128 ANNUAL REPORT 
the place, and drilled probably in 1861, with a depth between 70 and 
80 feet, has been yielding oil during the greater part of the past 4o years. 
It was never shot until 1897, and in 1900 was producing less than one 
barrel per day. Another of these pioneers stands a few hundred feet 
south of the last well, on the north bank of Federal creek. It was drilled 
in 1862 probably, is 72 feet deep, and is reported to have started at from 
30 to 40 barrels per day. It had not produced long, however, until there 
was a heavy drop in the price of oil, and the well was closed until about 
1880, when it was operated for a short time, and then again closed until 
1892. Not until 1898 was it shot, and then with only ten quarts. Other 
wells in the valley date back to the civil war, but those on higher land 
were drilled within the past few years. The pioneer drillers here as else- 
where regarded the productive territory limited to the valleys. The old 
wells when first drilled usually produced sufficient gas to force the oil to the 
surface, sometimes to throw it to the top of the derrick; but at present the 
gas pressure is so small that the wells all have to be pumped. 
The Joy farm, as has already been stated, was sold in 1860 for 
$375,000. The company worked assiduously and soon secured a number 
of producers, some of which are still being pumped. Well No. 4 was one 
of the first in the valley. The bottom of the Cow Run sand was found 
at 85 feet, and the Cambridge lime was struck at 92 feet. It still (1900) 
produces 4 barrels every 12 hours, but to secure this, 400 barrels of salt 
water have to be pumped. Another of the interesting wells is No. 2, which 
was drilled between 1861-63, and at first was thought dry, and so 
abandoned. Two years later it changed hands, was cleaned and put to 
pumping, and began producing 10 barrels daily. About 1870 the Mans- 
field Petroleum Company secured the lease, and shooting the well with a 
quart of nitro-glycerine, was rewarded with a production of 80 barrels 
per day. From that time it has produced continually, but its production 
has gradually diminished. In 1897 it was estimated that the well had 
yielded $120,000 worth of oil. 
The Joy farm has changed owners a number of times since 1860. 
The first company, though it paid a large sum for the property, seems 
to have fared very well. Of the $1,000,000 capital stock it is said that 
$500,000 was sold at par in New York, and the remaining half advanced 
50 per cent. in price and then one-half of it sold to New York parties. 
The Mansfield Petroleum Company sold out to Dale for $26,000 at a time 
when there were only two producing wells. Later the new owner having 
become discouraged, made complaint to the Mansfield Company, which 
reduced the price it was to receive by $4,000. Dale operated the property 
under the name Midland Oil Company, and began drilling wells 
as soon as he came in possession of the property, but did not secure a large 
production until 1893-94, which period marks the beginning of the modern 
history of the field. Later Dale leased to Haskell & Liken, but afterwards 
