USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 27
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These two wells, one a complete failure and the other a small producer, emptied the treas- ury of the company, but the stockholders with few exceptions doubled their shares and the drill was started again. The location was near their first well and on the farm of J. W. Huston, southeast quarter of Section 2. The Clinton sand was penetrated about October I, 1907, and began flowing oil at the approximate rate of 140 barrels per day. Thus after nearly twenty years of effort Purvis began reaping his reward. The well was very profitable and in July, 1910, was pumping about 20 barrels each day. Naturally the company did not go far for its next location which was on the Householder farm, adjoining the Huston on the east. The Clinton sand was reached in February, 1908, and the well began flowing at the rate of 250 barrels per day : in July fol- lowing, it was producing at the rate of 100 bar- During the first year the oil was pumped into tanks along the railroad, and then run rels, and two years later 10 barrels daily. Of course this well attracted wide attention and by gravity into tank cars. In 1908 the
Other wells were sunk by this company as fast as the drill could be forced down and with marked success, obtaining a daily pro- duction of 1,000 barrels in 1909 and maintain- ing this for the following 12 months or there- abouts. Stock rose rapidly in value and in May, 1909, sold as high as $625 a share. By January 1, 1910, twelve 50 per cent dividends had been paid. The oil commands the Penn- sylvania price and sold for $1.78 per barrel during approximately the first two years of the company's history. It then began drop- ping and reached $1.30, at which it is now selling. By the close of 1909 the company had drilled 90 wells and 70 of these were pro- ducers.
From the first producing territory, about three miles northeast of Bremen, the drill moved in all directions, but with little suc- cess to the north and west. Southward the results were more favorable, and by 1908 wells were being secured in the valley of Rush Creek. In the spring of 1909 the drill was at work near Bremen, and late in the year on town lots. Much money has been wasted in this enterprise-not only have wells been drilled on adjacent lots, but in at least one case two have been put down on the same lot. Sometimes the derricks were so close together that there was scarcely room for the tools.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Buckeye Pipe Line Company erected a pumping station in the valley at Bremen, and laid a three-inch line. A little later this was replaced with a four-inch line, and this in turn with a six-inch.
Pleasantville Pool .- In March, 1907, a well was completed on the Wiengartner farm, Section 18 of Richland township, Fairfield County, about midway between the villages Pleasantville and West Rush- ville. It will be noted that this was prior to the first well in the Bremen field proper, which dates from July following. The well began flowing at the rate of about 75 bar- rels per day. Other wells were drilled as fast as the tools could be forced down, but by the close of 1908 the limits of the field had been determined, and little drilling has been done since that time. The best well reported is on the Stevenson farm, and started flowing at about 200 barrels per day. The producing territory includes part of Section 18 and 19, on which about a score of oil wells has been obtained. To the south a few gas wells have been se- cured, and immediately to the west lies an arm of the great Central Ohio gas field. Eastward from the oil wells seven dry holes have been sunk, and no direct exten- sion in that direction needs be expected.
Rushville Pool .- The Rushville Oil & Gas Company drilled a well on the Wikoff farm, on the southeast quarter of Section 33, about one mile south of the village, in the summer of 1909, and secured a gas well that started producing 1,887,000 cubic feet per day. Two further attempts on the same farm brought similar results. The next effort was on the Morehead farm, which joins the Wikoff on the north, the result being an oil well which started flow- ing at the rate of about 75 barrels the first
day. Another test on this farm showed oil, but before the well had been cleaned and put to pumping the company sold its holdings. The production is reported to have started at 30 barrels a day. A number of wells have now been completed on this farm.
Production of the Field .- This is shown by the following which has been provided by the Buckeye Pipe Line Co., Macksburg Division. These figures include the output of Perry County also. As will be seen the production has risen irregularly to May, 1910, when the maximum was reached. Less drilling and hence fewer new wells since that time are responsible for the de- crease. The indications are that the output will continue to shrink for months hence, and it may be that the production of May last will not again be equaled.
August
1907
1,245.08
September 1907.
1,186.98
October
1907
1,515.48
November
1907
4,810.72
December
1907
7,940.13
16,698.39 Bbls.
January
1908.
14,263.35
February
1908
14,292.30
March
1908
18,082.39
April
1908.
18,377.23
May
1908
24,002.01
June
1908.
29,542.68
July
33,749.72
August
1908. 1908
38,849.75
September
1908.
33,815.16
October
1908
31,335.44
November
1908.
29,561.17
December
1908
36,280.90
322, 152.10 Bbls.
January
1909
33,086.44
February
1909
30,970.54
March
1909.
38,420.87
April
1909
39,324.70
15
236
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
May
1909
42,163.97
June
1909
58,182.32
July
1909.
65,289.10
August
1909
77,892.90
September
1909.
96.287.54
October
1909.
. 109.473.33
November
1909.
104,583.97
December
1909.
103,608.09
799,283.77 Bbls.
January
1910 120,524.22
February
1910
119,172.23
March
1910
152,223.95
April
1910.
. 171,413.42
May
1910
184,544.II
June
1910.
164,814.51
July
1910.
147,473.80
August
1910
148,822.76
September
1910.
134,172.88
1,343,161.88 Bbls.
Grand total.
2,481,296.14 Bbls.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE BREMEN OIL FIELD
By L. Rowles Driver.
The Bremen Oil Field in its present ac- tivity had its beginning in the winter of 1907, when Mr. J. E. Purvis with a few associates gathered up a block of leases and organized "The Bremen Oil and Gas Company." This was the start for the pres- ent boom, but we might say that the seed for this movement was sowed about 17 years previous to this, when Mr. Purvis and others drilled a well which showed signs of oil but was not properly taken care of. Mr. Purvis from that day on always felt assured that Rush Creek township was good territory for development of an oil field.
In May, 1907, his prophecies and untir- ing efforts were realized when the com- pany in which he had been the main spring
drilled in their first well on the Kettle farm with a nice showing for oil. This started the boom, and after a few other much better wells, activity became quite strenuous and soon many other companies were organized, some having good liold- ings, others with small and valueless hold- ings. But so anxious were investors to se- cure something like what the "Old Bre- men" and a few other companies had struck, that stock in many companies sold within a few hours after the books were opened.
Most of the companies organized were capitalized at $50,000, and many sold full capitalization. It is estimated that nearly three hundred companies were organized and had stock listed in this field, many of these being formed merely to promote stock rather than develop. Such compan- ies as these resulted in disappointment to those entering them. Of the many com- panies which operated in the field only six paid dividends, namely: The Bremen Oil and Gas Company, The Avelon Oil and Gas Company, The David Rodafer Oil and Gas Company, The Kerr Oil and Gas Com- pany, The Great Expectation Oil and Gas Company, and the Diamond Oil and Gas Company.
In May, 1910, the "Bremen" company disposed of its holdings to the Carter Oil Company at a lucrative price. Since then the Carter Company have been drilling very conservatively.
Only when we bring the figures before us of what has been done can we grasp the enormity of the development of the field. The field at its best had a production of 6,000 bbls. daily. We find that in the field 350 wells have been drilled, of which about 270 have been producers, ranging from 10
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
to 400 bbls. The drilling of these wells has necessitated the expenditure of over $2,000,000.
The development has meant an increase in population to Bremen of over 100 per cent, which probably would have been still higher had there not been such a lack of houses. To the land owners alone the oil field has meant $500,000 in rentals and royalties.
As to the future of this field we can but speculate, but with the steady advance of crude oil, which bids fair to go from $1.30 to $2.00 per barrel, it is safe to predict that drilling will continue in this field for 15 years to come. For there is much land which looks good for paying wells that re- main yet to be developed.
CHAPTER VIII
TRANSPORTATION.
Canals-The Ohio and Eric Canal-The Miami and Eric Canal, Formed by the Miami, the Wabash and Erie and the Miami Extension Canals-The Ohio and Hocking Canal-Toast of Senator B. W. Carlisle-Original Stockholders of Lancaster Lateral Canal-Abandonment-Value Today-Roadways-Railroads of the County-Story of their Development-Electric Traction Lines, a Recent Development-Railroad and Trac- tion Line Statistics as Relating to Lancaster.
CANALS
The world has always been interested in canals. They are older then the Chris- tian era. They were employed as a means of navigation and communication by the Assyrians, Egyptians, Hindus and Chinese. The Royal Canal of Babylon was built more than 600 years before Christ. The Grand Canal of China connecting two rivers, the Yang-tse-Kiang and the Peiho, was built in the 13th century. This canal is 650 miles long. It has no locks, for the Chinese did not know how to build a lock.
It is a most interesting fact in history that the common canal lock in use today was invented in Italy in 1481, A. D., by Leonardo da Vinci. the great Florentine painter. It is said, however, that the honor is also claimed by Holland. It is some- what strange that this lock invented so long ago has never been improved upon; in fact the most expensive lock in the world, the Sault Ste. Marie, costing half
a million dollars, is constructed upon the same plan as the old lock of Leonardo da Vinci. This famous lock in the "Soo" is of solid masonry, 800 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 21 feet deep. It is also a matter of surprise that so few people today under- stand the working of a canal lock, or have ever seen one.
The canal has always been recognized as a great aid to civilization, and will ever be so regarded. The first canal in the United States of any consequence was the Erie Canal, 336 miles long, connecting the Hudson River at Albany and Troy with Lake Erie at Buffalo. It was begun in 1817 and finished in 1825, at a cost of $7,602,000. It was this canal that made the city of New York, and the name of Governor DeWitt Clinton will ever be con- nected with it as its builder.
The great success of the Erie Canal in- duced the people of Ohio to begin the great work of canal building for this State. Gov- ernor Clinton lent his great aid to the
238
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
movement in Ohio and was present at the "opening" on the Licking Summit in Lick- ing County, July 4, 1825. He made an ad- dress there and removed the first shovel- ful of earth.
The history of the canal struggle in Ohio is one of long, continuous effort. Af- ter many years of ineffective legislation, it was finally decided by the legislature, Feb- ruary 4, 1825, to construct the Ohio and Erie Canal, following the old Scioto-Mus- kingum route from Cleveland to Ports- mouth and the Miami Canal, following the great Miami River from Dayton to Cin- cinnati. It was also promised to extend the Miami Canal to Toledo in a few years.
The work on the Ohio and Erie Canal commenced at once and was pushed along very rapidly. The city of Akron started from a group of shanties occupied by Irish- men who were working on this canal. The pay for laborers during the first few years of this work was 30 cents a day, with plain board, and a "jiggerfull of whiskey." The work on the Miami Canal was not to be- gin until December 1, 1831, by legislative enactment. Construction, however, did not begin until 1833. The cost of this canal work was paid in part by land grants from the government and from Ohio and Indiana.
Congress, which had on March 2, 1827, granted to the State of Indiana, to aid in opening a canal to unite at navigable points the Wabash River with Lake Erie, a quan- tity of land equal to one-half of five sec- tions in width on each side of the canal. did, by an act approved May 24, 1828. grant to the State of Ohio, to aid in ex- tending the Miami Canal from Dayton to the Maumee River, a quantity of land equal to one-half of five sections in width on each side of the canal from Dayton to the Mau-
mee River at the month of the Auglaize. so far as the canal should traverse public land. The act reserved to the United States each alternate section of the land un- sold, with the provision that such reserved land should not be sold at less than $2.50 per acre. The number of acres included in this grant was 438.301.32.
Indiana, learning after examination that a canal connecting the Wabash with Lake Erie would have to pass through Ohio, thought it advisable to propose to Ohio to transfer to her such part of the land granted to her by Con- gress, March 2, 1827, as lay within Ohio, if the latter would build the Wabash and Erie Canal from the Indiana State line to Lake Erie. To enable her to do this, section 4 of the act to aid Ohio to construct the Miami Canal from Dayton to the Maumee River authorized In- diana to convey to Ohio, upon such terms as might be agreed upon by the two States, any land in Ohio given Indiana by the grant of March 2, 1827.
Section 5 of the act of May 24, 1828, gave Ohio further grants of 500,000 acres of gov- ernment land in Ohio to aid her in the pay- ment of the canal debt or interest, such land to be disposed of for this purpose and no other.
Indiana having received the authority of Congress by resolution approved February 1, 1834, conveyed to Ohio her right, title and interest to lands in Ohio, which she had re- ceived from Congress for canal construction. This contract was ratified by Ohio in a joint resolution passed February 24. 1834. Thus passed to Ohio another grant of land amount- ing to 292,223.51 acres.
These three land grants gave to Ohio a total of 1.230.521.95 acres of land to be sold for the aid of her canals. The State has sold most of these lands for $2,257.487.32, and has remaining, principally within the limits of the
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
Grand Reservoir, land worth perhaps $100,- 000.
A week after accepting the land grant from Indiana, the Ohio Legislature, on March 3, 1834, authorized the construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal. The selection of the line for this canal was made by the Board of Public Works, April 8, 1836, and Governor Lucas having recommended its early com- mencement, the work of construction began in 1837. This canal was completed in 1842, being 67.75 miles long from its junction with the Miami Extension Canal to Toledo, and having a water surface width of 60 feet, a bot- tom width of 46 feet, and a depth of 6 feet.
The Miami Extension Canal was com- pleted three years later, 1845, and was 114 miles long, 5 feet deep, 36 feet wide at the bottom, and 50 feet wide at the top.
Just two years to a day after the auspic- ious opening of the canals, the first boat de- scended the northern section of the Ohio and Erie Canal from Akron to Cleveland. "She was cheered in her passage by thousands
* * who had assembled from the ad- jacent country at different points on the canal to witness the novel and interesting sight." This boat arrived at Cleveland, July 4, 1827, after having descended through 41 locks, passed over three aqueducts, and through 37 miles of canal. It is worthy of note that this was the most difficult and expensive part of the line to construct. Besides this, several miles more of unconnected sections of the canal had been finished.
A little later, navigation also began on the Miami Canal. On November 28, 1827, "three fine boats, crowded with citizens delighted with the novelty and interest of the occasion, left the basin, six miles north of Cincinnati and proceeded to Middletown with the most perfect success. The progress of the boats
was about three miles an hour, including locks and other detentions. The return trip was made with equal success."
By an act of the Legislature, March 14, 1849, the three canals previously known as the Miami Canal, the Miami Extension Canal, and the Wabash and Erie, became known as the Miami and Erie Canal, and so it has remained to this day. It is impossible to state the value of this canal to the country through which it passes.
Undoubtedly the canal has greatly aided the development of the county and is yet of great financial worth. The State should protect this property and increase its efficiency, for the usefulness of the canal, both as a source of water power and as a means of cheap trans- portation, is not yet exhausted.
The whole length of the Miami and Erie Canal is 301.49 miles. It cost $8,062,680.80. The gifts of land by the State greatly reduced the cost to the taxpayers.
Two canals (Ohio and Hocking) pass through the central part of Fairfield County. The Ohio Canal traverses its surface a dis- tance of nearly 30 miles. It enters the county through Winchester in the southwest corner of Violet township, through Section 32; it then assumes a southeast course, passing through the northern border of the village of Carroll, in Greenfield township. It then runs east across the southeast corner of Liberty township, passing the village of Baltimore and Basil, entering Walnut township, turns north and passes out of the county through Section 22.
The Hocking Canal opens into the Ohio Canal at Carroll. From this point it runs southeast, entering Hocking Valley near Hook- ers Station, four miles above Lancaster. Pass- ing Lancaster on its western border and enter- ing Berne township, continuing in a south-
241
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
east direction, it passes out of the county south of Sugar Grove, through Section 10, and runs via Logan, Nelsonville and Chauncey to Athens, 53 miles from Carroll (Graham's History of Fairfield and Perry Counties).
The Ohio Canal was begun in 1825 and fin- ished in 1830.
Part of the Hocking Canal, called the Lan- caster Lateral (the names of the original stock- holders are found herewith) was built from Carroll to Lancaster by a private company incorporated February I, 1825. The remain- der was built by the State; 16 miles from Lan- caster toward Athens was contracted for July 13, 1836; the second division to Nelsonville was contracted for October 16, 1837; the third division from Nelsonville to Athens Sep- tember 4, 1838. That year the Lancaster Lateral was purchased by the State.
Legislation in Ohio, looking toward a canal was agitated as early as 1821. It was not at first popular and failed of passage. Finally it was coupled, as was frequently done in an early day, with a popular taxation meas- ure, and in 1822 three measures passed both branches of the legislature. Commissioners were appointed to employ an engineer. They employed Mr. James Geddes of New York. He first examined the route to Columbus via Cuyahoga Summit, arriving in Columbus in June, 1822. During the summer and fall he travelled 900 miles. At last it was decided to locate the starting point at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River at Lake Erie, entering the Ohio at the mouth of the Scioto.
The same year a canal was located between Cincinnati and Dayton.
SENATOR CARLISLE'S TOAST
The following response of Senator Carlisle to a toast, "The Hocking Canal," given on the occasion of the anniversary of the Hock-
ing Sentinel at Logan, April 26, 1877, gives a complete history of the canal.
"In response to the subject assigned us, we beg to be indulged while we review in abstract and briefly, the history and reminiscences of the Hocking Canal. Its history, though brief, and to some probably, monotonous and unin- teresting, is fraught with facts important, and will be remembered by the pioneers of the Hocking. We call upon you friends who have lived for two and a half or three score years, in this beautiful valley of milk and honey to return with us on the wings of mem- ory and hear again the shouts of joy echo throughout the length and breadth of this valley, as we heard them in the earliest days of our settlement.
"The first part of the Hocking Canal was built by the Lancaster Lateral Canal Company from Lancaster to Carroll, there forming a junction with the Ohio Canal. The Lancaster Lateral Canal was put under contract in 1832 by Samuel F. McCracken, Jacob Green, El- nathan Scofield, Benjamin Connell and others, with Frederick A. Foster as secretary. This piece of canal, known at that time as the Lan- caster Side Cut, was completed and the first boats towed into Lancaster on the Fourth of July, 1836, amidst the booming of cannons, beating of drums and the waving to the breeze of flags and banners, and being witnessed by some 10,000 of Fairfield's yeomanry, who were assembled at the Cold Spring Hill, near Lancaster, where there was a roasted ox and a free dinner served, after which the Greens, Bill Ferguson and others indulged in the pop- ular exercise of fisticuffs.
"Up to this period our fathers got from 25 to 40 cents for their wheat; but many of them became rich from prices received for their surplus products afterwards. Lancaster was then one of the large commercial cities of the
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
country, getting all of the grain from most in as you were by towering hills, your agri- parts of the county as well as from parts of Perry, Hocking and Pickaway Counties. There were nine dry goods stores, all doing a thriving business.
In March, 1838, an act was passed by the legislature of the State authorizing the then commissioners to purchase the side cut from its owners. April 6, 1838, a committee was ap- pointed to confer with the Lancaster company and negotiate terms; and December 22, 1838, a contract was matured for the same, at a cost of $61,241.04.
"The Hocking Canal was projected and put under contract by the Board of Public Works in 1836, that board having just been made to substitute the Canal Commissioners of the State. Sixteen and a half miles being from Lancaster to Bonner's Lock, was put under contract in 1837 and to be completed in 1839; that portion from Bonner's Lock to Nelson- ville being sixteen and a half miles, was put under contract in 1837 to be completed in 1839, but was not completed till 1840. In September of this year the first boats loaded with coal came out of the Hocking Valley and served as a curiosity to most of the upper valley citizens who had never seen stone coal. In 1841 the canal was completed to Monday Creek, being 44 miles from Carroll, and from Monday Creek to Athens, completed and boats running through in 1841.
"The Hocking Canal has 31 locks, 8 dams, 34 culverts and one aqueduct of 80 feet span. The total cost of construction of this canal was $947,670.65.
"To the opening of this canal Lancaster, Logan, Nelsonville and Athens owed their principal prosperity in affording an opening for the importation of goods and the exporta- tion of grain, pork, lumber, salt and various minerals of the Hocking Valley. Hemmed
cultural wealth undeveloped, your mineral wealth unknown, to the Hocking Canal you owe your introduction to the world without. Through the medium of the canal a market was brought near. The latent wealth of your hills was then developed and the beautiful hills of Hocking became the hub of the mineral wealth of Ohio.
"By the introduction of this old water-horse (the canal) the long hidden treasures of min- eral wealth of this valley were brought into notice and general use ; manufactures built up in all the contiguous towns and territories ; thus affording employment to a large and needy class of mechanics; and the employ- ment of an equal number of laborers in pene- trating the bowels of the earth for fuel, the employment of horses, boats and men to ship the fuel all along the lines of our canals, en- riching many of the citizens of the valley.
"Allow me to say in conclusion that, al- though the iron horse moves majestically along the valley, bearer the greater share of your trade, yet the old boat-horse still lives, and pos- sesses a large assortment of vitality, and is therefore not as yet ready to be turned out to die, as some would have him. And if any in- animate object were capable of waking in the human breast sentiments of gratitude and es- teem, these the citizens of the Hocking Valley owe to the canal."
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