|
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 123 CHAPTER X. THE EARTH'S HIDDEN TREASURES-SALT, COAL, OIL AND GAS. Early Salt Wells Along Little Yellow Creek a Source of Wealth—Advent of the Railroad Makes Coal Mining Profitable—Pioneer Miners of Salineville—Coke Industry —Increase in Coal Production-Oil Booms of Early and Later Years—Wellsville and Homeworth Oil Fields— Natural Gas First Used as Fuel in America at East Liverpool—Waste of the Gas During the '80's—Great Pipe Lines Laid—Fortunes Made and Lost. Columbiana County drew wealth from the earth, during the early days, not only in iron ore and clays, but also in salt and coal. Her people were pioneers, as well, in the oil held. and in the southern part of the county was the first community in the United States to pipe gas for fuel. SALT WELLS. "Salt boiling" was in the early days an important industry. Salineville, where the industry thrived most largely, received its name from its salt wells. Salt at the beginning of the century was a precious commodity in the west. ranking with the luxuries of the pioneer days. It brought higher prices than even sugar and flour, since it had to be brought over the mountains from the East. Frequently the ruling price was $5 a bushel, and even then the supply was often exhausted for weeks in the little settlements in the sparsely inhabited region. "Packing salt" over the mountains was a business much followed in those days by enterprising traders and until the salt springs of Columbiana County began to give up their yield, was attended with large profits. Stories are still told of the days when early settlers rode many miles to obtain a supply of salt. and prized it to an extent that in later years seemed ridiculous. Salt springs were early found here and there throughout the southern part of the county, and finally settlers began making explorations. and boring wells for the precious staple. The industry quickly became profitable and was carried on for more than half a century, until the cheapness of the product Shipped in from Michigan and New York State put an end to the business. George James, who came to Salineville from Kentucky is said to have bored the first salt well in Columbiana County in 1809. He obtained a strong pressure of water with but little salt, though lie drilled two wells, the first 300 feet (from which there was a strong flow of gas ), and the second 900 feet. James Sharp sank three wells at about the same time. Several persons put down wells, but failed to find salt in sufficient quantities. In 1818 John Farmer, who had come to Salineville from New Garden. Hanover township. bought three abandoned wells that had been put down by three brothers named Burson, and went into the salt business on a large scale. Farmer caught the business at its high tide. and. having- considerable capital to invest, made money. The industry reached its height in the vicinity 124 - HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY . of Salineville about 1835, at which time there were 20 producing wells along Little Yellow Creek. At that time Farmer’s output was more than 50 barrels a week, and he had meantime been joined by his son, James Farmer, later prominent in the development of the coal interests around Salineville, and in the building of the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad. Farmer continued the business until 1853, when he sold it to Isaac Kirk, who operated the wells with more or less success until 1865, when the business ceased to be profitable about Salineville. The business had decreased rapidly after 1835, however, the State reports for 1841 showing but eight salt-wells in operation in the county, with a producti0n of 2,800 barrels of salt yearly. Notwithstanding this apparent decline of the industry, a company formed in 1866, composed of about 30 men, most of them from New Lisbon, abandoned a search for oil in that year and turned their attention to the manufacture of Salt. The company had been organized to test the rumored oil deposits along the middle fork of Little Beaver Creek, a short distance northwest of New Lisbon. At about 687 feet depth salt water was struck, and simultaneously a strong vein of gas. The gas and salt water shot up 100 feet above the surface, the gushing process continuing for several days. The search for oil was abandoned, and the manufacture of salt was continued for many years successfully. While the well continued to flow, for about two years the yield of salt was 15 barrels a day. Then for several years the gas was used for fuel under the boiler, and by the pumping process the yield of salt was increased to 30 barrels a day. The company dissolved in a few years, but R. G. Eells continued to operate the plant with good success until almost 1880, that being the last production of salt in Columbiana County. Peter Young was president of the company John A. Myers. secretary and Baltzer Brown, James Starr, R. G. Eells and J. A. Morron among the stockholder. Several salt-wells were bored during the '40'S and '50's between East Liverpool and Wellsville. but the industry never proved successful. In 1880 the county was accredited with nine producing wells, and the production was given at 43,800 bushels. In the following year, 1881, only one well was in operation. DEVELOPING THE COAL FIELDS. The coals of Columbiana County are all of the bituminous type, varying greatly in sulphur, slate and other substances. Some of the veins furnish coal so tree from sulphur as to be available for the manufacture of iron without coking. The coal product is all excellent for steam purposes. The railroads made the coal fields profitable. Before the. locomotive invaded Columbiana's verdure-clad hills, where the fuel cropped out on every hand, c0al had been Mined in a small way for local use, but there were no facilities for shipment. All the more productive coal veins Were back from the river, which was the only means for transportation of the more bulky freight. But small local coal "banks" were opened in the sides of the hills, and the coal replaced the wood to a large extent in many l0calities. Charcoal was even made for local use— at New Lisbon as early as 1808, when Gideon Hughes established his iron furnace. Indeed, up until 1905 a great field of coal in the center of the county in the vicinity of West Point, Madison township, extending north to Lisbon and south almost to the river, still remained practically undeveloped, owing to the lack of railroad transportation. Efforts had been made for more than 20 years to build a railroad which would open up this great field, but all had failed. The extent of the coal veins underlying Columbiana County are referred to at length in Chapter II of this work, under the head of geological formations. Work on a large scale was begun in the "Columbiana" and "strip" veins at Salineville and in the cannel coal fields near East Palestine at about the same time. Coat had been mined along the banks of Little Yellow Creek, near Salineville, in a small way, for years before the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad came through the town in 1852: but the railroad gave the mines a great Stimulus. James Penrose is said to have been AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 125 the first person to ship coal out of Salineville. His mine was at the upper end of the town, and was afterward acquired and operated for years by the Ohio & PennSylvania Coal Company. This first mine to attain importance commercially was a "drift" or bank. run into the hillside, as were all the early mines about Salineville. It was not until years after that the Ohio & Pennsylvania Coal Company operated the first "shaft" mine. By the latter part of 1852 John Thompson and Jehu Miller had both opened mines in what was known as the "three-foot" vein. and were shipping coal. About that time the locomotives on the Cleveland & Pittsburg road began using coal instead of wood for fuel, and the railroad thus became a large customer of the Salineville mines. Hayes & Hussey were also prominent miners about this time, and a number of miners with small capital opened coal banks and began digging coal for sale in the near vicinity. James Farmer, who had removed to Cleveland in 1856. took a very prominent part in the development of the wealth which underlay the town. The first concern to undertake to develop the coal field at Salineville on a really large scale. however, was the Ohio & Pennsylvania Coal Company. which organized in 1867 with a capital of $80,000. and absorbed six of the largest mines in the town, operating them to the limit of their capacity. Two hundred miners were employed from the start. and Salineville became one of the prosperous communities of the county. By 1875 the company's output was 800 tons daily. James F. Clark. the first president of the company, died in 1884, and was succeeded at his death by Daniel McGary. The Ohio & Pennsylvania Coal Company was still in 1905 the largest producing plant in the Salineville field, running at a capacity of from 700 to 800 tons daily. In 1905 J: B. Zerbe was president and S. H. Needs, secretary. Two other companies were prominent in the early development in Salineville—the Manufacturers' Coal Company. organized by James Farmer in 1872, which for a number of years controlled two mines, and the Columbiana Coal Company, which was organized by Morrison Foster and others, of Pittsburg, in 1877. and which acheved a capacity at one time of 300 tolls daily from two mines. This company worked out its properties and abandoned them about 1900. One of the Farmer mines had been opened as early aS 1852. The Osborns of Cleveland, opened a "strip-vein" mine about 1875, which was later purchased by Harry Kirk, who continued to operate it in 1905. One of the earlier Salineville mines waS the "Hayes" mine, the last manager of which, was Matthew Brown (until 1860). From 1866 to 1888 Matthew Brown owned and operated one of the then leading mines of the Salineville field. The Big Vein Coal Company of Cleveland in the '80's sunk a shaft near the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad station, in Salineville, and in 1905 had, for about 25 years, been the second largest producing coal mine concern in the Salineville field. About 1900 the company took over the Cedar Hill mine, but in 1905 the latter had been closed. Frank Osborn, of Cleveland, in 1905 was president and the largest stockholder of the Big Vein Coal Company. The Davis mine, opened about 1865, was run for some 35 years with varying success. Latterly Henry Sutherin had been manager. It was closed down in 1901. Hetherington Brothers opened a mine across the Carroll County line. about 1895, which in a few years they sold to the Sterlings of Cleveland. In 1887 the Brown Brothers (William E. and John C.) bought the Anderson mine, which they operated for many years. Among the smaller mines operated during the later years of the past century and the earlier years of the new were those of James Strabley and Robert Vasey. The output of coal in the Salineville field in 1904 was as follows (that of the two principal companies being given separately, and then the total from the entire field) : Ohio & Pennsylvania Coal Company, 110,406 tons : Big Vein Coal Company, 75,461 tons total for 1904 of all companies in field, 285,878 tons. This amount includes the coal shipped by rail from Salineville and that taken by locomotives for fuel, but is exclusive of that taken for home consumption and the local trade of the small mines, which would add several thousand tons to the year's production. As a result of the early milling of coal with 126 - HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY out sufficient bracing, and the undermining portions of the town of Salineville by the old banks. portions of the town in the hill district on several occasions during the '80's and '90sis gave evidence of possible collapse, causing a scare for a time. Little serious damage was really apparent, however. aside from the wrecking of one or two houses. and the settling of the foundations of several buildings. EAST PALESTINE'S MINES. Before 1840 many of the farmers of the vicinity of East Palestine opened small coal banks, and the local coal was used for fuel in the early manufactories of the town in those days. In 1854 many banks were mining the Cannel coal which was easily obtained near the surface, and as early as 1854 a company was organized at East Palestine which for several years extracted oil from the coal. and sold the product at a profit, until the petroleum of later days compelled the abandonment of the enterprise. About 1860 a New York company opened a mine on what was known as "Carbon and built a spur from the Pennsylvania Railroad trackS by which to ship their product. A few years later the property was sold to Tucker. Brown & Company, and in 1865 it was absorbed by the Carbon Hill Coal Company, organized mainly by Chicago men, James Mullins being the manager of the concern. The company abandoned the mine in 1871, however. Enoch Lawton, Tames Sutherin and Andrew Burnett formed the Prospect Hill Coal Company about 1868. running a track to their mine, in section 36 of Unity township. Here in the following to years were opened four drift mines, and the production grew to be the largest in the field. In April, 1879, Enoch Lawton, one of the owners, was found dead by suffocation in an unused portion of the workings and for several years after his death James Sutherin operated the mines on a lease. Later the company was reorganized. with Grant Hill as superintendent. In 1905 four electric machines were in use, and the product was about 250 tons daily. The State Line Coal Company, organized in 1874, soon became the most important of the mining ventures at East Palestine. C. B. Herron. J. W. Chalfil and James Mullins were the chief spirits in the organization of the concern. and mines were opened east of the town. near the Pennsylvania State line. The veins were nearly four feet in thickness, and the company prospered from the start. Hugh Laughlin was superintendent from the opening of the property, continuing in that capacity in 1905. Four hundred men were employed during the latter part of the '70's. the monthly pay-roll at that period running as high as $10,000. with an output of 50 cars a, day. In 1905 the work had . extended mote than a mile (underground) into Pennsylvania. About an acre per week was being excavated, the daily production being about 350 tons of screened coal. James Mullins was president and W. J. Mullins, secretary and treasurer. COKE INDUSTRY AT LEETONIA. Early in 1866 the coal mines of the Leetonia Coal & Iron Company—afterward the Cherry Valley Iron Company—were opened to the east of the town of Leetonia, in Salem township, and there the best coking coal in the county was found, ovens being erected immediately in connection with the company’s furnaces. About. 1874 extensive mines were opened by Cleveland parties on the Samuel Shelton farm, on the line of the Niles & New Lisbon Railroad. and operated for many years. Coleman & Thompson. a Cleveland firm, began operations near by about the same time. The Cherry Valley Iron Company's mines a: Washingtonville were abandoned in 1904. because of wage differences between the operators and miners. Prior to that date they had been running at a capacity of from 250 to 300 tons a day. In 1905 the company had in operation 200 coke ovens. Connellsville coal was used in the making of coke in these ovens. The Niles & New Lisbon Railroad. completed through this section in 1866, and touching the towns of Washingtonville. Leetonia, Franklin Square and Teegarden, proved a great AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 127 incentive to the development of the coal lands at those points. The construction of the Pittsburg, Lisbon S Western Railroad from New Galilee, Pennsylvania, into New Lisbon in 1887, also greatly stimulated the coal mining industry along its entire length, and in the neighborhood of the county seat as well. And so in 1903, in addition to the larger mines which have been given mention in detail, located in ,the larger mining centers, mines are in operation at New 'Waterford, Salem, Lisbon. Elkton, Negley. East Fairfield and Teegarden. The ownership of these mines, number of men employed. etc., are mentioned in the table found in this chapter, which is copied from the Ohio State mine report for 1903. COAL PRODUCTION IN 1903. The Ohio State mine report for 1903 gave ,reports from 35 mining operators in Columbiana county. It showed a capital invested that year in coal mining of $841,265 ; value of coal mined, $1,078,575.09 ; wages paid during year, $801,349.28; number of men employed, 1,354; average days worked during year.— pick miners. 236; machine miners, 220. The county in 1903 ranked tenth in the State in tonnage, producing 874,602 tons, compared with 868,426 tons the year preceding. Of this total for 1903, 572,000 tons were lump, 137,000 nut, and 164,000 pea and slack. The production for 1903 was thus 21.70.650 bushels, as compared with 3.241.923 bushels in 1870 and 11,423,574 bushels in 1880." Of the output in 1903. 328,000 tons were mined by machines, electric machines being in use in six mines. In addition to the 35 large mine operators reporting in 1903, the State report showed 48 small mines in the county, employing less than 10 men each. Four new mines had been opened during the year. The mines given by the State report as in operation during 1903 were as follows : |
Mine. |
Owner or Operator. |
|
|
|
|
Location of Mine. |
New Shaft Cedar Hill Slope No. 1 Slope No. 2 Strabley Salisbury Kirk Salem shaft Fairfield No. 2 Peerless Big Walnut Cherry Valley Pine Hill Prosser No. 4 Lisbon New House Pleasant Valley No. 6 Pleasant Valley No. 7 Leetonia Prospect Hill No. 4 State Line State Line No. 2 McNab Farquhar Pine Hollow Wheat Hill McMillen Sears Boosall Beech Ridge Shepherd Neiheiset Booth Sheen shaft Howell |
Big Vein Coat Co . Cleveland, O. Big Vein Coat Co.. Cleveland. O. O. & P. Coal Co.. Cleveland, O. O. & P. Coal Co., Cleveland, O James S. Strabley, Salineville. 0. Norris Mining & Mfg Co . Pittsburg. Pa Kirk & Deveny. Salineville. O. Salem Mining Co., Salem, O. Fairfield Coal Co., Wooster, O Townsend Coal Co. Cleveland, O. Peerless Coal Co.. Cleveland, O. Cherry Valley Iron Works. Leetonia, O. Card & Prosser Lisbon, O. Card & Prosser, Lisbon, O. Lisbon Coal Co., Lisbon, O. Herriott Coal Co., Elkton, O. Powers Mining Co., Negley, O Powers Mining Co., Negley, O. Leetonia Coal Co., Leetonia, O. Prospect Hill Coat Co., East Palestine. O. National Fire Proofing Co.. E. Palestine,O. National Fire Proofing Co E. Palestine. O. McNab Coal Co., Salem, O. Leaman Coal Co., Salem, O. Pine Hollow Coal Co.. Salem, O. Wheat Hill Coal Co., East Palestine, O. R. McMillen. E. Palestine, O. James Leeper. Salem, O. Auld & Son, Salem, O. Joe Shriver. Salem, O Jesse shepherd. Salem, O. Netheisel Bros.. Leetonia, O. A. K. McMillen, Negley, O. James sheen, Salem, O. C. Howell, Salem, O. |
64 68140 17 19 27 20 48 70 24 46 70 28 3270 16 32 12 65 46 13 16 11 12 6 5 4 7 6 6 7 5 5 4 |
47 21 6286 13415 17812279720694191279 642 2 12 2 2 2 3 2 1 |
Shaft Drift Slope Slope Drift Drift Drift Drift Drift Slope Slope Slope Shaft Drift Drift Drift Drift Drift Slope Slope Drift Drift Shaft Shaft Drift Drift Drift Drift Drift Drift Drift Drift Drift Shaft Drift |
5 4 ½ 5 ½ 4 ½ 4 ½ 3ft 10 in 2ft 10 in 3 ½ 3 ½ 3 3ft 4 in 3 ½ 3 ½ 2 ½ 3 ½ 3 3 ½ 3 ½ 3ft 4 in 3ft 10 in, 4 2 ½ 3 ½ 3 ½ 3 ½ 4 3 ½ 3 2ft 9 in 3 3 2ft 9 in 3ft 4 in 3 2ft 9 in |
Salineville Salineville Salineville Salineville Salineville Salineville Salineville Salem N. Waterford Salem Salem Washingtonville Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon Elkton Negley Negley Leetonia E. Palestine E. Palestine E. Palestine Salem Salem Salem E. Palestine E. Palestine Salem Salem Salem Salem Negley Salem Salem |
|
128 - HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY THE PIONEERS IN OIL. In 1860, oil was discovered at Smith's Ferry, in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, just east of the Ohio and Pennsylvania State line. Within a few years the excitement extended the southern townships of Columbiana County. and Pittsburg capitalists invaded the vicinity of East Liverpool and drilled a number of wells. They struck nothing better than natural gas and, that product being considered useless, the wells were abandoned. Clabourne Simms sunk a well in the West End of East Liverpool. near Jethro, about 1860, and struck gas and Salt water. For a time gas was used as fuel in extracting the salt, and the well yielded eight to ten barrels of salt daily for years. Meantime the oil fever had struck St. Clair township. In May, 1865. George Hamilton drilled a well on his farm near Fredericktown, but the oil obtained was of a heavy quality. such as was used years afterward as "fuel oil" and, the production being small, the well was abandoned. In 1866 J. M. Hart drilled the second well in the township, but that also showed a small yield. The Glasgow Oil Company invaded the township in the same year. The farmers went oil-mad and it was expected that the county would develop a tremendous petroleum field. At least 15 wells were put down in the vicinity of Fredericktown and Calcutta in 1866, and, during the years succeeding. the production of the township reached t00 barrels a day. For 10 years, the Glasgow Oil Company pumped from 6 to ten wells in that neighborh00d. but the production gradually decreased. The oil operators even invaded Madison township, in the vicinity of West Point. and there wells were sunk in 1865 by Pittsburg men, who had organized the Longrun Oil Company, one of the drills going to the depth of 800 feet. A company of West Point farmers organized in 1877. and drilled a hole low feet in depth, striking again the heavy gravity oil and abandoning the venture. During these years many of the enterprising farmers in the Southern part of the county lost heavily in oil ventures. Gas was frequently struck, but the gas-wells were abandoned as useless. In later years frequent attempts were made to find oil in paying quantities on Yellow Creek. near Salineville, in the vicinity of East Liverpool and also in several localities in St. Clair township. But while there was some show of gas and here and there traces of oil, neither was secured in paying quantities. During the later '80's and the first few years of the '90's. when West Virginia had become an oil-producing State, East Liverpool became the center for the shipment of machinery and tools. The C. A. Smith Drilling Company and other oil men had their headquarters there. and supplies were shipped in large quantities into the new field. About this time, also, attempts were made to find oil about Salineville. Traces of oil and gas had been found there by the early salt-well drillers. and in the coal seems later developed by the rapidly growing mining interests. Between 1880 and 1895 John T. Dysart and others drilled several wells, but neither oil nor gas developed in quantities. to justify extended operations. THE WELLSVILLE OIL FIELD. Oil had been found prior to 1870 in the vicinity of Little Yellow Creek, to the north of Wellsville. but never in paying quantities. One Truesdale drilled five wells on the "creek bottom," two of which yielded from three to five barrels a day for a short while, and then they were abandoned and the wells were filled up. However, from one of these old wells the oil continued to force itself to the surface and make its way to the creek. People would now and then scoop it up and use it for lubricating purposes. In the fall of 1899. Lawson Brothers sunk several wells on the Ridinger place, near the site of the old Truesdale wells, and got oil in good quantities. The third well struck started off with a production of 158 barrels a day. But neither did this one nor any of the others hold up to anything like what was expected of them for any considerable length of time. The largest well, struck in 1899 had in 1905 dropped down to about five barrels.. AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 129 An explosion at one of theSe wells in September, 1899, fatally burned two workmen. while John Ray], who was superintending the drilling, with several others was seriously burned. A number of wells were drilled that same year on the hill south of the creek by Alex B. Smith, some of which for a time proved to he paying pumpers. But the oil in the field proved to be a "pocket" deposit, the limits of which did not exceed perhaps 20 to 30 acres, and was soon practically exhausted. Nevertheless the interest in the field in 1905 again somewhat revived on the striking of a 10-barrel well by Rayl & Lewis on the Ridinger place. THE HOMEWORTH OIL FIELD. Following the excitement caused by the discovery of petroleum at Oil City. Pennsylvania. in 1858-60. a number of the substantial citizens of Knox township organized a company to do some "wild-catting" after the new product near home. Early in the '60's Jacob Yaggi and otherS put down the first oil-well in Knox township. near the Mile Branch schoolhouse. toward the center of the township. The well was a small producer, and for some reason waS never operated, the company disbanding. In the succeeding 30 years many attempts were made to interest capital in the field around Homeworth. but without success until the discovery of oil around Scio. Harrison County, revived the oil excitement throughout the eastern end of the State. In 1898 William Peacock. of Massillon while putting down a number of test holes in the vicinity of the old well of 30 years before. found green petroleum oozing from the ground and pronounced the prospect excellent. A company was at once projected at Homeworth, but before the organization was complete Jonas King had succeeded in interesting the Renner & Deihel Oil Company, of Akron and Youngstown. Within the next five years this company drilled in more than 50 producing wells north and northeast of Homeworth. In January, 1900, the Winger & Bly Oil Company. of Warren, Pennsylvania. drilled in two large gas-wells east of Homeworth, and indications were .found of a large oil pool east and southeast of the village. In the hope of getting sufficient gas to run its extensive works at Alliance. the Morgan Engineering Company. of that city, purchased the wells and leases of the Warren company and put down many wells. the gas from which they piped to Alliance. One of these wells, drilled on the farm owned by the Brooke heirs, proved a fine oil producer. Oil excitement was now high, and experienced oil operators invaded the county. The Morgan Company sold its holdings to Upham & Walker. of Parkersburg. West Virginia, who drilled a 'number of wells on the Brooke and neighboring farms. and then sold Out to A. L. Johnson. the present owner. Johnson bought of Pennsylvania parties mote leases on the D. W. Thomas farm, until in 1905 he had more than 30 producing wells. H. L: Thompson drilled three wells on the S. D. Sailor farm. and then sold to Mr. Sailor, who had drilled 10 wells on his own land. The Weaver Oil Company, of Youngstown, also drilled what proved a paying "gasser" on the Heffner farm, adjoining the village of Homeworth, and from this well gaS was speedily obtained for lighting and heating in the village. Later the Lutz Oil Company, of Pittsburg. began operations to the north of Homeworth, and in the summer of 1904 struck a 60-barrel well on the Teeters farm. Wells were put down in rapid succession during 1904 on the Teeters and Barber farms, and during the excitement of that year a line fence fight resulted in the drilling of six wells on less than an acre of ground, all of them large producers. The Lutz company by 1905 was one of the largest producers in the field. The oil production of the field in 1905 was not less than 7,500 barrels a month. and 12 drilling machines were then at work sinking new wells. The oil was pumped to Homeworth and there loaded for shipment by rail to the National Refining Company, of Cleveland. GAS FIRST PIPED FOR FUEL. Though Ohio does not lay claim to the original introduction of gas as a commercial factor 130 - HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY on an extensive scale, East Liverpool has proven her claim to having been the first community in the world to pipe natural gas for fuel and lighting purposes. The United States census. report on mineS and mining for 1900 says: "Natural gas was used in Ohio in 1866 in the manufacture of lampblack at Gambier ; in 1874 it was used at East Liverpool, in the household, for heat and light." The "Encyclopedia Brittanica," in its edition of 1880, gives credit to the town for being the first uSer of natural gas, in the following language : "The city of East Liverpool, Ohio, is entirely illuminated, and to a large extent heated, by gas-wells which exist in and around the town. The light is of extraordinary brilliancy, and is so abundant and free that the street lamps are never extinguished, and much of the manufacturing and steam power of the town, which embraces 22 potteries. giving employment to 2,000 hands, is derived from the gas. The first 'well.' 450 feet deep, was opened in 1859, and up to the present year. 1879, neither it n0r any of those tapped at later dates show any sign of failing." Gas had been found in drilling for salt in the vicinity of Salineville during the first half of the century, and as early as 1850 it had been used for fuel in the boiling of salt along Yellow Creek. Before 1860. Philip F. Geisse, owner of the early-day Fulton Foundry, of Wellsville had obtained gas and salt at a well in the vicinity of Walker's sewer pipe works. established about that time midway between East Liverpool and Wellsville and had boiled the brine from the well by the aid of the gas. The new fuel was handled carelessly in those days. awl in the latter '50's an explosion of gas occurred at the well in which Mr. Geisse was severely burned. Such accidents were frequent about the salt-wells at that period. The dangerous gas was not welcomed by the salt drillers. In the early '66's a company of East Liverpool men, headed by Col. H. R. Hill and William Brunt, drilled for on the "bottom land" in the West End of the town, at the point where for years later a baseball park stood, and obtained, instead of the much desired fuel oil, a heavy pressure of gas. In 1866 Messrs. Hill and Brunt determined to utilize the new fuel. and the two men laid small pipes from the well to their homes, in the upper part of the town. Crude fixtures were put in. and the gas utilized for lighting and in the grates for heating. Still the Supply was greater than they could use and so Brunt extended the pipe to the engine room, of his pottery, on Walnut street. where he used it under the boiler. The natural gas was a curiosity at that period. Occasionally the river overflowed the bottom land on which the well was located, all for weeks afterward water would drip from the gas jets, being forced through by the irregular pressure. Brunt and Hill decided to. drill a Second well near the first, and in July. 1877, the old "Bonanza" well was struck. It had seemingly unlimited pressure. Connelly & Company, of Pittsburg, had organized the East Liverpool Gas Company in 1870, and had built a small plant for the manufacture of illuminating gas in the following year. But before 1875 Colonel Hill and J. M. Kelly had quietly bought up the stock of the company and taken charge, abandoning the manufacture of gas in that year and turning the product of the well in the West End into the old pipes. So the big "Bonanza" strike of '77 worked up enthusiasm to the highest pitch. The merchants of the town held a celebration. and natural gas became the fashion in the homes of the more well-to-do. The gas-wells at East Liverpool lasted for over to years. Then gas in great quantities was struck in the Miller field. two miles east of Fairview. est Virginia. seven miles from East Liverpool, and the Ohio Valley Gas Company was organized by Pittsburg capital to pipe the product to East Liverpool. An 8-inch main was run from the West Virginia field. crossing the river at East Liverpool. In that day there was no means of controlling the pressure at the wells. and a great stand-pipe was erected opposite the foot of Broadway, on the West Virginia side of the river, to reduce the pressure in the pipes. For two years the surplus gas roared through this stand-pipe, giving forth a flame 50 feet high. Enough gas was AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 131 wasted at this one pipe to supply the entire community for a year, during that period. There were other escape pipes in East Liverpool, and, the gas lamps in the streets burned day and night. The supply was thought to be inexhaustible, and the waste of the fuel was immense. Families were supplied with light and fuel for from 812 to 836 a year—there being no means of measuring the amount of gas used. The Ohio Valley Gas Company quickly entered Wellsville, and in 1886 a second main, 10 and 8 inches, was run to East Liverpool from the Beaver County field near Harshaville. In 1887, also, the Bridgewater Gas Company, controlled by Pennsylvania capital, with Merritt Greene. of Pittsburg, at its head, brought a line into the town from Shannopin, Pennsylvania, buying the old pipes of the East Liverpool Gas Company. Gas flowed from the wells during the first decade by its own pressure, the first pumping station being operated by the Ohio Valley Gas Company at Midway, in 1895. The supply during these early years was a great benefit to the industries of East Liverpool and Wellsville, supplying the manufactories with cheap fuel, and giving the potteries of the rising community a strong, steady heat for the burning of the ware. Early in the '90's, however, the supply seemed on the verge of failure entirely, and many of the potteries returned to the use of coal for fuel. Later, new wells were turned in from the McDonald and other fields, and the supply replenished. The Ohio Valley Gas Company was organized in 1886, Thomas Creighton and the Goodwin Brothers. of East Liverpool, and John N. Patterson, of Pittsburg, being among the prime movers. February 1, 1896. Charles A. Smith bought the stock of the company, and September 1, 1899, sold it to a company hacked by Senator Flynn. of Pittsburg. The Bridgewater Gas Company came into East Liverpool in 1887. and in 1899 sold to the Fort Pitt Gas Company. Later the Fort Pitt sold to the Tri-State Light Company, which was a constituent part of the Manufacturers' Light & Heat Company. The same year the Ohio Valley Gas Company was taken over by the Manufacturers' Light & Heat Company : and in 1905 all the natural gas interests of East Liverpool and Wellsville were in the hands of this giant corporation, the largest natural gas corporation in the world, having a capitalization of $21,500,000. The stock is held chiefly by Pittsburg and Oil City people. H. B. Beatty, of Pittsburg, was president and H. E. Seibert, also of Pittsburg, Secretary. As many fortunes were lost as were made in the fields about East Liverpool, and Wellsville during the early days of the excitement, and for years after the wells in the immediate vicinity of the two towns had failed the fever was revived, and drillers ventured forth periodically in the hopes of Striking fresh veins. SALEM'S GAS SUPPLY In 1903 H. H. Hyland began prospecting for oil and gas in Salem and Fairfield townships, and several good wells were struck, particularly in Salem township, to the south of Leetonia. In the summer of 1904. the Hyland leases had been taken over by the Natural Gas Company of West Virginia, and by the fall of that year the gas had been piped, first into Leetonia and later into Salem, the company having secured as many as 10 strong producing wells. The gas was utilized by the smaller manufacturing concerns and for domestic purposes, fuel and light. August 22, 1904, the first pipes were laid in Leetonia, and by October 1st the mains had reached Salem. Before midwinter seven miles of mains had been laid in the streets of Salem, and many private and business houses had been connected up, together with several of the manufacturing concerns on the "Flats." During 1905 the production continued so strong that not more than two of the wells had been drawn upon for supply at any one time. The gas was secured at a depth of about 900 feet. A new pipe line was laid to Columbiana in the summer of 1905. George Heard was president and G. F. Batchelor, secretary and treasurer of the company, with headquarters in Pittsburg. Early in 1902 gas had been found in good quantities on the Fink farm, and an effort was made to secure franchises for piping it 132 - HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY into Salem and Lisbon. Meanwhile the Columbiana Gas Company was organized, and by September 1, 1902, the pipes were laid into Libon. The company in 1905 had seven producing wells in Center and Franklin townships. The officers of the company were: J. F. Stone. Coudersport, Pennsylvania, president : J. C. Bowen, Buffalo, New York, secretary; J. B. Jones, Wellsville, New York, treasurer : W. E. Donnelly, Lisbon, general manager. At many places in the county. other than thoSe already mentioned, are found producing gas-wells that owe their existence to the search made for oil. On the farm of J. M. Felger. located on section 2, Fairfield township. is a gas-well that has produced Steadily Since 1903 with a rock pressure of 225 pounds. In November of that year. Mr. Felger leased the oil right to McCormick & Company, of Economy. Pennsylvania, who found an abundant supply of gas, but no oil. Mr. Felger later bought out the company and now utilizes the gas in heating and lighting his 9-room house. The supply is so large that he intends forming a company to pipe and sell the gas to the people of the district. In 1905 nearly every important point in the county was therefore reached by the natural gas : and the artificial gas companies established 30 or 40 years before in Wellsville. Salem. East Liverpool and New Lisbon had given way to the fuel from the earth. Ohio in 1902 stood third in population in the Union : second in mineral products. third in agricultural and fifth in manufacturing. And in all of these Columbiana County had played the part of a pioneer during the early days. The State up to 1902. according to the government census report issued in that year, had produced 24.4 per cent. of all the petroleum produced in the United States since the beginning of the petroeum production. |