Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1887 — THEY STRUCKILE. [ARTICLE]

THEY STRUCKILE.

Big Excitement at ;Fraocefts vllle Early on Wednesday-morning of last week, the contractors on the gas and oil well, at Francesville struck a vein of petroleum at a depth of about 610 feet. Sampler of the oil have been sent to this place,’and there is no question bu: that it is a good quality of the crude oil. As to the probable magnitude of the oil deposit, hoM - ever, and the probable future yield of the well, nothing definite k known, even in Francesville. A s ter the oil was reached the boring was continued for 60 or 70 fee’ farther and then the operators pi the drill stated that they were ou of fuel, and plugged the well and. locked the building over it, and 4 went away, presumably to Lima! Ohio, where the contractor reside? ’ The people about .FrancesvilL and the stockholders in the com pany are greatly nou-piussed a at this action, and don’t know wha

scheme is behind it. Their con tract with the well borers does not state the time in which the wejl i.to be completed, and there seem: to be nothing for it but to let the contractor take his time, and finish the well at his pleasure. According to one report, nothing more will be done upon the well until it can be “fired” that is until a big charge of dynamite can be exploded in the bottom of it. This charge, it is stated, is now being brought across the country from Lima or Findlay Ohio, byteam, it being unlawful to send it on the cars. This expedient ■of “firing” oil wells is very common in the oil regions. A big cartridge of dynamite is lowered into well and a heavy iron weight ti dropped down upon it causing to explode. The explosion bre: up the surrounding rock and gr< jy increases the flow of the oil.