258 ANNUAL REPORT 
that line with a productive strip about one-half mile wide for 21%4 miles, 
when it turns slightly to the east, entering Morgan county in section 31 
of Deerfield township. From that place it extends through section 30 
and into section 19, beyond which oil has not been found. Development: 
of this part of the field is retarded by floods of salt-water, which limit it 
in this direction. The total length of the field is about 14 miles. 
Outside of this belt are four pools, two of which are of little import- 
ance. One lies around Glouster, and has an area of less than one square 
mile. A second one lies in sections 22 and 209, a short distance northwest 
of Glouster. This is the principal territory from which the gas of 
Corning and surrounding towns is derived. A third pool lies around 
Porterville, and the fourth, known as the Oakfield, lies from 3 to 5 miles 
north of Corning. It includes parts of sections 5, 21,28, 29, 32 and 33 of 
Pleasant and 22, 27 and 34 of Bearfield townships. This part of the field 
was developed in 1900. 
Discovery.—Probably the first deep well drilled in the Sunday Creek 
valley was near Burr Oak, about 4 miles south of Corning. Its date is not 
now known, but it must have been 40 or more years ago. Its depth is like- 
wise unknown, but it is reported to have penetrated the Salt sand. To 
this day it flows salt-water, and with it sufficient gas to be ignited. This 
well, however, seems not to have aroused suspicion that there might be 
valuable liquids other than salt-water buried in the rocks. 
The discovery of oil in the Corning field was a matter of accident, 
and resulted directly from a scarcity of water for the Toledo and Ohio 
Central railroad. To remedy this a deep well was drilled in August, 1891, 
at the round-house, about three-fourths of a mile south of Corning. ‘The 
only water found was in the Salt sand, which is reported to have been 
struck at a depth of 630 feet. The supply was copious, but the salinity 
prevented its being used in locomotives. This brine was shut out of the 
well by casing and the drill forced down to a depth of 1,507 feet. Finding 
no water at that depth work ceased, but a few days later oil was thrown 
to the top of the derrick, and there were smaller eruptions Iater. How- 
ever, further disturbances of this sort were prevented by the company 
closing the well. 
Development.—The disclosure made by this well attracted the atten- 
tion of oil men, who immediately entered the field and began leasing ter- 
ritory. The citizens of Corning feared the land was falling into the 
hands of the Standard Oil Company, and that it might not under such 
conditions be developed for years. Accordingly a home company, styled 
“The Sunday Creek Oil and Gas Company,” was organized in February, 
1892, to make certain the development of the territory. The capital stock 
was placed at $10,000 in shares of $50, and $8,900 of the stock was sold. 
Much of this was raised by citizens of the town subscribing for single 
shares. 
