STATE GEOLOGIST. b] 
small quantity of oil—a great disappointment to the parties interested. 
After having been shot with rack-rock the well was pumped, yielding about 
18 barrels of oil per day. The product was looked upon with much dis- 
favor because of its density, color, and particularly its odor. The great 
fields of Pennsylvania were in sandstone, while the oil in question was 
derived from a limestone, thus further prejudicing the new field. How- 
ever the interested parties did not cease work even if the product was 
apparently of very low quality, and in the fall of 1885 completed a well 
which had for its object testing the underlying rocks with reference to oil 
production. When put to pumping it yielded forty or more barrels per 
day, and during the early months of 1886 averaged 26 barrels each 24 
hours. Oil from this well was sent to large refineries, and the results of 
tests made gave great encouragement to the producers. This really marks 
the beginning of the industry in Allen county. Not until the following 
year, however, was any considerable progress made in the development of 
the territory. ; 
As has already been stated gas was discovered at Findlay in Novem- 
ber 1884, and though the flow was small it was adequate to make certain 
further tests. Almost from the start oil appeared in these wells, but in 
very small quantities. Well No. 4, completed May 28, 1885, was the first 
one drilled in this field that may be classed as an oil rather than a gas well. 
At first, however, it produced over a million cubic feet of gas per day, but 
during the closing months of 1885 it flowed about five barrels of oil each 
24 hours.2. In January, 1886, the production of gas dropped suddenly, 
owing to the influence of the Karg well, and at the same time the yield of 
oil increased from five to fifteen or more barrels per day. Well No. 8, 
completed November 6, 1885, was drilled primarily for oil, the first one 
sunk for this purpose in the county. The Trenton was struck at 1,265 ° 
feet, and drilling continued until a depth of 1,320 feet had been reached. 
The well was then shot with 100 quarts of nitro-glycerine, and began 
flowing oil at the rate of 300 barrels per day. The production decreased 
rapidly to 35 barrels per day. Dr. Orton considered this the first of the 
oil wells in Hancock county, and that the petroleum industry in that terri- 
tory began with this. } : 
In the summer of 1886 a well was drilled at North Baltimore, Wood 
county, the object being,-as in all these pioneer wells, natural gas. At 
seventeen and one-half feet in the Trenton, oil was found. After having 
been shot with 40 quarts of nitro-glycerine, the well was tubed, and began 
flowing from 12 to 15 barrels of oil per day. In a short time, however, 
the production decreased greatly and then the well was abandoned. The 
oil was lighter (41 degrees B.) than that found at Lima, and this encour- 
1Geol. Sur. of Ohio, Vol. VI, p. 166. 
2Tbid, p. 122-4. 
3Ibid, p. 126. 
