Petroleum: a history of the oil region of Venago County, Pennsylvania. Its resources, etc

Front matter

i PETROLEUM: A HISTORY OF THE OIL REGION OF VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. ITS RESOURCES, MODE OF DEVELOPMENT, AND VALUE EMBRACING A DISCUSSION OF ANCIENT OIL OPERATIONS; WITH A MAP, AND ILLUSTRATIONS OF OIL SCENES AND BORING IMPLEMENTS. BY REV. S. J. M. EATON, PASTOR OI Tilt PBJiBl I1IUN CHURCH, FBANKUH, PA. "The rock poured me out rivers of oil" PHILADELPHIA: J. P. SKELLY & CO., 732 CHESTNUT STREET. 1866. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by J. P. SKELLY & CO., in the Clerk's Office of the District Court lor the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Stereotyped and Printed bt Alfred Martien

Preface

. This work aims at nothing more than a mere popular description of the oil region, of the early history of petro leum operations, of the manner of boring oil wells, bringing the oil to the surface, and preparing it for use. As this region is attracting a large share of public attention it has been thought proper to devote a few pages to its ancient history ; by way of illustrating its changes, a brief chapter is also added, bringing down its history to the period when modern oil operations commenced. As there is much curiosity abroad as to the manner of boring deep wells in the rock, and pumping from great depths, these processes are detailed with great minute ness and particularity. The chapter on the origin of petroleum, although claiming little originality, is presented with much diffi dence.

From the circumstances of the case, we are not likely soon to pass beyond mere theory in the matter, and, with the light we yet have, that presented seems

PREFACE.

. IV the most plausible and consistent with the facts exhibited in boring and pumping. It was manifestly injudicious to attempt to give the number and production of each well in given localities, for what would be true to-day would be unreliable next week, as the development in new wells is constantly changing the features of particular localities. Conse quently a general view is given, in order to arrive at general results. The design of the work is set forth on its title page — a history of the oil region of Venango county, Pennsyl vania. It is not by this designed to ignore the existence of petroleum in neighboring counties, in this or in other States ; this is admitted, and it is also anticipated that other regions still may and will develop large resources of oil ; the design is to discuss the matter in its bearings on this region, where we find the evidences of its earliest development, and where, as yet, its largest resources have been brought to light.

Grateful acknowledgments are due to gentlemen who have aided in collecting materials for this work, and thanks are hereby given. The Oil scenes in this volume are from photographs by A. D. Deming, an enterprising artist of Oil City, Pa. Franklin, Pa., November, 1865. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

— The Ancient History of Venango County. Interest in this region — Mysterious footprints — Queen Yaga-wa-ue-a — Six Nations — Lookout — Indian god — Strug gle between English and French — English claim — French claim — Fort Venango — Washington's visit — English fort — First missionary — Ancient names — Frenchman's story — Cannon 11—23

Chapter II

— The Modern History of Venango County. Franklin — Character of county — Vicinity of Franklin — Early settlers — Hardships — First court — Jail — Furnaces — Boiling mill — Canal — First steamboat — Great frosts— Chart of distances 24 — 37

Chapter III

— Ancient History of Petroleum. Tower of Babel— Vale of Siddini — Babylon — Herodotus — Cartwright — Josephus — Lay ard — Egypt — Embalming — Papyrus — Burmah — Italy — Trinidad — Humboldt — Tar Lake — Texas — Important truths 38 — 43 (v) CONTENTS. VI

Chapter IV

— Antiquity of the Oil Business in Venango County. Ancient traces — Oil pits — Mysterious origin — Attributed to the French — Trees in oil pits — Supposed Indian origin — No traditions — Apocryphal story — Cornplanter — Great antiquity — Mound builders 45 — 55

Chapter V

— Modern Way of Collecting Oil. Early value — McClintock farm — Modern oil pits — Blanket process — Uses — First shipment — Yankee enterprise — General Hays — Salt well — Well in Franklin — Strong hint- Gradual advance 55 — 61

Chapter VI

— First Important Discovery. Idea slowly developed — Use in saw mills — Venango physician — Bold theory — Failure to profit — Coal oil — Specula tions — George H. Bissell — Eveleth — Colonel Drake — Per severance under difficulties — The goal reached — Dreams of wealth — Excitement — Professor Silliman's report... 62 — 72

Chapter VII

— Mode of Procedure. Prices of Land — Leases — Monopolies of leases — Large companies — Small capital — Individual liability — Abandoned wells — Serious losses — Effect of flowing wells — Patient waiting rewarded — Character of lands — High prices- Wealthy farmers — Millionaires 73 — 83

Chapter VIII

— Preliminary to Boring. Choice of site — Pit Hole — Surface indications — Ravines — Neighboring wells — Black spirits and white — Hazel rod — - Low lands first sought — Value of low lands — High lands now sought — Base of hills — Region to be explored — Difficulties to be expected 84 — CONTENTS. VII

Chapter IX

— Mode of Boring. The first borers — Derrick — Digging — Conductor — Driving pipe — Boulders — Cable — Bull-wheel — Rods— Boring implements — Centre-bit. — Reamer — Auger-stem — Jars — Temper-screw — Iron clamp — Power — Spring-pole — Horse-power — Water-power — Steam-power — Portable engines — Mode of operating — Sand-pump — Sharpening tools — Surface water — Water veins — Gas — Oil veins — Mud veins — Different strata— Discouragements — Breaking Drill — Detaching Drill — New inventions — Curiosity — Oil or China — Cost of sinking a well — Z bit — Diamond drill 97 — 125

Chapter X

— Tubing and Pumping. Testing a well — Vacuum found — Copper and iron tubing — ■ Seed-bag— Difficulties of adjustment— Pump-barrel— Sucker-rods — -Exhausting the water — Closing of veins — Remedies — Steam — Torpedo — Case of conscience — Continuous pumping — Air-pump — Muddy oil — Tanks — Steam as heat — Gas as fuel 126—140

CHAPTER XL

— Flowing Wells. New feature — Anxiety for a flowing well — Effects on the trade — Philosophy of flowing wells — Illustration — Explanation — First flowing well — Sherman well — Loss of oil — Well on fire — Melancholy scenes — What flowing wells have done — General good — Often subside — May be pumped — Danger of closing them — Intermittent wells — The Sunday well 141—159

Chapter XII

— Means of Transportation. River transportation — Steamboats — Tugs — Flatboats — Bulks — Ladder-floats —Pond freshets — Fleet of oil boats — Perils of the trip — Atlantic and Great Western Railroad — Franklin Branch — Teams to Franklin — Wagon load — Car load — Prices — Magnitude of the business — Oil Creek Railroad to Corry — Philadelphia and Erie Railroad — Franklin and Jamestown — Allegheny Valley Railroad — New routes in prospect — Direction of shipments — Centralization. 159—172 contents.

Chapter XIII

— Franklin, French Creek, and Sugar Creek. Former operations — Number of wells — Evans's well — General depth — A panic in oil — Character of oil — French creek — Patchel's run — Mill creek — Deer creek — Sugar creek — Great promise — Cooperstown 173 — 182

Chapter XIV

— Oil Creek. First in the field — Early prestige — Natural features — Productiveness — Change from flowing to pumping — Blood farm — Story farm — Geological features — Deepest well — Comparative success — Elevated boring site — Cherry run — Cherry Tree run — Titusville — Banking — Oil City — Latonia — Growing population — Value of lands — Indian tradition —The fountain still flowing 183—199

Chapter XV

— Allegheny River Territory. Extent — Natural features— Two Mile run — Horse creek — Walnut Bend — Pit Hole creek — Wondrous developments — Register of strata — Hemlock — -Tionesta — Success of lower Allegheny — Wells comparatively shallow — Islands — Great promise — Big Sandy — East Sandy 200 — 209

Chapter XVI

— Uses of Petroleum. Uses not developed — As an illuminator — Improvement in lamps — As a lubricator — As a medical agent — For external complaints — Asthma — Consumption — As fuel — Mjuiufacture of gas — Paraffine — Paints and varnishes — Import ance of refining — Colors 210 — contents. IX

Chapter XVII

— Refining. Æsthetics of Petroleum — Early reports — Importance of the business — Number of refineries — Capital invested — Products of refining — Stills — Chemicals — Process of distillation — Deodorizing— Silliman's report— Properties 223—230

CHAPTER XVIIL

— Lubricators. Want of a lubricator — Heavy oil — Collected on the river — Purified by heat — The Hendrick lubricator — Its characteristics 231—235

Chapter XIX

— Joint Stock Companies. Early companies — Joint stock company— How organized — Number of companies — Capital invested — Laws regulating them — Pennsylvania — New York — Principles and practices — The true and the false — Status of stockholders — Caution to be used — Demand for dividends 236 — 248

Chapter XX

— Origin of Petroleum. Origin — When? — Where? — Testimony of the rocks — Not mere theory — Vegetable deposits — Heat — Analysis and synthesis— Different strata — Caverns — Veins only pierced — The source as yet unexplored 248—257

Chapter XXI

— Permanence of the Supply. Will the supply be permanent — The ancient supply unexhausted — General features of Providence — Tin — Indefinite capacity — Oil still forming — Oil deposits in few localities — Wells will go dry — New wells will be opened — Supply of oil variable 258—268

Chapter XXII

— Growth of the Oil Business. Small in the beginning — Rapid increase — Home consumption — Increase of exports — Statistics — Capital invested — Exploration stimulated 269 — X contents.

Chapter XXIII

— Present Aspect and Importance. Petroleum tradeunparalleled— Flourishingcondition— Import. ance to manufactures — Barrels — Railroads — Labor — Advantage to Venango farmers — Influence of the whale fishery — Influence at home — The oil man — Influence abroad — National relief — Large tax returns — Future prospects — Flood of 1865 — Great devastation — Business reviving. 276—292

Chapter XXIV

— Concluding Thoughts. 293—295 INDEX. PETROLEUM.

Chapter I. Ancient History Of Venango County

Sudden and unexpected changes are characteristic of the age in which we live. Progress and development seem remarkably animated and energetic during this latter half of the nineteenth century. The sands seem to run rapidly through the glass, as we approach the grand climacteric in the world's history. The Almighty God appears to be opening his great treasure house to provide for the grand and important changes, that in his wise and inscrutable Providence, he is working among us here. Venango county, Pennsylvania, has suddenly attained to an interest, unsurpassed by any other region of the United States. From being one of the most unproduc tive and obscure, it has become the first in interest, and wealth and influence among its sister counties, in all the broad range from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Some facts and brief notes, therefore, will be of interest in MYSTERIOUS FOOTPRINTS. regard to its ancient history. The landmarks are becoming indistinct, and the light fading, that years ago, would have thrown a wondrous interest around this now popular region. There are many circumstances that lead to the belief that this portion of the valley of the Allegheny has been the scene of strange and won derful incidents in years long gone by. There are foot prints yet remaining of a strange and mysterious people, that dwelt there, and labored there, long before the advent of the Indian tribes. But a few imperfect footprints are all that remain. Their broad pathway is almost obliterated by the fast accumulating sands of time. Tradition is voiceless ; history has made no record ; and we can but wish for the unwritten annals of the past.

In regard to the possession of this region by the Indians, it is probable, from what feeble light we have, that at a very early day, about the close of the fifteenth century, the whole country extending along the extreme portions of the shore of Lake Erie, and for some distance southward, was in possession of a powerful tribe known as the Eries, and from which it is probable the lake itself takes its name. Tradition relates that this tribe was peacefully disposed, and at one time was ruled by a queen named Yagowannea ; who, like tbe queen of Palmyra, after ruling with dignity and justice, at length fell a victim to the jealousy and intolerance of the sur rounding tribes. Schoolcraft relates that the Eries being pressed by their enemies, gradually moved towards the Ohio, or Allegheny river, where soon after their council fires were put out, and they ceased to be known as a tribe.

The date of this extinction was 1653. SIX NATIONS. That terrible confederacy of the Indian tribes, known first as the Five, and afterwards as the " Six Nations," was formed and extended their conquests far and wide. From the Mohawk river, they extended their sway westward like the ocean tide, sweeping everything from their pathway until they reached the Mississippi, kindled their council fires throughout the whole northern portion of the Allegheny valley. The Eries were exterminated, in this path of conquest, as a nation, and their broken fragments absorbed by these " Romans of America." At the time when the Oil regions first became known to civilized men, the " Six Nations," or, as they were called by the French, " Iroquois," were in possession of the land. During the long wars, that continued for nearly a century between England and France, these people were generally on the side of England ; and during the troubles of the Revolution, their influence was as a general thing with the British.

But they too, soon began to follow in the wake of the Eries. They are in the sear and yellow leaf. As civilization advanced, their strength passed away, and now, but a few scattered fragments remain, one of which holds a limited posses sion in the northern outskirts of the oil region, on the upper Allegheny. The remains of antiquity that are still found in this portion of the Allegheny valley, satisfy us, that it was considered of no small importance in the history of the past. Franklin, the county seat of Venango, is sit uated in a flexure of the Allegheny, and at the junction of French creek with that river. It is surrounded on all sides by bold, precipitous hills, rising to the height of some six hundred feet. On the highest crest of land, on the Northeastern side of the town, is a remarkable LOOKOUT. — THE INDIAN GOD. ancient work, that seems evidently designed as a kind of "lookout" over the river and creek.

From this point, there is an uninterrupted view of the river for several miles upward and downward, as well as of French creek, with all its sinuosities. This work has something the appearance of the modern " rifle pits." It is in the form of an inverted cone, about eight feet in diameter, at the top, and at the present time about six feet in depth; rudely walled up to the surface with rough masonry. It is situated at the precise point, most favorable to secure a view of the valley in which the town is situated, as well as of the creek and river above and below. It is said that two pits similar to this, are to be seen, one on the eastern side of the river, and the other on the southwestern side of the town ; the three forming a triangle, and together commanding the approaches to the town, in every possible direction.

Whether these are the work of the French, during their terrible struggle to plant and retain their banner all over this country ; or are due to the unhistorical race, some evidence of whose sojourn in this valley, will be recorded in a succeeding chapter, cannot now be ascer tained. The more probable opinion, however, is that their date is anterior to that of the French possession. About six miles south of Franklin, and nine by the course of the river, is a rock, a noted landmark in Indian history. It has long been known to the present inhabitants as "The Indian god." It is on the eastern margin of the river, and during freshets is completely submerged. It is an immense boulder in a deflection of the river, standing at an inclination of about fifty de grees to the horizon, and is about twenty-two feet in length by fourteen in breadth, with an inscription on its ENGLISH CLAIM. inclined face.

As to this inscription and its interpreta tion, we cannot do better than quote from Schoolcraft's work on the Indian Tribes. " The inscription itself appears distinctly to record, in symbols, the triumphs in hunting and war. The bent bow and arrow are twice distinctly repeated. The arrow by itself is repeated several times, which denotes a date before the introduction of fire-arms. The ani mals captured, to which attention is directed by the Indian pictographist, are not diet, or common game, but objects of higher triumph. There are two large pan thers, or cougars, variously depicted ; the lower one in the inscription denoting the influence, agreeably to pic tographs heretofore published, of medical magic. The figure of a female denotes, without a doubt, a captive, various circles representing human heads denote deaths.

One of the subordinate figures depicts, by his gorgets, a chief. The symbolic sign of the raised hand, drawn before a person represented with a bird's head, denotes, apparently, the name of an individual or tribe." At the foot of the large rock is a smaller one, con taining a single figure. About the close of the fifteenth century, the struggle commenced between England and France, for the possession of the Allegheny and Mississippi valleys. Eng land's claim was set forth in the following language: — - " That all the lands, or countries, westward from the Atlantic Ocean to the South Sea, between 48° and 34° of north latitude, were expressly included in the grant of King James the First, to divers of his subjects, so long since as the year 1606, and afterwards confirmed in 1620."* The original ground of this claim was, in ♦Colonial Records of Pennsylvania.

FRENCH CLAIM. part, original settlement, but chiefly treaties of purchase from that wonderful confederacy, the " Six Nations," that was found in possession. The French based their claim upon original discovery by Marquette and La Salle, to gether with their construction of their treaties of Rys wick, Utrecht, and Aix la Chapelle. But this claim was based upon very insecure grounds, and seems rather prompted by ambition and lust of power. They had at this time possessions in Canada on the North, and at the mouth of the Mississippi on the South, and wished to unite these possessions and thus present a barrier to the rapidly advancing tide of power that was sweeping westward under the auspices of England. As early as the beginning of the eighteenth century, Bancroft tells us, that " not a fountain bubbled on the west of the Allegheny, but was claimed as being within the French empire."

In the summer of 1749, Gallisoniere, then Governor of Canada, sent Louis Celeron with a party to place leaden plates along the whole line, extending from Lake Erie to the mouth of the Mississippi, as evidences of the French claim to the territory.* One of these was found buried at Franklin, Pa., bearing the following inscrip tion : — " In the year 1749, reign of Louis XV, King of France, M. Celeron, commandant of a detachment by Monsieur the Marquis of Gallisoniere, commander-in chief of New France, to establish tranquillity in certain Indian villages of these cantons, has buried this plate at the confluence of the Toradakoin, this 20th July, near the river Ohio, otherwise Beautiful river, as a monument of renewal of possession which we have ♦Western Annals. FORT VENANGO. 17 taken of said river, and all its tributaries ; and of all lands on both sides as far as the sources of said rivers ; inasmuch as the preceding kings of France have en joyed it by their arms and by treaties; especially by those of Ryswick, Utrecht, and Aix la Chapelle."

By the Ohio, we are of course to understand the Alle gheny, and by the Toradakoin, French creek. In pursuance of the determination to hold possession of this territory, the French proceeded to erect a chain of forts, extending from Presque Isle, or Erie, to the Ohio river. Fort Venango, one of this chain, was com menced in 1753, and completed in April, 1754. We have an interesting account of the erection of this Fort in a deposition made by Stephen Coffin, before Col. Johnston of New York. Coffin had been a prisoner among the French, and accompanied them on this fort building expedition. He says that the detachment con sisted of three hundred men, and left Canada in Jan uary, 1753. After describing the landing at Erie and the erection of "Fort Le Presque Isle," at that place, he continues : — " As soon as the fort was finished, we marched southward, cutting a wagon road through a fine level country, twenty-one miles to the River aux Boeufs" (now French creek, at Waterford).

"We fell to work cutting timber, boards, &c, for another fort, while Mr. Morang ordered Monsieur Bito, with fifty men, to a place called by the Indians Ga-na-ga-rah-ha-re (now Franklin) on the banks of Belle Riviere, (now Allegheny river) where the river Boeufs (now French creek,) empties into it. In the meantime Morang had ninety large boats or batteaux made to carry down the bag gage, provisions, &c, to it. Monsieur Bito, on coming to said Indian place, was asked what he wanted or in- 2* Washington's visit. tended. Upon answering, that it was the intention of their father, the Governor of Canada, to build a trading house, for their and all their brothers' convenience, he was told that the lands were theirs, and that they would not have. them build upon it." Thus far Coffin's statement goes ; but it appears that the scruples of the Indians were overcome, and the fort known as Venango was commenced late in the year 1753.

In November of the same year, George Washington Avas commissioned by Governor Dinwiddie to proceed from Fort Pitt, up the Allegheny to Fort Venango and Le Boeufs, to make observations in regard to the French occupation, forts, number of men, and probable inten tions. In pursuance of this mission, Mr. Washington, then in his twenty-second year, arrived at Venango on the 4th of December. The following extracts from his journal will give some idea of his movements. " This is an old Indian town, situated at the mouth of French creek on the Ohio." " We found the French colors hoisted at a house from which they had driven Mr. John Frazier, an English sub ject." After obtaining an interview with three officers from the fort, and the wine, or more probably poor whisky, having made them social and communicative, the journal proceeds : — "They told me that it was their absolute design to take possession of the Ohio, and by G , they would do it ; for although they were sensible that the English eould raise two men for their one, yet they knew their motions were too slow and dilatory to prevent any undertaking of theirs."

Washington and his little party appear to have ENGLISH FORT. 19 crossed in the vicinity of the upper bridge, and pro ceeded to Fort Le Boeufs or Waterford. We next find Fort Venango spoken of in 1759, in a letter from Colonel Mercer, English commander at Fort Pitt. Colonel Mercer had sent two Indian scouts up to Fort Venango, who reported that there was then at tfie fort seven hundred French, and one thousand Indians, which force was destined to attack Fort Pitt. In this year (1759) the French finally withdrew their forces to strengthen Fort Niagara, and untoward events causing them to abandon their efforts towards holding the country, they never afterwards undertook the pos session of Fort Venango. This fort was situated on the bank of the Allegheny, about thirty rods below the present Allegheny bridge.

A draught, said to be the original drawing by the French engineer, is still in the possession of Wm. Reynolds of Meadville, Pa. There are the ruins of another fort near the Alle gheny bridge, that the old settlers were in the habit of calling the English Fort. There appears to be consid erable confusion of ideas, in regard to this fort. That it was in possession of the English after the country was abandoned by the French, is quite likely ; but the pro babilities are very strong, that it, too, was built by the French, after the destruction of the first one. In 1763, while Fort Venango was in possession of the English garrison, a large party of Senecas, on pretence of friend ship, gained admission, massacred the garrison, tortured Lieutenant Gordon, the commander, over a slow fire, and finally burned the fort.

Opposite Fort Venango, and on the eastern side of the river, Henry Decourcy affirms on the authority of an old iaap preserved in Quebec, that Fort Michault was built FIRST MISSIONARY. about the same time as Venango. In 1757, Monsieur Chauvignerie, Jr., a French prisoner, testified before a justice of the peace to the same effect : — " My father was a lieutenant of marines, and commandant of Fort Michault, built lately at Venango." Of such a fort, the oldest settlers can give no information, nor are there any traces of ruins that can be identified on that side of the river.- It is possible, however, that this maybe identical with what is now known as the English fort, erroneously placed on the Quebec map on the opposite side of the river. In the neighborhood of these forts, some very fine species of grape were found by the first settlers, and have been propagated to the present time.

One of these varieties is known as the " Venango " grape. The cuttings were no doubt originally brought from La belle France. We next find a more peaceful mission organized to visit Venango county. It was in the fall of 1767. A Moravian missionary, the Rev. David Zeisberger, accompanied by two Christian Indians as assistants, succeeded in penetrating the wilderness, and reaching a point on the Allegheny near the mouth of Tionesta creek, and about thirty miles above Franklin. This good brother appeared among the red men of the forest unarmed, plainly dressed, and simple in manners, with the one avowed object, that of doing them good. At first the missionary was regarded with suspicion, but gradually won his way into the favor of the people, until a chapel was built, corn planted, and the work commenced.

The place was called by the Indians " Goschgosking " or ac cording to another authority " Goshgoshunk. " An In dian prophet, named Wangomen, declaimed against the ANCIENT NAMES. 21 new religion. Like Demetrius of old, when Paul preached against idolatry, he saw their craft was in danger, so that no small stir was excited. The prophet declared that the Great Spirit was angry at the innovation, and was blighting the corn and driving away the game, as a punishment for their infidelity. The place soon became too uncomfortable for the good brethren, when they sought a new location for their mission, about fifteen miles farther up the river, at a town called La wunakhannak, probably in the neighborhood of Hicko rytown. But the troubles that began at the former point followed them to the new location.

The religious teachers and medicine men looked upon the strangers as their rivals, jealousies were fomented, until in the month of April, 1770, the heroic little band of mission aries were obliged to break up their mission, and with sorrowful hearts launch their canoes and set out for a more propitious field. This mission appears to be the first effort to plant the gospel in what is now known as the oil region of Venango county. A word in regard to the names used in the ancient history of the county, is necessary in this place to avoid confusion. The Indians and French alike con sidered what are now known as the Allegheny and Ohio as one and the same river. In fact the names sig nify the same, in different dialects of the Indian country. Allegheny is from the Delaware language, and O-hee-o from the Seneca, both meaning beautiful water.

Hence the French term " La Belle Riviere " or Beautiful river. In the earlier periods of the history of the country it was known as the Ohio. What is now known as French creek appears to have been known by the Indians as To-ra-da-koin. By the French it was first called Riviere Frenchman's story. aux Boeufs, or Buffalo river, afterwards Venango river, a corruption probably of In-nan-ga-eh, in the Seneca language referring to a rude figure carved on a tree, when first discovered by this tribe. By George Wash ington it was re-christened, at the time of his visit in 1753, French creek, which name it still bears. The change conveys to us something of an idea of the practical nature of Washington's mind, in rejecting the beau tiful flowing Indian name for the common-place modern one. It is related by some of the old citizens, that about forty years since an old Frenchman made his appearance in Franklin, and put up at the public house of Mr. Reno.