PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS IN NEW YORK 



457 



of one man, Mr Rufus P. White. Mr White has expended be- 

 tween $7000 and $8000 and kindly gives to the survey the result 

 of his experience. 



It seems that natural gas has long been known in this vicinity. 

 Many years ago a physician of the town, Dr Rosey, found gas es- 

 caping, from the crevices of a rock bottomed stream. He man- 

 aged to collect enough gas here to boil water. Later, Mr AVhite 

 discovered a gas spring in the Utica slate and by a little pains 

 collected enough to accomplish the same result, i. e. to boil water. 

 He attracted attention to the discovery by boiling eggs in this 

 way at a picnic party. He came to learn of several springs of 

 this character from most of which sulfureted water, as well 

 as gas, escaped. Then came along the experience of Findlay, 

 <)., and of Sandy Creek, nearer home, and he was at last 

 encouraged to apply the drill to the rocks that were themselves 

 holding out so much promise. He brought about the organiza- 

 tion of a company under the state laws for this purpose, the 

 nominal capital of which was $10,000. The company obtained a 

 franchise from the village corporation for the purpose of supply- 

 ing the people with gas for fuel. The stockholders were not all 

 equally enterprising and it came about that Mr White bought 

 out the individual stockholders, one by one, paying to each the 

 amount of his investment, till at last he became sole owner of the 

 franchise. He then proceeded to carry forward the enterprise 

 and went to Bradford, Pa., to purchase drilling tools. While 

 there, an oil operator inquired of him where he was to use the 

 drilling tools. On being told that they were to be taken to Jef- 

 ferson county, N. Y., the operator took him aside into his private 

 office and informed him that there was only one line in the world 

 on which gas could be found. Bradford was on this line and 

 its direction was northeast. If Adams, Jefferson co., lies north- 

 east of Bradford, there is a possibility of gas discovery there; 

 otherwise not. He then took a map and laid down a rule on 

 it, marking a northeast course from Bradford. To the delight 

 of both, Adams was found directly on the line. Mr White re- 

 turned, inspired with great confidence. He brought back with 

 him drilling tools for which he had paid $3000, and also four 

 drillers, who were to be paid $4 a day. He entered on the dril- 

 ling of the first well in April 1891. The drillers found six feet 



