Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1902 — The Oil Field To Date. [ARTICLE]

The Oil Field To Date.

The Best Well In The Field Opened This Week. Just now practically all pump, ing in the Gillam oil field is suspended until more storage tanks can be put up. From one to two car loads are shipped ...out every week, but that amount outs but little figure as compared with the amount produced. About 11,000 barrels are already stored in tanks in the field.

The Federal Oil and Gas Company, successors to the Byrd Syndicate, are far the largest tors. They have about 440 good wells, and are pumping about 30 of them. This company, last Monday afternoon, Jan. 13th, drilled in, what seems to be far the best well yet struck. It is on the J. C. Vanatta land, the old Swisher farm. This is aSJ inch well and when the oil was struck it spouted out in a solid steam above the derrick, and to a height, it is said, of fiO feet. It blew—out the twice before it could be shut off, and covered the region round about so deep with oil that rubber soots wore necessary to navigation The New York Company u welir in operation, an<y tu down more .11 the T bey hav! f 01080 the center of . 8 little [farther out, all of wh t j i j “mi t ip will be developed

South ” nß^er bounty Oil Co. a 15 or Bend institution, has about op ells in operation and among I -xem some extra good ones. The St. Joe Company has 24 good average wells in operation, making 3 or 4 barrels day. They also have one on section 33 which is good for 10 bar-' rels a day. Capt. Snyder, of Monticello, has one extra good well in operation, and has kept pounding away with it until he has about 1,500 'barrels tanked up. The best well, prior to last Moul day’s strike, is the JFederal Go’s. No. 6, on Gifford’s land. It has been making 12 io 14 barrels right along for a long time. Their Noe. 17, 20, and 36, on the Toyne land, are all craokerjaoks, good for 10 or 12 barrels each, every day.

oil is the most valuable natural oil in the known world. It is worth several dollars per barrel, just as it is, as lubricating oil; is wonderfully well adapted for making asphaltum; and morejwonderful still, is very valueble for making rubber. The Hood Rubber Co., of Boston, has recently made a test of 30 barrels, and now has made an offer of $4 per barrel for 10,000 barrels. It is a question however, if this offer will be considered. The heads of the different companies are now consulting together with a view to the erection of large refining and other works, right in the field, and working up the oil right there. It is believed that by tbut means much more can be made out of the oil than by shipping it in its erode state.