STATE GEOLOGIST. 15 
two to three. Occasionally a small group of wells is found in this area, 
but their production is small and life short. Mr. F. W. Zorn, of Gibson- 
burg, who has had much experience in the territory under consideration, 
states that a small syncline runs through the barren tract northwest and 
southeast, that is, parallel to the longer axis. He reports also the rock 
hard and fine. It appears to the writer that the barrenness of the rock is 
due more to the latter qualities than to the syncline, since the depression 
is very inconspicuous. The existence of small wells lends support to this 
theory. . 
Size and Duration of the Wells——By far the greater number of wells 
have been of ordinary size, that is the initial production has ranged from 
25 to 100 barrels per day. There have been a few notable exceptions to 
this, one of which is famous in the history of the oil fields in northwestern 
Ohio. 
The first of the large wells was not drilled until August, 1892. It was 
located on the Baker farm in section 29, Woodville township, and had an 
initial production of 200 barrels of oil per hour, and 2,500 per day. Some 
have placed the production considerably higher. 
The great well to which reference has already been made is known 
as the Kirkbride. It stands on the H. Jones farm in the southeast corner 
of section 19, Madison township, and was completed November 17, 1894. 
A short time before, a well was drilled on the Myers farm adjoining, 
and after having been shot is reported to have produced 2,000 barrels 
of oil the first day. Good wells were secured north of this one, so that the 
territory was in good repute before the Kirkbride was drilled. 
Work progressed in normal fashion for the district. When the 
Trenton had been penetrated to a depth of about ten feet a great pool of oil 
was liberated. The oil was thrown as a solid stream to the top of the 
derrick where it was broken by the crown pulley, and the spray caught 
by a strong south wind was carried a mile north. A half-mile from the 
well, farmers were obliged to disconnect the spouting on their houses to 
prevent the oil from running into the cisterns. 
The oil began flowing about 9 in the morning; and the drillers, not 
expecting a heavy production, were totally unprepared. Not until the 
middle of the afternoon was the giant gotten under control, and during all 
this time the oil was thrown over the derrick and then fell on the ground 
below. Part of this, however, was saved by damming a stream into which 
the oil flowed. When under control the well was never allowed to flow 
freely, and so its maximum production was never determined. This, 
however, has been estimated all the way from 10,000 to 40,000 barrels the 
first day. While wells of comparatively small size are usually greatly 
overestimated, the writer believes that those of the Kirkbride type are 
commonly underestimated. In January, 1901, the well was pumping four 
1The Derrick Hand Book of Petroleum, Vol. I, p. 550. 
