1891.] *■& [Lesley. 



The gauges were noted often, so as not to permit the pressure to rise 

 much above 335 lbs. ; and when this seemed likely to occur well R was 

 shut sufficiently to reduce it again to 335. Formerly a weighted safety- 

 valve, allowing a free blow, was used. Saturday evenings wells A, A 1 

 were closed, and only R used. " The gas in this field is not being wasted 

 as formerly, or as greatly as it has been in the Murraysville field ; and the 

 prospects are that the Grapeville field will last the longer of the two." 



"I understand that the flowing pressure in the Murraysville field is now 

 [October 12, 1888] 250 lbs. The Grapeville wells have great volume. 

 When one is blowing off in the air and then is shut quickly, the gauge 

 runs up in fifteen or twenty seconds to 525 lbs. In some districts the wells 

 require a minute, and even longer, to reach their normal of 500 lbs. The 

 weaker or low-pressure wells require days to reach their normal 

 pressure." 



As it is impossible to store or tank gas, wells are now drilled to within 

 a few feet of the gas horizon and " held " there. When the supply from 

 other wells weakens, these wells are sunk into the gas rock, one after the 

 other, to keep up the supply. 



Wells that have broke through to the gas are restrained by a "packer," 

 a thick, heavy rubber cylinder, 20 inches long, outside diameter £ inch 

 less than bore of well, fastened at the ends to the pipe going into the well 

 (see cuts). The end of this pipe fits into the end of another pipe, making 

 a "slip joint ;" rubber flush with the outer diameter of the pipe ; lower 

 joint generally perforated to admit the gas ; pipe A lowered into the well 

 (and, if necessary, pressed down) to slip into pipe B, bulging the rubber 

 packer against the sides of the well, and effectually stopping the rise of 

 the gas outside the pipes. It can then he controlled by a valve at the top 

 of pipe A, at the well mouth. Before this invention the gas could be held 

 only below a certain pressure, above which it would force its way between 

 the pipe and the sides of the well and blow the whole casing into the air. 

 The economy to a district of the new "packer " is evident. 



"At present (October 12, 1888) there appears to be no weakening of 

 the supply, except when unusual and sudden demands are made on the 

 gas. If the supply weakens, or a greater supply is needed, more wells 

 may be added to the line. This may require the laying of more pipe, or 

 the replacing of the present 10-inch main by a larger one. The W. & C. 

 Company own about 20,000 acres, controlling a large part of the gas 

 field." 



The companies and wells around Grapeville in 1888 were as follows : 



Westmoreland and Cambria, 7 wells, drilled between 1885 and 1888, 

 three of them piped to Johnstown. 



Carnegie, 6 wells. 



tr'outhwest, 2 or more, piped to Connellsville, etc. (drilling also on 

 Brush Creek). 



Greensburg Fuel, 2 wells, piped to Greensburg. 



Jeanette Glass Works, 2, piped one mile west to the works. 



