164 Frank Carney 



containing the original well was purchased for $375,000. Immedi- 

 ately another well was put down, which yielded twenty barrels 

 per day. The spirit of speculation became more intense. Record 

 shows that a one-half acre lot containing a ten-barrel well, sold for 

 $10,000. 



Wood County. As an oil field, this is the banner county of 

 Ohio. The first oil, however, was discovered in drilling for gas, 

 and occasioned very little interest. Drilling purposefully for oil 

 commenced in 1886. Between the years 1891 and 1899, 7661 

 wells were drilled; 88 per cent of these produced oil. While in 

 this county, no phenomenal gushers were found, it was uncommon 

 to get a dry hole; the county is still producing much oil. 



In other counties. The drilling for gas elsewhere in northwestern 

 Ohio shortly disclosed the presence of oil. Among the very first 

 wells at Findlay, oil was found. Usually, however, it was regarded 

 as a nuisance. Some of the companies, upon failing to obtain 

 gas in satisfying quantities, gave attention to the oil; as a result, 

 these wells were pumped, and others put down purposefully for 

 oil. That section of the state, since the gas so shortly gave out, 

 was, in a measure, financially redeemed by the great abundance of 

 oil. Many of the wells before long fell into the hands of companies 

 that were more wisely managed, and northwestern Ohio received 

 great profit from the oil. 



The handicap of early ivells. Following the year 1860, and the 

 immediate boom in some sections of southeastern Ohio, the war 

 had much to do in checking activity. Nevertheless, in the nature 

 of things, these early wells were seriously handicapped. The oil 

 produced, in many cases, had to be hauled several miles either to 

 a railroad, or to a river, where it was transferred to boat. The 

 method of piping oil had not yet been introduced. Piping methods, 

 however, were introduced in time to make some of the territory 

 more profitable. The Cow Run wells were piped to the Ohio 

 River in 1868. ^^ The tributaries had sufficient depth of water 

 part of the year for floating boats, but the means of storing the 

 oil were inadequate to work the wells the entire year. Neverthe- 

 less, all of the territory of southeastern Ohio became inactive, and 

 for over a decade following the war little business was done. 



Geological Survey of Ohio, Bulletin 1, (1903j, p. 151. 



