104 ANNUAL REPORT 
the plant it might do so at actual cost plus six per cent. interest on the 
investment. To make this possible a law was enacted by the legislature 
permitting the city to submit to the people a proposition to bond the cor- 
poration for $50,000 to purchase the existing natural gas plant, drill new 
wells, lay mains, etc. The election was held April 30, 1888, the vote result- 
ing 1260 in favor of and 25 against the proposition. Bonds bearing six 
per cent. interest were at once sold. These were payable from 1892 to 
1g02, and all found ready buyers. The cost of the plant secured in this 
manner was about $24,000, the remainder of the money having been used 
for drilling new wells, laying mains, etc.? | 
During the winter of 1888 and 1889 the supply of gas was not equal to 
the demand. Thus far all the wells secured were small, while the call for 
fuel had become very heavy. Under such conditions there was consider- 
able dissatisfaction, and many doubted the wisdom of having bonded the 
corporation for so large a sum. In fact the future of the field seemed al- 
together problematical. During this period of doubt and insufficient gas 
an event occurred which completely changed the aspect of affairs. 
This was the great success of the Mithoff well, which was drilled by 
Theodore Mithoff within the corporation limits, the object being to secure 
a supply of gas for his machine shop. The gas rock was reached February 
17, 1889, and a good flow at once secured.” The drill was kept at work and 
the volume of gas increased rapidly as the rock was penetrated to a greater 
and greater depth, until the open flow rose to 12,000,000 cubic feet in 24 
hours. This was one of the finest gas wells that had ever been drilled up 
to that time in this or any other county. The citizens of Lancaster were 
quick to see what this meant for the city, and to properly give vent to their 
feelings a jollification was planned, with torch light parade, speeches, etc. 
Arrangements were made to connect this well “The Old Man Himself’ 
with the city mains, thus providing an ample supply of gas. 
Another famous well was completed that year. It was located on the 
county fair grounds, and had an initial open flow of about 10,000,000 
cubic feet in 24 hours. A line was laid around the race track that fall, 
and “By this means the track was lighted up at night as never race track 
was lighted before, and the trials of speed went forward under this wanton 
illumination. The idea was novel and the scene unique and brilliant, but 
the waste was barbaric all the same.’’* Other wells were drilled with vary- 
ing results; still the quantity of gas at the command of the city was large 
and the next thing was to find a market for it. “The strange folly that 
seems bound up in the heart of a municipal corporation when it obtains a 
good supply of gas, that it must find some one who can use the fuel up in 
the largest way and most rapidly to whom to give it, without money and 
without price, broke out also in Lancaster. An ill-omened arch, bearing 
10hio Eagle, Aug. 16 and Sept. 16, 1889. 2Ibid, Feb. 21, 1889. 
3Geol. Sur. of Ohio, First Ann. Rep, 1890, p. 237. te 
