58 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



taken of the wells that supplied gas for pumping operations in 

 the oil districts. The number of individual producers was about 

 200, most of whom, however, made only a small output from 

 one or two wells for their own supply. Aside from these minor 

 enterprises, the industry was in the control of about 40 com- 

 panies who distributed the gas for public use. 



The surplus gas from the oil wells of Cattaraugus, Allegany 

 and Steuben counties is collected mainly by the Empire Gas & 

 Fuel Co., of Wellsville ; the Producers Gas Co. of Olean and the 

 United Natural Gas Co. of Oil City, Pa. The product is carried 

 in pipe lines to Buffalo and other towns in the western part of 

 the State. Buffalo is also supplied from the important fields in 

 the eastern townships of Erie county, but elsewhere the supply 

 is consumed mainly in the towns and villages that lie in prox- 

 imity to the wells. 



The quantity of gas produced in 1909 was approximately 

 3,825,215,000 cubic feet. To arrive at this total it was necessary 

 to make estimates for some of the smaller producers who had 

 no meters attached to their mains; but the proportion of the 

 output involved in such estimates was inconsiderable. The re- 

 ported value of the production was $1,045,693. This output of 

 the wells was a little less than in 1908 when a total of 3,860,- 

 000,000 cubic feet was reported; but was larger than that for 

 any year previous to 1908. Owing to a slight increase of 

 prices — the average throughout the State having been 2J cents 

 a thousand against 26 cents a thousand in 1908 — the value of 

 the output was the largest on record. 



The value of the production of natural gas during the past 

 four years is shown in the accompanying table which is ar- 

 ranged to show also the contributions of the principal counties 

 so far as practicable. 



