History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 33

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Number of Pages: 638

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 33

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One of the most prolific spots in the Butler Coun- ty oil territory is in the vicinity of Hayesville, Fair- view Township. on the Hays. Brown, MeCafferty, El- lenberger. Jenkin, Sutton, Storey and Blaney farins, extending in a direct line from Fairview to Trout- man. These farms, with the exception of the Ellen- berger and McCofferty, are owned by Mr. Hays, who laid out the village of Haysville. On this tract, the Union Oil Company (H. L. Taylor & Co. ) formerly had ninety-seven producing wolls. The number is now redneed to fifty five The supplies. both of oil and of gas. hold out remarkably well. The wells were mostly put down by H. L. Taylor & Co .. the pre- decessors of the Union Oil Company, between the years 1572 and 1876. Their depth varies from 1,630 feet to nearly 1, 700 feet. The wells usually started off with a production of from 300 to 1,000 barrels daily. One well, the " Matthew Storey No. 2." on the Storey farm, started at 1, 200 barrels. The " Matthew Brown No. 6." on the Brown farm, was also a wonderfully prolific well, and perhaps the best ever struck in the vicinity. Another on the same farm produced 500 barrels per day a year after it was struck.

The MeChymonds and Banks farms, Karns City. became notel in 1876 for a narrow east and west belt which was very prolitie. It was named the " Rob Roy Streak." from the fact that that famous well was lo- cater in it. This little belt is probably not over fifty feet wide, but a dozen good wells have been located in it.

The " Sneker Rod Belt," so called from its extreme narrowness, extends from the Say farm, near Martins- burg. in a direction west of south, nearly to Fair- view, and north 22 degrees east, to " Glory Hole, " at. the mouth of Bear Creek. The subdivisions are some- times calle 1 the " Eastern Belt " and " Western Belt." The development of the "Sucker Rod" was started by the striking of the " Brawley No. I." on the Fletcher farm, late in 1871. On this belt in most places not over a hundred feet wide, about two hundred wells have been drilled.

What is known as the " Millerstown Eastern Belt," on the Schuster, Woolford and Groff farms, one mile east of Millerstown. was developed in 1876 and 1877. The first well struck was the "Centennial No. I." owned by H. L. Westerman. G. F. Fetzer and Dr. Frederick, which was a small producer. The " Cen- tennial No. 2," struck in March, 1877. was good for forty barrels per day. It remained, however, for the "Great Leather," owned by Red & MeBribe, struck upon July 12, 1877. to prove the richness of the pool. This well flowed 350 barrels, and the " Centennial No. 4." owned by H. L. Westerman and others, came in soon after with an equal production. About twenty other wells were drilled in this belt.

139

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

A singular phenomenon in this neighborhood, though over the Armstrong County line, on Holder's Run, is a well which produces a natural refined oil, which stands a fire test of 120 degrees, and in all re- speets resembles the product of the refineries. The well is owned by H. L. Westerman, and is used for illuminating purposes in his store at Millerstown and elsewhere.

There have been carried on from time to time in Butler County very extensive wild-cat operations, which have resulted unsuccessfully. The most re- markable was Phillips Bros. persistent and costly search for the outlet of the great Bullion deposit, in which they expended a large amount of money in the drilling of about one hundred dry holes across the northern end of Butler County. in a direction gener- ally conformable to the course of Slippery Rock Creek.

Drilling for Petroleum has, in several instances, resulted in the striking of gas wells, which have proved as profitable for their owners as moderately productive oil wells would. One of the most notable was the Indian spring gas well, a half-mile west of Fairview, owned by B. B. & C. L. Campbell and the Lambing Bros., and struck in 1873. There was a tremendous flow of gas from this well, and it did not diminish materially for six years, Pipes were laid to convey the gas to Parker and to the principal pumping stations at a cost of $42,000. Parker was lighted by it, and at the pumping stations it was used as fuel. A revenue of $500 per month was received from the Pipe Line Company alone.

Another remarkably good gas well was that known as the Givens, on the Gibson farm, west of Argyle, by which Petrolia was lighted. The Saxon Station well, owned by the Carbon Black Company, has proved a valuable property.

The Bald Ridge* (Penn Township) development is still in its infancy, and does not demand an extended space in history, however much it may merit the attention of oil operators, or however great a production it may lead to.

The combination of circumstances which led to the pioneer operations at Bald Ridge were briefly as follows:+

Ferd Reiber and Squire John Huselton. of Butler, both owned lands near Bald Ridge, which some scattering and widely separated "wild-cat" oper- ations led them to believe might prove good oil terri- tory. It was when the Greece City oil excitement was at its height, in 1874, that the Dodds Mill Oil Company put down a well on the Barnhart farm, in

*The ridges in this region are said to have b on awept over by fire which dung let them of their timber some tim . during the early settlement of the country, and hence the application of the name Bild Ridge, At the present tim- the hills are covered with a thick second growth, composed principally of scrub oak.

1 The facts concerning the Bild Ridge Company are chiefly collected from an article which appeared in the Butler Engle.

the northwest corner of Butler Township. A small quantity of oil was obtained in this well in the second sand. In the same year, Me Kinney & Nesbitt drilled a well on the Diek MeCandless farm, in Center Town. ship In this welt a third sand was obtained, as well as a small quantity of oil, but not in paying quanti- ties. About the same time, Hart & Conkle sunk a well on Sullivan's Run, about one and one-half miles northwest of Butler. In this well, a heavy wein of gas was reached, and three or four feet of third sand. Ferd Reiber came into possession of the records of these wells-the different strata and where located. etc. He set about to utilize them for his own benefit. While these wells were not, in any instance, remu. nerative, he thought it possible that somebody was " off the belt." He secured the services of James MI. Denny, then County Surveyor, to run a line from Greece City, or rather to extend the 10-degree line on which the Greece City territory had been located. This was done, the line passing a mile west of Butler and three-fourths of a mile west of the Sullivan Run well. At Bald Ridge, it passed near the location of Bald Ridge well No. 2. C. D. Angell had run a 223- degree line through that section some twelve or thir- teen years before. which he thought might throw some light on the subject if retraced. The surveyor tapped the Angell line on Robert McKee's farm, in Butler Township. He was enabled to do this from the information he got from Mr. McKee, who knew the bearings and marks of the line. This line was run until it intersected the Greece City line. The intersection of these lines occurred near the well now known as Bald Ridge No. 2. In July. 1580. Reiber & Hnselton set about taking oil leases. They pro- cured in all some 750 acres. Then preparations were made to drill a well near the junction of these two lines. A company was organized, consisting of the following gentlemen. most of whom are lawyers and business men in Butler, viz., Ferd Reiber, W. H. Hoffman, C. A. Sullivan, Moses Sullivan, S. H. Peirsal. Heck & Patterson, Bauer & Bro., Martin Reiber, Sr., H. G. G. Krugh, Henry Eitenmiller. Harvey Colbert, J. S. Campbell, Jacob Reiber & Bro., O. D. Thompson, J. D. MeJunkin. W. D. Brandon, R. P. Scott. George W. Fleeger. W. H. Ritler, A. L. Craig. B. C. Huselton and W. C. Neeley. A sort of an agreement was drafted by which any person who would agree to pay $50 would have a thirty- secondth in the well. Sufficient money was raised in this way for present needs, and the well was located near the intersection of the lines already alluded to. W. C. Neeley had the contract for putting down the well. He was to furnish the machinery. get Si a foot for drilling and to carry one-fourth of the stock. When the rig was about to be ereeted, it was found that

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

water was scarce at that point. and the location of the well was changed. The derrick was located about 1.100 feet south of the first location, near a spring on the Smith farm. Drilling was commenced in this well about the 1st of September. 1880. It was soon discovered to be a hard place to drill a well. Salt water gave no little trouble, and when any break would occur considerable time was lost in getting re- pairs, as there were no machine shops nearer than Petrolia. After many vexations delays, the well was drilled to a depth of 1.600 feet. At this point the contractor became discouraged. said he had lost money on the contraet and was willing to abandon the enter prise. He accepted a proposition, however, to con- tinue drilling at $5 per foot for whatever additional drilling there might be. At 1.620 feet. oil was oh tained, but the well was drilled to a depth of 1,750 feet for the purpose of testing the rock. The well was after. ward tubed and proved to be about a six-barrel well. This well was completed March 8. 1881. After con sultation, it was agreed that operations should be con- tinned. In April. 1581, a charter was granted to the " Bald Ridge Oil and Transportation Company," com. posed of most of the members of the original organi- zation and having as new members H. L. Westerman and Simon Yetler. W. D. Brandon was elected President; M. Reiber. Sr., B. C. Huselton, G. W. Fleeger and S. H. Piersal, Directors; John L. Camp- bell. Treasurer; Harvey Colbert. Secretary, and Fer- dinand Reiber, Superintendent. (These with the ex- ception of M. Reiber. Sr., deceased, are the present. officers of the company. A. Reiber was elected Di rector after the death of his father.)

The capital stock of this organization was fixed at $16,000. The Bald Ridge well No 2 was begun in June, 1881, and completed in the latter part of Sep- tember or Ist of October. It was drilled to a depth of 1,692 feet. This well when pumped only produced about two barrels per day. A shot was afterward put in and the well tobed with a Hoadley packer. when she began prodneing sixteen barrels per day, but. finally subsided to a daily production of eleven barrels, and at the present time is producing eight barrels per day.

Simcox & Meyers came down to this field with a view of operating. at the time the Bald Ridge No. 2 | was struck. The Bald Ridge Oil Company had offered 10 acres off the eastern part of their tract of leases to any person or persons who would pul down a well. They finally gave Simcox & Meyers 150 acres, and they commenced drilling a well on the Hamil farm, about the Ist of November. 1881. Soon after the Bald Ridge Company succeeded in leasing 160 acres southwest of Simcox & Meyer's well and commenced putting down a well on the David Crowe farm. In

Jannary, 1852. when they had got about fifteen feet in the sand, they temporarily abandoned the well, after having tubed it. The Simcox & Meyers well was completed March 20. 1882. when it commenced flowing through the casing at the rate of 100 barrels per day. This production was kept up for some time, when it finally began declining, owing to the pressure of the salt water. After Simcox & Meyers had succeeded with this well. the Bald Ridge Com- pany conelnded to drill the Crowe well deeper, and got through the sand which was reasonably promising and forty six feet thick. without any oil. on the 10th of April. Next, the Bald Ridge Company gave Herr McBride 100 acres, and he drilled a well 120 rods north of Bald Ridge Nos. 1 and 2. on the Dufford farm. He began in November, ISS1, and completed it about the Ist of March. 1852. He drilled to a depth of 1.665 feet. and did not get enough oil to justify him in pumping it. The Simcox & Meyers well. No. 1. was tubed recently. and a shot was put in it. After that it prodneed 240 barrels per day. but soon declined.

Sach, in brief, is the history of the work done by the Bald Ridge Company and some of those who leased from them or operated upon their lands. Their pioneer operations on this field led David Ren- frew to lay out a village, in the summer of 1882. which is still in the embryotic stage, though what it may eventually become no man knows.

The great well of the Bald Ridge region -- the fa- mous Shidemantle, at this writing probably the best well in the State-drew general attention to the field. It was struck July 26. 1SS2. on the Weber farm. Its highest production in one day was 750 barrels, but it gradually declined until at the Ist of No- vember it was producing 200 barrels. The well was put down by Andrew Shidemantle, one of the most successful operators in the oil regions. In brief, the record of the well is as follows: Struck limestone at 348 feet; through limestone at 363 feet: cased at 630 fert: struck salt water at 1. 120 feet: struck more salt water at 1,300 feet. (In all there is abont tive bar- rels of salt water per day.) Struck third sand and some oil at 1,547 feet; struck more oil and well began flowing at 1.575 feet: went throngh sand at 1,595 feet.

The drilling, except limestone, was through alter- nate sand and slate corresponding to the usnal formation of the locality

Phillips Bros .. of New Castle, than whom probably there are no more intelligent, energetic or extensive operators in the entire oil region. have no immense leases in Butler County, their lands lying in the vi- cinity of Bald Ridge and north and east of that local- ity. and are carrying on "wild catting " in a very sys

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

tematie way. Their prospecting will be watched with interest, there being a general belief that there is much virgin oil territory in Butler County, and that another great era of development lies not far distant in the future. The Messrs. Phillips have the enor- mons amount of 11,000 acres of land under lease in Butler County, and, in company with Dr. Egbert, of Franklin, own 1,100 acres more (the MeCalmont farm, in Butler Township) in fee simple.

It has been noted as a characteristic of the Butler County wells that they are more lasting than in other regions. The present production of the Butler oil territory is from 65.000 to 70,000 barrels per month. and the number of producing wells ( most of them quite old ones) nearly or perhaps quite 1.000. The oil from these wells is pumped to the stations of the United Pipe Line, and thence to the great refineries. There are three main line stations of the United --- one at Karns City, one at Millerstown and one at Troutman. The National Transit Company has huge pumping stations at Carbon Center and at Hilliard. The number of local pumps in the pipe line district. extending from Martinsburg to Bald Ridge, is 103, and there are a number more north of the point first named.

The distribution of the producing wells, as shown by the United Pipe Line Company's books, is as fol- lows:

Martinsburg and Campbell farm, 103; Petrolia, 83; Karns City and Central Point, $2: Karus City and Haysville, 74: Kaylor (12 are in Armstrong County), 42: Criswell and Queenstown (27 are in Armstrong County). 65; Greece City and Modoc, 56; Troutman, 55; Millerstown, 63; Great Leather and Eastern Belt, 68: Iron City and Millerstown, SO: St. Joe, Carbon Center, Hume's Station and Herman Station, 77: Bald Ridge, 7; in Butler County, north of Martinsburg, 96.

The number of producing wells will be brought quite up to 1,000, whenever the price of crude material advances, by the cleaning out and pumping of old wells which have been neglected.

The area of the developed territory in Butler County is about 25,000 acres. According to the most trustworthy statistics, the total production in the county has, up to Jannary 1. 1552, amounted to the enormous quantity of 33,750,000 barrels, more than one-sixth of the total production in Pennsylvania from 1859 to 1882, which was 156,502, 798 barrels. large amount of this was sold at $4 per barrel and some for only 40 cents.

It has been estimated that the development of the Butler oil region has brought in an immigration which bas increased by 10,000 the population of the county, and it has added untold millions to its wealth.

Geologically. there is a difference between the lower oil region and the upper, which may be briefly exhibited. The first wells put down in the county. in the vicinity of Martinsburg, were all third sand wells and the character of the stratification through which they were drilled is in conformity with the Venango County drillings. Geologists conclude that this is " truly equivalent, or of contemporaneous origin, with the third sand of Oil Crock and bullion." No other locality on the Butler-Clarion belt shows such an agreement with the arrangement of the sands on the Venango belt as exists in the vicinity of Martinsburg. The first, second and third sands can all be recog nized at their proper horizons, but at all other places in the Butler region these sands are so split up by shales, slates and red rocks that it is often impossible to tell where the first sand ends and the second begins, or where the latter ends and the third begins. At Bald Ridge it is held by many that the third and fourth sands unite. "The names given to the differ ont members of the group," says H. M. Chance, geolo- gist. "are purely arbitrary and do not express any synchronism between the individual sandstones here and those on Oil Creek. In the Butler District, the group of sands is found intact, but shows a very dif- ferent arrangement from the Oil Creek type." The following is a summary of the stratification in the nomenclature of the driller. the " first sand " being omitted, because it is not the true first, but the third mountain sand:

Second sand (Oil Creek " first sand").

(Interval. )

Fifty-foot rock (oil at Martinsburg).

(Interval.)

Thirty-foot rock (oil at Martinsburg).

(Interval.)

Blue Monday.

(Interval. ) Bowlder.

(Interval. )

Stray third (locally oil bearing).

(Interval. )

Third sand (main oil horizon).

(Interval. )

Stray fourth (locally oil bearing).

( Interval. )

Fourth sand toil on " Cross Belt"). *

These sand rocks are separated by bands of shale slate and red rocks, which, like the oil-producing strata, are very variable, the total thickness of the group exhibits but slight variations, usually ranging from 275 to 325 feet. and occasionally reaching a thickness of 350 feet.

The ferriferons limestone is used as a "key . From Vol. V, Second Geological Survey, by H. MI. Chance.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

rock " throughout the district. third sand being looked for at 1,160 to 1,200 feet beneath its top, and the fourth sand at a depth of from 1,250 to 1,275.

The following table shows the elevation above or below ocean level of the top of the third and fourth sands at a number of the best known locations within the limits of the 22-degree belt and the cross belt:

.al sand

4th Saud

Parker, ahove ocean.

Farrentown, above ocean

Stonehouse, below ocean

Martinsburg, below ocean

Frousingerform, below ocean. 20

Argyle, below ocean.

Petrolia, below ocean.

100

Fairview, below ocean ..

175

Modor, below ocean

120

200

Gecece City, below ocean

020

300

Criswell. below ocean.

105

100

Brady's Bend ..

130

215

Karns City, below ocean.

160

250

Millerstown, below ocean

215

320

St. Joe, below ocean.

260

335

Carbon Center, below orran.

294

376

Humes Farm, below ocean.

375

457

Herman Station, below ocean. ...

418

500

These figures show that the average dip south by west is about twenty-three feet per mile.

CHAPTER XV.

COUNTY SOCIETIES

The Old Agricultural Society and the New-Medieal society of Butler County-Teachers' Institute of 1855-Teachers' Association-The Butler County Bible Society.

T THE old Butler County Agricultural Society was organized in Butler Borough March 25, 1856. at which time the following officers were elected, viz .. President, John Anderson: Treasurer, James Bredin; Recording Secretary, Archibald Blakeley; Corre- sponding Secretary. Engene Ferrero; Librarian, James Campbell.

Vice Presidents-Adams. Samuel Marshall; Alle- gheny, Henry Kohlmire: Brady, Silas Covert; But- ler. Silas Pearce; Buffalo, William Barker; Cherry. William Gilchrist; Clay, Jesse Hall; Concord, Calvin Graham; Center. Robert K. Hunter: Conno:menes- sing, W. C. Martin; Clearfield. John Gallaher; Cran- berry, Alexander Gillespie; Clinton, Robert Love; Donegal, Manasses Gillespie; Fairview, James Story; Franklin, Henry Shaffer: Forward. Henry Buhl: Jef- ferson, James Dunlap: Jackson. Jacob Burrey; Lan- caster. Francis M. Scott; Mercer, John R. Harris; Marion. Joseph Cummings: Muddy Creek, Isaac Moore: Middlesex, James Fulton: Oakland. Anthony Hoon: Pennsylvania. Abner Bartley: Parker, David Kelley: Slippery Rock, Josiah MeJunkin: Summit, Robert B. Maxwell: Venango, Samuel Layson: Wash- ington, Peter Shira; Wintield, Giffin McGearcy;

Worth. Alexander H. Boyle: Borough of Butler, William Campbell: Centerville, John T. Bard: Har- risville, James Kerr: Harmony, George Bean; Por- tersville. W. A. Patterson; Prospect, James White; Saxonburg, E. Maurhoff: Zelienople. Sidney Passa- vant.

CONSTITUTION.

SECTION 1. The name of this Society shall be " Butler County Agricultural Society."

SEC. 2. The objects of this Society are to encourage and improve the agricultural, horticultural and domestic arts.

SEC. 3. This Society shall consist of all such persons as shall signify to the executive committee their wish to become members, and shall pay to the Treasurer, on signing the Con- stitution of the Society, not less than $1, and also of honorary and corresponding members. The payment of $20 shall con- stitute a life membership, and exempt all members so con- tributing from all annual payments.

SEC. 4 The officers of the Society shall consist of a Presi- dent. and also a Vice President from each township and borough in the county: a Treasurer, a Corresponding and Re- cording Secretary, a Librarian and such assistants as the So- ciety may consider essential to the transaction of its business. The Vice Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurer and Librarian shall constitute the executive committee.

See. 5. The President shall have a general superintend- enre of all the officers of the Society In case of death, ill- ness or inability of the President to perform the duties of his office, the executive committee shall select a Vice President to act in his place, who shall have the same power and perform the same duties as the President, until the next annual elee- tion. The dutiesof the Vice Presidents shall be to take charge of the affairs of the association in their several districts, and to advance all of its objects; to call upon farmers to report as to the condition of agriculture in their neighborhood; to ask for information as to the modes of cultivation and all such matters as may interest farmers in every part of the county. The Treasurer shall keep an account of all moneys paid into his hands, and shall only pay bills audited and approved by the executive committee.

Ste. 6. The Society shall meet annually. All officers of the Society shall hereafter be elected by ballot for the ensuing year and until another election. They shall also bold a gen- Fral meeting at the time of exhibition, and special meetings whenever con voked by the executive committee. Fifteen mem- bers shall constitute a quorum to do business, but no member in arrears shall be entitled to the benefits of the Society.

Sie. 7. The constitution may be altered or amended at the annual meeting, by a vote of two-thirds of the members present.

THE PRESENT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

A meeting for the purpose of organizing the But- ler County Agricultural Association was held in Thompson & Scott's law office October 15, 1877. The following officers were elected: President, G. C. Cross; Vice Presidents, G. A. McBride, J. S. Purvis, J. H. Tebay; Directors, W. P. Roessing. Joseph Purvis, L. M. Cochran, G. J. Cross, W. H. H. Riddle; Treas- urer, J. L. Purvis; Secretary. P. W. Lowry; Corres- ponding Secretary, W P. Roessing. The capital stock was fixed at $5.000. The charter of the society was granted November 3. 1877, by Judge E. MeJun-

143

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

kin. The grounds at present used by the society were leased from Mrs. Eliza Bredin and Dr. S. Bredin for a period of ten years. The society started upon its career auspiciously, and held its first fair in the fall of 1878. The officers elected at the organization held over during that year. The officers for the years sub- sequent have been as follows:

1879-President, Gardner J. Cross; Vice Presi- dents, W. II. H. Riddle, J. H. Tebay; Secretary, W. P. Roessing; Treasurer, J. S. Campbell; Directors, Gardner J. Cross, George A. MeBride, L. M. Coch- ran, James H. Tebay, Joseph L. Purvis, R. P. Scott. John S. Campbell.

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History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 33

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, Waterman, Watkins & Co. Number of Pages: 638

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Number of Pages: 638