164 ANNUAL REPORT 
ner about 12 years ago. The position of this corresponds closely with 
that of the 7o0-foot, and the two appear to be equivalent. Both Nos. 7 
and 8 are ordinarily unrecognized by the driller. They appear to have a 
small area, and may properly be classed with the “strays.” 
The next and lowest of the sands in this field is the Berea, and it is the 
best known and most valuable sandstone stratum in the state. It underlies 
the entire eastern half of the state, and its character has been shown by the 
hundreds of wells drilled to it. Nowhere is it better known than in south- 
eastern Ohio. It lies from 1,665 to 1,675 feet below the Meigs Creek coal, 
but eastward the interval appears to increase, being 1,688 feet on the old 
Phelps farm, two miles from the village. At Macksburg the sand in the 
valley is struck at a depth of 1,460 feet, but at Elba, two miles southeast, 
it is found at about 1,550 feet, indicating a strong dip in that direction. 
The sand ranges in thickness ordinarily from 7 to 25 feet, the average be- 
ing perhaps 17 feet. Normally it is finer than the shallow sands, and is 
much more continuous. Rarely, in fact, does it disappear, and this charac- 
ter makes it a landmark among drillers. 
DEVELOPMENT OF THE COW RUN FIELD. 
Operations in this field, after the period of earliest development, were 
much less extensive than at Macksburg. The territory was never greatly 
extended beyond the narrow valley of Cow Run, and in 1900 the producing 
area was confined to the southern half of sections 14 and 20 and the north- 
ern half of sections 13 and 19 of Lawrence township. The territory almost 
joins the Newell’s run field, and the two might be considered as one; never- 
theless, because of the historic interest of the former, and as a matter of 
convenience, the two will be discussed separately. 
The drilling of the Perkins well to the Second Cow Run sand in 1866 
was of great importance, since it demonstrated the existence of a reservoir 
of oil in a deeper sand, thus increasing the production and extending the 
life of the field. This may be regarded the second stage in the develop- 
ment. The success of the Perkins well again filled the valley with excite- 
ment, and the scenes resembled those of a few years before. Another dis- 
covery of importance was made in 1869 when it was found that oil existed 
under the hills as well as the valley. This may be regarded as the third 
stage in the development of the field. F’rom that year wells have been 
drilled from time to time until the present, and doubtless others will be 
occasionally drilled in the future. 
The production down to 1885 is reported by Mr. Minshall as follows: 
Barrels. 
LSGLSUSETvestimateds cron chee ee Cee ee 50,000 
LEG GZALSCS? AU GUSt es a Reece cae set Reel ee a eae ae 150,000 
1868-1869 West Va. Transportation Runs........ 89,571 
1870 West Va. Transportation Runs............ 110,412 
ese) 2 e BS Git Por Ais as ek abi 46,543 
