108 ANNUAL REPORT 
tendent of the Central Ohio Natural Gas and Fuel Company, to have had 
a closed pressure of 700 pounds per square inch and an open flow of 7,000- 
000 cubic feet in 24 hours. It is worthy of mention that these two wells 
were drilled by Columbus citizens, an organization that later developed 
into the Central Ohio Natural Gas and Fuel Company. 
The success of the second well insured the rapid development of the 
field, and by the summer of 1889 a sufficient volume of gas had been se- 
cured to warrant laying a line to Columbus. The council of that city read- 
ily granted a franchise, and in December of the same year a ten inch line 
had been laid to the city. Early in January, 1890, natural gas was supplied 
to Columbus for the first time. Unfortunately its use was not restricted 
to domestic purposes, and by November, 1890, the pressure in the field had 
so decreased that it was found necessary to discontinue the supply to fac- 
tories: By January 15, 1891, the fuel was so nearly exhausted that the 
company was compelled to discontinue supplying Columbus, and from 
that time very little gas has been piped from the Thurston field. 
The territory had a length of three and one-half miles, and a width of 
one-half mile. The wells near the middle of this territory had an initial 
production ranging from 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 cubic feet in 24 hours, 
with a maximum of perhaps 8,000,000. ‘Towards the margin of the belt 
the wells decreased in size. In the spring of 1902 all but two had been 
abandoned, and neither of these had been connected with the line for nine 
years. In fact the pressure in the wells is less than that in the line. The 
short life of the field resulted from the small area and the heavy demands 
made upon it. The quantity of gas contained in any field is limited, and 
the duration of this supply is determined by the demand. Double the latter 
and the life of the field is cut in two. 
THE SUGAR GROVE FIELD. 
This is by far the richest part of the Central Ohio natural gas fields, 
and hence it will be considered more fully than any of the others. Its his- 
tory has already been touched in the discussion of the development about 
Lancaster. Perhaps the best procedure will be to consider first the com- 
panies that are piping gas from the territory. These are the following: — 
. The Lancaster Natural Gas and Oil Company, No. I. 
. The Central Ohio Natural Gas and Fuel Company. 
. The Ohio Transportation Company. 
The Logan Natural Gas and Fuel Company. 
The Ohio Fuel Supply Company. 
. The Northwestern Ohio Gas Company. 
. The Federal Gas and Fuel Company. 
. The Cole Glass Factory, and two or three smaller organizations. 
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