STATE GEOLOGIST. 103 
water, and the pressure of this greatly weakened the flow of gas. Later 
the well was shot with 100 quarts of nitro-glycerine, and the gas piped to 
the works of the Hocking Valley Manufacturing Company. The great 
expense of drilling, and the small production, together with the many other 
uncertain elements, such as the life of the wells, continuity of the gas rock, 
etc., made progress slow. That the citizens of Lancaster were not greatly 
discouraged, however, is shown by the fact that on April 7, 1887, another 
organization, the Mt. Pleasant Natural Gas and Oil Company was formed. 
The officers were: President, George W. Welsh; Vice-President, S. H. 
Beck; Treasurer, H. B. Peters; Secretary, Daniel Danehy. The Board 
of Directors consisted of the officers and E. L. Slocum, J. T. Busby, H. C. 
Drinkle, James McSweeny and A. H. Middletown. 
About the same time the East End Natural Gas and Oil Company was 
formed with a capital stock of $5,000. 
The second well in the territory was drilled on the land of 
Joseph C. Kinkead, near the foot of Mt. Pleasant. The gas rock 
was struck October 5, 1887, at a depth of 1989 feet. Nine days later 
the flow of gas was measured and found to be 792,000 cubic feet per day, 
through a four and one-half inch casing. The third well was located about 
one mile southeast of the city. The gas rock was struck at a depth of 
2020 feet, October 11, 1887, and the production is reported to have been 
- 1,000,000 cubic feet in 24 hours. 
The companies owning these wells next began to look for a market 
for their fuel. The most natural one was the city of Lancaster, and on 
Monday evening, October 23, 1887, the directors of the company owning 
the well at the foot of Mt. Pleasant asked the city council for a franchise 
permitting the company to pipe the city. This precipitated a lively debate 
in which the representatives of the several companies took part. Finally 
the matter was referred to the committee on streets and alleys, but before a 
decision could be reached the three companies consolidated, the name be- 
ing the Lancaster Gas and Oil Company No 1. Officers of this organiza- 
tion were chosen December 5, 1887, as follows: President, P. W. Binin- — 
ger, Vice-President, ©. P: Noll; Treasurer, FP. X. Winter; Secretary, W: 
T. McCleneghan. 
On the 18th of the same month the company was authorized to pipe 
the principal parts of the city. A committee was appointed to visit Findlay 
and other places where natural gas was in use, the object being to secure 
information as to the best and safest methods of handling the new fuel. 
No pains were spared to make the company a success. The result was that 
within a month after the issuing of permits had begun, there were 500 gas 
fires in the city. Everybody was calling for gas, making the demand 
greater than the company could supply, owing to the heavy expense of 
laying the necessary mains. Fortunately it had been provided when the 
three companies consolidated that if at any time the city saw fit to purchase 
