a company to drill for oil. He believed that fuel was present because of the great reservoirs of natural gas a few miles to the west. Failing to enlist the necessary capital, the options were lost, and two more attempts had to be made before drilling began. About 1895 the Rush Creek Oil & Gas Com- pany was organized, the capital stock at first
THE BREMEN BANK CO.
BANK
BANA
THE BREMEN BANK CO., BREMEN
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THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK, BREMEN
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PUMPING STATION, BREMEN
OIL WELLS IN BREMEN
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being $10,000, but was increased later to $50,- shooting, so the well was abandoned and the 000. Stock to the value of $18,000 was sold.
The first well was drilled early in 1896 on the Stewart farm a short distance north of Bremen. When a depth of 1,790 feet had been reached, a heavy flow of gas, estimated at 5,000,000 cubic feet per day, was encount- ered, and drilling ceased. Lines were laid to Bremen, Rushville and West Rushville, giving those villages their first supply of natural gas, but about eighteen months later a flood of salt water ruined the well. So favorable an im- pression did this well make on capitalists that $100,000 was offered for the leases held by the company, which would have left $82,000 to be distributed among stockholders, but the of- fer was rejected.
The next venture was on the Steamen farm, a mile and a quarter southeast of Bremen. The Clinton sand was found in 1896, at a depth of about 2,510 feet, and contained some oil, but the shales above the sand caved badly, and in about six months the well was aban- doned without having shown what it was worth. Mr. Purvis thinks it would have pro- duced 15 barrels per day.
The third effort of the company was on the Rowles farm, about the same distance south- west of Bremen. Fourteen months were con- sumed in drilling this well, which was less encouraging than either of the preceding ones. At about this stage the company went into a receiver's hands, and the double liability law was enforced that debts might be paid. In this way the Rush Creek Oil & Gas Company went out of existence.
Late in 1896, Purvis, with two practical oil men, formed a partnership and drilled a well a mile and a quarter northeast of Bremen on the Nixon farm. The Clinton sand showed oil, but not enough, it was thought, to warrant
partnership terminated.
Within the next ten years Purvis took up leases two or three times, but could not raise the money necessary for drilling. In the spring of 1907 oil was gotten in a well drilled for gas about seven miles northwest of Bremen. The coveted fuel had now been disclosed on three sides of the village, and naturally this strength- ened the conviction of Purvis that oil in com- mercial quantities existed in the vicinity of Bremen and made possible the organization of the Bremen Gas & Oil Company in 1907.
Discovery and Development
Bremen Pool .- On May 17. 1907, the com- pany just named, and which was to play so important a part, was organized. The capital stock was fixed at $50,000, in shares of $25.00; about four hundred and twenty-eight shares were sold and eighty additional ones were given in exchange for about 10,000 acres of land that had been leased by Purvis & Ruff, in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, and Jackson Township, Perry County. The board of directors chosen consisted of J. E. Purvis, A. F. Turner, L. Olive, L. H. Kennedy, Lewis E. Ruff, Charles Bloom and W. S. Turner, all of Bremen, Ohio. The board organized by electing A. F. Turner, President, and L. E. Huddle, Secretary.
The first place selected for testing was the farm of F. M. Kittle, on the northeast quarter of Section II of Rush Creek Township. No special reason existed for this location: it was simply one of the leases held by the company and was neither more nor less promising than other tracts. Drilling began June 12, 1907, and the tools penetrated the Clinton sand late in July. Some oil was found and the sand was shot with 60 quarts of nitroglycerine that
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was hauled in a wagon from near Marietta. the rush to the new field began. Leases were In drilling, the casing extended simply to the sought after far and near, and rentals as high as $12.50 an acre per year were paid. The Purvis farm joins the Householder on the east and a well completed on it July 10, 1908, began producing 300 barrels per day; by Sep- tember 1, 1910, this rate had decreased to 8 barrels. base of the Berea, but when oil was found a string of 2,574 feet was set on the top of the Clinton, thus insuring a dry hole so far as water was concerned. After shooting, the well flowed several times, but the water proved too strong. When the casing had been inserted and the well cleaned, a pump was attached and the production started at 10 barrels per day. It is now (June, 1910), pumping about half that quantity. While this well was not much of a success it was encouraging, and in August, a second one was begun. Stockholders urged that leases nearer Bremen be tested, and to satisfy them a location was made on the farm of G. W. Baldwin, just north of the village. The Clinton sand was found, but it was hard and without oil or gas. A shot of 80 quarts of nitroglycerine did not improve matters.
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