USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > New Castle > Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th > Part 2
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Powell, Benjamin. 644
Preisel, Louis 941
Prescott, John. 392
Price, Campbell V 846
Rowland, Francis A.
674
Pollock, James K., M. D 173
Rose, Otis L 448
Moffatt, William J. 495
Phillips, Lewis O., M. D 170
696
Peebles, Thomas. 914
Permar, George M. 486
Perry, E. Hunter, M. D. 170
Miller, William S
Milliken, Isaac F. 753
Peebles, Dr. J. H. M. 165
Peebles, Robert.
Rigby, Seth Riley, Dr. C. K.
Riley, Matthew Albert 713
Ripple, James. 430
Miller, John R
Pearson, Samuel De Graff .. 623
Riddle, Samuel L. 743
750
Patterson, William W 972
PAGE
Norwood, John Davidson 491
Pitzer, John D .. 665
Rogers, Elmer D., D. O. 179
15
INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
Smiley, William. 829
Todd, Hon. Robert A 771
Whistler, Charles Elliott. 790
Smith, Calvin. 513
Todd, William S. 401
White, Ellis. 994
Smith, I. L ... 869
Toner, Mark F., M. D. 167
White, H. L .. 913
Smith, James F
636
Trainor, Charles E., M. D. 947
White, Joseph S. 1010
Smith, James M.
957
Treser, Adam .. 422
White, R. C. G .. 501
Smith, Jesse M.
976
Trunk, Kasper N S21
White, Samuel A.
809
Smith, Ross ..
669
Smith, Dr. W. D.
166
Tucker, John H. 995
Whiting, William.
796
Smith, Dr. William.
161
Twentier, Alexander. 632
Wilkinson, John Wesley 502
Smith, William L., M. D.
178
Snare, John W
591
Uber, L. M. 914
Snyder, C. L.
635
Uber, William J .. 158
Somers, J. L
965
Underwood, Edwin M. 945
Williams, Chalmers W 699
Speer, Robert. 889
Spencer, Andrew B.
967
Spencer, Whitney B
410
Spencer, Wilbur W 561
Stapf, Charles .. 872
Steen, William L., M. D 701
Stevenson, Edwin Stanton .. 552
Stevenson, J. A ..
796
Van Gorder, Joseph. 888
Wilson, Dr. Loyal W. 853
Stevenson, James Campbell. . 612
Stevenson, James W.
806
Veazey, Rev. John H. 945
Winternitz, Benjamin A. 158
Stevenson, Hon. Silas, M. D. 822
Stevenson, Thomas D.
487
Wagner, John E. F. 802
Withers, Robert T. 753
Stevenson, William W.
986
Walker, John Y .. S03
Walker, Joseph A. B. 461
Wolf, Milton J. 669
Stewart, W. R ...
773
Wallace, James G .. 619
Wood, James S .. 477
Stickle. Samuel C. 432
Wallace, J. Clifford. 856
Wood, John D., M. D 169
Stiefel, Ralph C .. 823
Wallace, James J., M. D. 174
Woods, A. W. 962
Stoner, J. C .. 762
Wallace, Dr. J. M .. 165
Woods, Dr. John. 166
Stoner, Robert. 771
Wallace, J. W., M. D 174
Woods, John B. 517
Strealy, Bert. 848
Wallace, M. Louis. 788
Woods, Dr. William. 164
Strohecker, George 841
Swisher, Eugenio K 949 Wallace, Robert A., M. D .. 174
Swisher, Francis Marion 463 Wallace, Dr. R. D .. 165
Swisher, Thomas M. 1015
Wallace, Robert L. 509
Swogger, David W. 443
Wallace. Hon. Wm. D 413
Syling, David. 798
Wallace, William H 619
Wright, John.
921
Syling, Jesse B. 796
Walter, Joseph T. 539
Walton, William D. 417
Yoho, Albert E. 773
Yoho, Edward James 897
Yoho, Eli 918
Taylor, Rev. Wm. M., D. D. 463
Watson, James M. 604
Yoho, John W 654
Taylor, W. S. 975
Terrill, Charles S 423
Thomas, B. J. 927
Weingartner, Fred H .. 547
Young, Floyd. 718
Thompson, Alfred H. 847
Weingartner, Hon. George T. 506
Young, George Sherman 599
Thompson, Howard J 758
Weinschenk, E. P. 765
Weinschenk, William Henry. 722
Thompson, Robert A. 776 Wellhausen, Henry. 970
Thompson, William Richard. 707 Welsch. J. Abraham. 650
Thomson. David C .. 585
Weltner. Bernhard. 761
Tillia, William G .. 439
Whan, Robert H.
993
Tindall, Zachariah.
885
Whippo. James
530
Young, John F. $59
Young, Robert M. 943
Young. Thomas S.
898
Zerner, H. Elmore, M. D ... 179
Zimmerman, H. E., M. D. . . .
177
Williams, T. V., M. D 532
Urmson, Allan W., M. D. 168 Wilson, C. C .. . 596
Wilson, Frank L. 1001
Vance. Norman G .. 926
Wilson, Henry R., M. D 167
Van Fleet, George W. 821
Van Gorder, Jacob Evans. 772
Van Gorder, James A 444
Wilson, John M. 933
Wilson, Wilson G., M. D. 173
Winternitz, I. A., M. D 166
Witherspoon, Samuel Dobbins 775 Witherspoon, Thomas D 934
Stewart, Alvin M.
876
Stewart, James Henry
810
Wallace, Chester W. 158
Wallace, Robert .. 461
Womer, William A., M. D .. 172
Workley, E. P 377
Wright, David. 782
Wright, Dell R. 574
Wright, J. Alexander 985
Taggart, James T 932
Ward, Robert Bennett. 903
Taggart, John Smith. 381 Warner, Samttel, M. D 173
Watson, Philip J. 660 Wehman, Charles. . 548
Yoho, William W 579
Young, Charles H. 797
Young. James S 725
Thompson, J. L
Tucker, John D., M. D. 170
Whiting, Lawrence
392
Wilkins, H. B .. 981
Wilkison, Hamilton A. 653
Williams, J. Frank. . 587
Urey, Frank Forrest, M. D. 708
Wilson, Joseph Clark. 483 Wilson, George Harvey 877
Vanhorn, George H. 714
INDEX OF VIEWS
PAGE
PAGE
Almira Home, New Castle. 105
Bethel Church, North Beaver Township. 139
Carnegie Steel Company. 123
Cat Rocks, Cascade Park, New Castle. 197
Center U. P. Church, Shenango Township.
261
Central Public School, Ellwood City. 335
Circle School, Ellwood City
997
City Building, New Castle.
County Jail, New Castle.
Court House, New Castle 67
Dambach Bros.' Building, Ellwood City. 335
Dancing Pavilion, Cascade Park, New Castle 197
Entrance to Cascade Park, New Castle. 197
First Baptist Church, New Castle.
215
First Christian Church, New Castle.
215
First M. E. Church, New Castle. 215
First Presbyterian Church, Ellwood City 297
First Presbyterian Church, New Castle. 215
Floral Bridge, Cascade Park, New Castle 197
Highland Avenue School, New Castle.
155
High School, New Castle. 105
Home Street School, New Castle 155
Hotel Lawrence, Ellwood City 297
Interurban Bridge, Ellwood City 335 Lawrence Savings & Trust Co. Building, New Castle 139 Masonic Temple, New Castle 105 Neshannock Presbyterian Church, New Wilmington 261 Park Avenue Engine House, New Castle. 95
Pearson Street School, "Central," New Castle. 135
Pennsylvania Engineering Works 123
Post Office, New Castle.
67
Ray Street Engine House, New Castle.
95
RESIDENCES-
Book, Alva, Residence of. 664
Brown, William M., Residence of. 37
Carlisle, Thomas J .. Residence of. . 641
Cosgrove, William, Residence and Farm Build- ings S17
Gibson, Mrs. George B., Residence of. 95
Graham, Benjamin, Residence of.
678
Greer, George, Residence of.
95
Henderson, M. H., Residence of. 37 Hennon, Joseph S., Residence and Farm Build- ings of 909
Hutchinson, John, Residence of. 843
Johnson, George W., Residence of. 37
Lamoree, George W., Residence of 37
McBride, James H., Residence of. 634
McBride, Roy L., Residence of. 633
Ohl, E. N., Residence of. 37
Patton, William H., Residence of. 575
Patton, Mrs. Margaret J., Residence of 719
Phillips, Hon. Thomas W., Residence of. 105
Rankin, George, Residence of .. 703
Riddle, Myron O., Residence of 865
Stapf, Charles. Residence of. 873
Stitzinger, Residence of. 37
Young, John F., Residence of. 858
St. Joseph's Church and Parsonage, New Castle. 105
St. Mary's School and Church, New Castle. 105
Seventh Ward School, New Castle. 155
Shenango Tin Plate Co. 123
Shenango Valley Hospital, New Castle 67
Slippery Rock Church 261
Soldiers' Monument, New Castle. 95
Stiefel Block, Ellwood City .. 297
Terrace Avenue School, New Castle 155
Thaddeus Stevens School, New Castle 155
Trinity Episcopal Church, New Castle. 215
United Presbyterian Church, Ellwood City 335
Universal Sanitary Manufacturing Co. 123
Wallace, Hoyt, and Hileman Buildings, New Castle 139
Washington Street, Looking East.
197
Washington Street, Looking West ..
197
Westfield Presbyterian Church,
North
Beaver
Township
261
WESTMINSTER COLLEGE
187
Science Hall.
College of Music. Administration Building.
"The Hillside," Ladies' Dormitory.
Y. M. C. A. Building, New Castle.
139
HON. AARON L. HAZEN.
history of Lawrence County
CHAPTER I
TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY
Topographical-Geological-A Geological Section - Seral Conglomerate Sandstone- Coal-Petroleum.
TOPOGRAPHICAL.
Lawrence County is situated nearly in the center of that tier of counties which forms the extreme western part of the State of Pennsylvania, its western boun- dary being the Ohio State line. It is bound- ed on the north by Mercer County, on the south by Beaver County, on the east by Butler County, and on the west by the State of Ohio. Its superficial area is about 360 square miles. The latitude of the court house is about 41 degrees north and its longitude about 3 degrees and 20 minutes west from Washington. Situated in the Beaver Valley, it is drained by that stream and its numerous branches, among which, and the most important, are the Shenango and Mahoning Rivers, and the Slippery Rock and Neshannock Creeks. There are also the Conoquenessing Creek, which flows for about four miles through the southern part of Wayne Township, empties into the Beaver River; Deer Creek, in Pulaski Township; Little Neshannock Creek, in Wilmington Township; Hettenbaugh Run, in Hickory; Big Run, in Shenango; Taylor's and Jameson's Runs, in Plain- grove; Little Beaver Creek, in the town-
ship of that name, and Hickory Creek, in North Beaver.
Along one side or the other of the She- mango, Mahoning and Beaver Rivers, from the north and west lines of the county to a point near the old town of Moravia, are extensive bottoms, but at the point men- tioned the hills close in and thence hug the river closely for most of the way to the southern line of the county. Along the Mahoning, in the vicinity of Edenburg, are found some precipitous bluffs, which afford much picturesque scenery ; the bot- tom lands generally alternating with the hills on the opposite side of the river. Along the beautiful valley of the Shenango the hills are less precipitous, and the land is highly cultivated. The lover of fine scenery will find his wishes gratified in the Neshannock Valley, where it abounds from the Mercer County line to New Castle. As former historian has truly written, "Broad and fertile bottoms alternate with high, steep and, in places, precipitous hills, showing perpendicular escarpments of rock, overhung in many localities by a dense growth of hemlock, giving the land- scape a look of primitive wildness seldom
22
HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY
found away from mountainous regions. In the neighborhood of New Castle the scenery is surpassingly beautiful; the hills generally rising gradually to various ele- vations of from 60 to 300 feet, being dis- posed in a system of terraces or plateaus, forming enchanting sites for residences, and giving every variety of view. The location of the city is scarcely surpassed for pleasing and varied scenery by that of any town in the state. The wildest and most stupendous views are found along the Slippery Rock and Conoquenessing Creeks, where Dame Nature has been prod- igal of her material and arranged it in the grandest and most picturesque man- ner. These streams flow through deep and narrow gorges walled by perpendicular masses of sandstone, over whose loose fragments and bowlders they tumble and foam in wild and ceaseless confusion. Here is magnificent field for the student of nature, and a splendid region for the summer tourist and pleasure-seeker, and it needs but the advent of a railway to bring hither thousands from the busy cen- ters of trade and population."
Lawrence County is sub-divided civilly into one city, three boroughs and seventeen townships.
The commercial and civil capital is the city of New Castle, which is situated very near its geographical center. Upon this point, a great number of roads converge from all the towns and hamlets of the county, while several lines of railway trav- erse the principal valleys, giving ample facilities for travel and commerce with all parts of the country.
GEOLOGICAL.
Geologically, Lawrence County belongs to the region included in the sixth bitumin- ous coal basin of Pennsylvania, the coal belonging to the Clarion group, which is the northwest outcrop of the lower meas- ures. The rocks of this region belong to the Paleozoic series; that is, the lowest sedimentary rocks containing evidences of
organic life. On the tops of the highest hills is found the ferriferous, or iron-bear- ing limestone; but the greater portion of this once extensive formation has been de- nuded, and carried away to the valley of the Mississippi, and thence to the Gulf of Mexico, by "the tremendous washings of the latter ages of the glacial epoch, the subsequent attrition of rains and frost, and the cuttings of the streams." In the neighborhood of New Castle this formation is about seventeen feet in thickness, being underlaid with from three to five feet of hard bluestone. This limestone contains about ninety per cent of carbonate of lime and is extensively used for fluxing pur- poses in blast furnaces. The bluestone has been extensively used in the manufacture of hydraulic cement, quarries of it existing at New Castle, and in Taylor, North Beav- er, Mahoning and Slippery Rock Town- ships.
At New Castle, one mile east of the post- office, this formation is immediately under- laid by about one foot of coal, of inferior quality, mixed with shale. Below the coal seam appears the Tionesta sandstone, with a thickness of about sixty feet. Below the sandstone is a second stratum of coal about eighteen inches in thickness, and underly- ing this is a stratum of fire clay twelve feet in thickness. Sixteen feet below the clay is a third stratum of coal, with a thickness of about four feet. The distance of the upper surface of the Tionesta sand- stone above the surface of Neshannock Creek, at New Castle, is 240 feet. The lowest twenty feet consists of shales.
A GEOLOGICAL SECTION.
The following is a section showing the stratification on Big Run, below New Castle :
Tionesta sandstone, about 50 feet. Blue shale, with iron ore, 6 feet. Coal, 11/2 feet.
Blue shale (argillaceous), 8 feet. Rotten sandstone, 21/2 feet. Blue and brown shale, with sandstone, 21/2 feet. Bituminous shale, 21% to 3 feet. Mercer limestone, a small amount.
23
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Blue shale, 3 feet.
Shale and concretions of iron ore, interval of 25 to 30 feet.
Section on a creek emptying into the Neshannock, two miles above New Castle, in Neshannock Township:
Tionesta sandstone, 50 feet.
Iron ore, 6 inches.
Limestone and chert, 2 feet.
Interval, 8 feet.
Blue slate, 2 feet.
Clay, 6 inches.
Black shale, 11/2 feet.
Light colored shale, 312 feet. Light blue shale, with bands of sandstone, 4 feet or more.
Interval, 61% feet.
Mercer limestone, 11% feet. Light colored shale, with sandy seams, 5 feet.
Bituminous coal, 6 to 8 inches.
Slate, 2 feet.
Bluish crumbly shale, 21/2 feet.
Grayish rotten sandstone, 11/2 feet.
Flaggy sandstone, 8 feet. Brown shale, 5 to 6 feet.
Bituminous shale, 11/2 feet.
Bluish or gray slaty sandstone, 5 feet.
Sandstone, 70 feet.
Section one mile northwest of New Castle :
Tionesta sandstone, 50 feet.
Coal and bituminous shale, 3 inches.
Brown and blue shale, 1 to 3 feet.
Limestone chert (ferruginous), 2 feet. Coal, 12 inches.
Light colored shale, 6 to 8 feet.
Argillaceous sandstone, 2 feet.
Light colored shale, 12 to 13 feet. Bituminous shale and coal, 4 feet. Blue sandy shale, 6 feet.
Flaggy sandstone (argillaceous at top), 75 feet or more.
Section at the gas well of the Shenango Iron Works of Messrs. Reis, Brown & Berger, bored in 1874-75:
Gravel, 15 feet. Blue mud and quicksand, 125 feet. Slate rock, 3 feet. Slate, 61 feet.
Sand shale, 54 feet.
Slate rock, 54 feet. Gas.
Gray sand, 44 feet.
Slate rock, 26 feet. White sand, 78 feet. Salt water.
Slate rock, 35 feet.
Red (sand) rock, 70 feet. Gas. Slate rock, 151 feet. Gas.
Gray sand, 43 feet. Gas. Slate, 70 feet.
Sand shales (very hard), 30 feet. Slate, 75 feet. Gray sand, 31 feet.
Red rock, 3 feet. Slate, 226 feet. Hard shales, 21 feet.
Slate, 155 feet. Sand shales, 47 feet.
Hard slate, 68 feet.
Gray sand, 50 feet. Slate, 154 feet.
Gray sand, 8 feet.
Slate, 64 feet. Gray sand, 15 feet.
Slate, 69 feet.
Gray sand, 17 feet.
Slate, 103 feet. Gray sand, 80 feet.
Very hard slate, 190 feet.
Black sand, 10 feet.
Very hard slate, 30 feet.
Additional, with about same changes, 525 feet.
Hard slate at bottom. Total, 2,800 feet.
SERAL CONGLOMERATE SANDSTONE.
The seral conglomerate sandstone passes under the water level above the mouth of the Conoquenessing Creek. There is a bed of what is supposed to be the Mahoning limestone, at Wampum Hill, about forty- two feet above the Beaver River. At the mouth of the Conoquenessing, large blocks of Tionesta sandstone may be seen lying on the surface of the hill, and the same is true of Slippery Rock Creek, from its mouth up to the bridge at the Mercer Turn- pike, where it passes under the water level.
In general, the rocks on Beaver River are not well exposed. The Tionesta sand- stone, however, may be seen on both sides of the river, from the mouth of the Cono- quenessing down towards Brighton, de- clining gradually to a lower level, until at length it sinks into the bed of the river and forms the upper fall above Brighton. "At the junction of the Shenango and Mahon- ing Rivers the seral conglomerate sand- stone is well seen, and also in the immedi- ate vicinity of New Castle. In some por- tions it is highly argillaceous, but above the middle of the bed it is thick-bedded, soft, and but little mixed with argillaceous bands. Its whole thickness is about 100 feet. The Tionesta measures average six- ty feet, and the upper or Tionesta sand- stone, which is more solid in this locality than the seral conglomerate, may be esti-
24
HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY
mated at about the same thickness. Be- neath the main seral conglomerate appears a bed of brown shale, containing ore well exposed at the west end of the bridge over the Shenango River. This ore may be properly considered the representative of the upper shale ores."
A very interesting locality to the geolo- gist is the vicinity of Willie Roy furnace, on Slippery Rock Creek, near the mouth of Muddy Creek. Here extensive deposits of iron ore have been discovered, situated immediately upon the upper surface of the ferriferous limestone, which is abundant in the vicinity, cropping out along the slopes of the hills, especially on or near their summits. This ore yields an average of 40 per cent of the finest iron, often giving 50 per cent.
According to the State Geological Sur- vey, there is, also, "upon the highest hills, and located about thirty feet above the limestone, a three-foot vein of coal. Be- tween the coal and limestone, and next be- low the coal, is a stratum of fire clay, and underlying the clay are shale and slate." This ore was at one time extensively mined by the process of "stripping," which de- veloped a coarse, gray slate down to with- in a short distance of the ore, below which appeared a stratum of red slate, underlaid by six inches of white clay. Below the clay was a stratum of flint, about a foot or less in thickness, and under this, lying upon the limestone, was found the ore, which lay where the stone was open, in pockets. Where the rock was close and compact, the ore was found more regular- ly deposited. The limestone is from ten to twelve feet in thickness, and rests upon a thirty-foot stratum of shale and slate. Below this comes in the Tionesta sand- stone, which is exposed in many localities, and forms the remarkable and interesting fall on Muddy Creek. Immediately under the sandstone there is a very extensive deposit of what is technically known as "blue ore," which is mingled with black
slate. It is finely exposed near the furnace and also at the falls. Beneath this ore- vein are alternate shale and slate.
A second and extensive vein of very hard ore may be seen exposed in the bed of the creek, a short distance below the furnace, at James Allen's old mill. It lies about thirty-feet below the "blue ore." The limestone vein of ore follows the for- mation for forty miles along the creek to its junction with the Beaver River. Five miles southwest of Willie Roy furnace is the Lawrence furnace, and the same strat- ifications are continuous between the two points, with similar developments of ore. Both the limestone and ore are very abun- dant, increasing as they approach the Beaver River, the ore being of a very fine quality.
Three miles west of the old Lawrence furnace, in Shenango Township, are lo- cated the famous "Houk banks," where the entire limestone formation gives place to an extraordinary deposit of iron ore, fifteen feet in thickness. Similar forma- tions and deposits exist also in Wayne Township.
In Neshannock Township there is an ex- tensive deposit of the "blue ore," from six to eighteen inches in thickness, under- lying the coal lands of the old New Castle Railroad & Mining Company. It occurs at a depth of about seventy-five feet be- low the workable coal vein. Iron ore has also been found in considerable quantities in the vicinity of the glass works.
The quarrying of limestone is now one of the leading industries of Lawrence County, more than 5,000,000 tons being quarried during the year, and more than one-third of this production being within the limits of the city of New Castle. From these quarries about 30,000 tons of clay are also taken. A comparatively recent report says, "The limestone of New Castle and Lawrence County is unexcelled for purity, being high in carbonate of lime and low in phosphorous, the supply inex-
25
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
haustible, and the demand from the lead- ing blast furnaces in the country is con- stantly increasing."
COAL.
This valuable mineral, it is thought, was first discovered within the bounds of Law- rence County, by John Stockman, in Big Beaver Township, about the year 1810. It has also been found in various parts of the county, most extensively along the Beaver River, in Big and North Beaver Town- ships. It underlies a large area in Neshan- nock Township, and other deposits occur in the west part of Union Township. The land that is underlaid with coal is poor farming land. The coal found in the Beav- er Valley proper is known as the "Beaver Valley gas coal," from the large amount of illuminating gas which it contains. It is also an excellent coking coal. The work- able veins are from three to four feet in thickness, and are found at various depths in different localities. There are many mines in Big Beaver Township and Wam- pum is now the only point in the county from which coal is shipped. The Beaver Valley coals closely resemble those of the well known Pittsburg measures, being in continuous seams, or nearly so, while the deposits in Neshannock and Union Town- ships resemble more closely those of the celebrated or Sharon block coals, being found in basins, or "swamps," as the miners and dealers call them, sometimes several hundred acres in extent, and again only in small "pockets." Near Mercer County shafts have been sunk and machin- ery installed, but the mines are not being worked, perhaps because at present mines in Mercer County can be worked more profitably.
In Neshannock Township have been found quite extensive deposits of fire-brick and potter's clays, which have been util- ized in the potteries. Some of the clay found within the city's limits is especially adapted to the manufacture of the best
kind of brick, and is extensively utilized.
At New Bedford are found mineral springs highly impregnated with iron; and similar springs are also found on the farm of the late Jesse R. Moore, in Neshannock Township.
PETROLEUM.
Petroleum was first discovered in the pebble or sand rock deposit, near Titus- ville, in Crawford County, by Colonel Drake, in 1859. These oil-sands lie in the middle Devonian system, thus differing from the Canada oil limestone which oc- curs in its lowest part. By geologists and oil producers petroleum has been divided into two classes-light and heavy oils. The former, which constitutes the great bulk of the commercial article, is found in the eastern portion of the oil-producing re- gion of Pennsylvania, in the porous forma- tion of the pebble rock; while the heavy or "amber" oil is only found in the west- ern portion of this territory, and in the closer grained and more compact rock. This rock, composed of similar materials, but varying in texture, produces a crude or refined oil, according as it is more or less compact in its grain, and dips from the west a little towards the southeast, at the rate of some fifteen feet per mile. It consists of about three-fourths quartz, etc., and one-fourth cavity, cleaned out by long percolation, and now occupied by water and oil. The proportion which the oil bears to the water in the bed is not ab- solutely known, but in many instances the actual yield has exceeded 1,500,000 bar- rels per square mile.
Says Prof. J. P. Lesley: "The oil is generally found at a certain level, inde- pendent of any strata; it has an oxidized tint from the possible accession of atmos- pheric air, and when this has occurred to any considerable extent, it has transform- ed a light into a heavy oil." The Penn- sylvania oils are found at depths varying from 150 to 1,200 feet below the surface.
26
HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY
Lawrence County is supposed to lie mostly within the heavy oil district, which covers an extent of about 1,200 square miles.
In 1860 there was great excitement in the western part of Lawrence County, owing to the discovery that oil existed in that locality. The first well in the valley of the Mahoning was put down by D. W. C. Strawbridge, some time in that year, about one and a half miles above Eden- burg, on the northeast side of the river. Oil was found at a depth of about 157 feet, but it proved to be only the leakage from fissured rock. Several hundred bar- rels, however, were taken out, when the influx of surface water stopped operations. Another well, 230 feet deep, was bored on the Angus farm, subsequently owned by J. McWilliams, and the production reached 1,000 barrels, when the same difficulty that the Strawbridge well had encountered put an end to the working.
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