194 - ANNUAL REPORT 
furnish work for a large number of men and teams, and the wages are 
always excellent. The liveryman, grocer, butcher, gardener and, in fact, 
practically every man in the community is financially benefited. 
The principal pools in the county are: 
I. Sistersville. 
2. Jackson Ridge (Griffith P. O.). 
3. Graysville. 
4. Moose Ridge. 
Besides these the following minor pools are to be noted: 
Te) Cleat Hon« 6. New Castle. 
2G litte 7. Louisville. 
3. Whitacre. . 8. Sycamore. 
4. Rinards Mills. g. Jerusalem. 
5. Benwood. 
THE SISTERSVILLE POOL. 
Location and Area.—This lies in the two states, Ohio and West Vir- 
ginia, and is divided in two parts by the Ohio river, but that part only 
lying north of the river will be considered in this report. It comprises the 
southwestern half of Jackson township ; sections I, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12 
of Benton; sections 3, 9, 15, 16, 33 and 34 of Perry; and besides a strip 
about one mile in width along the eastern margin of Grand View town- 
ship, Washington county, which joins Jackson township, Monroe county. 
Discovery and Development,—In 1890 a “wild-cat” well was drilled 
a few miles back from Sistersville at a locality known as “Pole-Cat.” <A 
vast reservoir of salt-water was found in the Big Injun sand, and the well, 
which was considered valueless, was left standing idle for about 18 months. 
In April, 1891, a well was begun on the Ohio side of the river on the 
Stewart farm, opposite Sistersville, by Hatfield and Younger, of Pittsburg, 
for the Miller’s Run Oil Company. The sand was reached May 14, and 
the well finally completed June 26. This was the first producer in the 
field, and marked the opening of one of the largest pools yet discovered 
in this country. When put to pumping it produced ordinarily from Io to 
15 barrels of oil per day, but with this a large amount of. salt-water ; 
sometimes when the latter was temporarily overcome the oil increased to 
60 or 70 barrels per day. The productive sand is said to have been both 
the Keener and Big Injun, but principally the latter. Later in 1891 a well 
was drilled on the Russel Heirs’ farm, adjoining the Stewart, and dupli- 
cated the record of the well just described. Other wells were drilled the 
following fall and winter on neighboring farms; oil was secured in all, 
but with it came a flood of brine. 
