Crawford County, Illinois - Chapter 15: The Oil Industry in Illinois, 1909

In January, 1909

EABLY SETTLEMENTS AND CONDITIONS IN CRAWFORD COUNTY - FIRST PROSPECTING FOR OIL IN CLARK COUNTY IN 1865 - ROBERT AMES THE PIONEER PROSPECTOR IN CRAWFORD COUNTY - LATER AND MORE SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS - PHENOMENAL DEVELOPMENT SINCE 1900 - LIST OF OIL COMPANIES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS - CONSEQUENT INCREASE OF POPULATION - SOME PEMABK- ABLE ACCIDENTS AND MARVELOUS ESCAPES- - FIELD - DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCT OF 1908 - NUMBER OF WELLS IN THE ILLINOIS OIL DISTBICT IN JANUARY, 1909.

Crawford County was one of the earliest settled counties of Illinois. Lamotte Prairie, in the eastern portion of the county, is one of the most beautiful and fertile tracts of land in the State, and shortly after the settlement of Knox County, Indiana, a sturdy class of people came to this county and settled around Palestine, and later on, around Hutsonville, gradually extending over the county until it became one of the best agricultural sections of Southeastern Illinois.

The pioneer inhabitants were a sober, thrifty, industrious people, inured to hardships and strong in the faith for the future prosperity of their adopted country. They knew nothing about its mineral resources, but depended entirely upon its timber and agricultural products for a livelihood. Later on its people became stock-raisers and fruit-growers, and this county was equal to any in this section of Illinois in that line of industry.

Coal had been developed in small quantities in various portions of the county. It was obtained, however, only through surface mining, and used mostly for smithing purposes, and its production was entirely abandoned with the advent of the railroads in the year 1875. The earth, however, is a great storage plant, and beneath its surface was hidden large treasures that were unknown to the early settlers of this country.

Laying Pipe Line

In 1865 a company was organized in Clark County, Ill, for the purpose of mining for oil and gas. Quincy A. Robinson was President, and Robert L. Dulaney, Secretary. The first well in this section of Illinois was drilled in that year on the farm of ex-Congressman Young, in the western portion of Clark County. The prospectors succeeded in finding oil and gas in that well, but nothing ever came of their venture from a practical standpoint, save kindling the spark which, in after years, produced the flame which has spread over Eastern Illinois. At that time Clark and Crawford Counties were largely leased for the purpose of producing oil and gas. Nothing eame of these ventures save the excitement naturally attendant upon it among our citizens. One or two attempts were made to sink wells in this county, the most notable one now remembered being by. Robert Ames, of Oblong Township on the' McLain farm now owned by the Ohio Oil Company, the farm at this writing having sixteen fine oil wells upon it. and being used, also, by the Ohio Oil Company as a tank farm. Mr. Ames endeavored to put down his well by means of the old-fashioned spring pole, drilling it to a depth of 300 feet. Being termed a crank by his neighbors, meeting with disfavor on all sides and his money soon exhausted, he abandoned the first effort to find oil in Crawford County in the very section that has since proven to be one of the most profitable oil pools in this State.

In 1884 William Creswell and Joseph Creswell, having purchased a drilling outfit for the purpose of drilling water wells, drilled on their own farm, about six and one-half miles southeast of Robinson, and at a depth of 182 feet struck a flow of natural gas that had a rock pressure of 25 Ibs. to the square inch. This well furnished gas for lighting and heating purposes in the Creswell home from that time until the present, and was visited by many parties who were induced to go and see it, and who pronounced it genuine rock gas. The farm of the Creswells at this writing (1908) has several fine oil wells upon it. ` The finding of oil at Terre Haute, Ind.. and small gas wells in various portions of this county, induced a number of the enterprising citizens of Robinson, Ill., to organize a company known as the Crawford County Oil, Gas & Coal Company, incorporated with a capital stock of $5,000, for the purpose of prospecting for coal, oil and gas. This company organized by the election of a board of directors who elected Abner P. Woodworth, President, E. E. Lindsay, Secretary, and Caswell S. Jones, Treasurer. James Gilchrist was secured and a contract made to drill two wells for the home company. A location was made about one and one-half miles east of Robin- Son, near the Illinois Central Railroad, in 1901. The well was drilled to a depth of 820 feet, a good coal vein was passed through, and salt water and gas encountered at that point, but nothing more was accomplished. The company then purchased a standard rig and, in the spring of 1902, a location having been made a mile and one-half north of Robinson, a well was drilled in ten days during the month of April of that year. Some nice coal veins were drilled through, and a small gas well was drilled in at a depth of a little over 1,000 feet, and a small quantity of oil was also found. 'This well was ruined, and several other efforts were made to put down wells that resulted in failures.

Our neighboring town of Palestine also organized a company and drilled in three wells, two showing oil and one a small gas well. This gas was piped and supplied forty stoves with fuel, and Palestine became the first town in our county to use gas for «heating purposes. The initial well was drilled with a diamond drill, for the purpose of ascertaining coal measures, as well as other minerals. Coal was found at 500 to 600 feet, and the drill struck the oil-bearing rock at about 850 feet. A standard rig was then placed in close proximity to this well, and a new well drilled to the oil-bearing rock. The well was properly cased and nitro-glycerine was obtained to shoot the same. The casing was not removed, as it should have been, and the shot completely ruined both the casing and the well. This well probably would have made twenty or twenty-five barrels of oil per day. This fact is mentioned to-show what troubles novices had in drilling oil wells. 4

The citizens of Robinson and Palestine expended 2bout $23,000 in attempting to procure oil in this county, all their efforts resulting in failure. It requires trained men to develop a successful oil field, and some of our citizens recognizing this fact, wrote to the President.of the Standard Oil Company, at 26 Broadway, New York, who kindly referred them to J. C. Donnell, in Findlay, Ohio, now Vice-President and General Manager of the Ohio Oil Company. Mr. Donnell immediately took up the matter and sent Arthur M.

Meeks to this field, who began taking leases on lands from our citizens for the Ohio Oil Company. In the meantime news of the finding of oil and gas in this county had gone abroad, and Mr. Hoblitzell came out to Clark County and began the successful drilling of wells in this field, which proved to be a good one, the oil sands being found at a very shallow depth. Operations were confined to the Clark County field during the season of 1904, but leasing went steadily on southward into Crawford County, and in the summer of 1905, the Benedum-Trees Oil Company made the first successful venture in drilling in a well on the Robert D. Athey farm in Prairie Township, this county, striking oil at a depth of 1,000 feet, completing this well on August 29th, and from this well gas was piped to the town of Annapolis, making it the second town in this county to burn natural gas.

John H. Galey, of Pittsburg, Pa., with whom some of our citizens had been in correspondence, was telegraphed, and he immediately came to Robinson. Mr. Galey, in addition to being a most accomplished gentleman, is, perhaps, the greatest field manager of his time. He spent one week with our citizens and made.a careful survey of the county. He gave it as his opinion that we had an oil county, and correctly located the field. He procured a gas franchise while in the city of Robinson, and predicted that we would be burning gas by Christmas - a prediction which was afterwards verified. The visit of Mr. Galey to our eommunity is one long to be remembered. He is a well-informed, genial and companionable gentleman, and was untiring in his efforts to locate this field. A location was made for a well on the Price farm, about four and one-half miles northwest of Robinson, in Robinson Township, which, on being drilled, proved to be a fine gas well, and the Wabash Gas Company, having been organized, immediately commenced laying its pipe lines to this city, and today Robinson has about. twelve hundred meters installed by the .Wabash Gas Company, one of the greatest and best enterprises of our community. E. C. Rose was appointed Superintendent of the company and removed to our city, and the present success of this company is largely due to his efforts,

In the meantime various companies came into this county and leasing progressed rapidly, and to W. W. Seybert, who leased a large portion of Oblong and Martin Townships, and the western portion of Robinson Township, much credit is due for the success that afterwards attended the efforts of companies drilling in this portion of our county. Mr. Seybert divided up his lands, assigning portions of them to the Mahutska, Minnetonka, Crescent, Daisy, Riddle, Red Bank, and various other companies.

During the early part of the winter of 1906, DeWitte T. Finley made a location on the Shire farm, about six miles southwest of Robinson, and successfully drilled in the Shire No. 1. It was drilled to a depth of about 1,000 feet, and remained an enigma for some two or three months, during this time leasing rapidly progressed in that section of the country. When this well was finally shot, it produced about 2,500 barrels of oil per day, and the fame of the Shire pool was at once established.

Treat, Crawford & Treat, under the management of their genial Superintendent, A. M. O'Donnell, immediately leased from Dr. E. L. Birch. 80 acres adjoining the Shire tract on the east, and commenced the drilling of a well on this farm, which also proved to be one of the gusher variety, and it was but a short time until some two or three hundred rigs were up in this section. Oil was now an assured fact, and drilling had begun in earnest in this portion of the field.

Leasing now progressed rapidly in all sections of the county, and large bonuses were paid to land owners, especially in Oblong, Robinson, Martin and Prairie Townships, but operations in the producing line were very largely confined to the Shire District. The farms of Dr. Birch, Harrison Martin, Charles Martin, Emanuel Miller, Metta Mann, Amanda Riker, Harriet King, E. Mitehell, James Good, Dr. Carlisle, and many other citizens were found to be especially rich in oil, and it was not infrequent to hear of wells being reported that produced from one hundred to one thousand barrels per day.

The Ohio Oil Company

This company, being the western representative of the Standard Oil Company, quickly grasped the situation, and its leasers were in all parts of the fleld. It was represented by men of untiring zeal and ability, such men as Frederick. H. Hillman, J. B. Penn, Arthur M. Meeks, Frank P. Blair, and many others working under them, and leasing progressed with such commendable zeal that it was not long until a large territory had been secured by this company, and their: leases now amount to 150,000 acres in the entire oil field. Mr. Hillman, who was then State Superintendent, determined to establish an office at the county seat, and for this purpose secured some rooms in the Woodworth block that were soon destined to become the scene of great activity. Stoy, a little station on the Illinois Central Railroad, about midway between Robinson and Oblong and two miles north of the Shire pool, now known as Oil Center, was selected as a base of operation, and a loading rack was established at that station. The offices at Robinson quickly filled. and Messrs. Lee Gordon, A. E. Dorsey, Arthur M. Meeks, W. W. McDonald, Walter Mc- Laughlin, William E. Stevens and Will Haley were placed in charge of their respective departments, to assist Messrs. Hillman, Penn and Roach in the organization of this field. A pump station was installed at Stoy, and Mr. Hillman was promoted to General Superintendent of the pipe line department, with Messrs. Daniel Roach and Lee Gordon as his,assistants. James K. Kerr was promoted to General Superintendent of the producing department. J. R. Penn was made Superintendent of the leasing department, with Arthur M. Meeks and Frank P. Blair as his assistants, and A. E. Dorsey was made Superintendent of this division, with W. W. McDonald, Frank Gariupy and Walter MeLaughlin as his assistants. A telegraph office was established and Will G. Stephens installed as operator, with Wil Haley and Howard Adsit as clerks. A better, brighter and busier set of men would have been hard to find. The county was organized into districts. Pipe lines were survéyed and laid, and early in the season of 1906 the pump station established at Stoy was in perfect working order, and forty to fifty thousands barrels of oil per day were transported through the pipe line department of the company. The Ohio Oil Company was very active in the line of production, and since their advent into the county have drilled in, on their own account, 791 producing wells and many thousand barrels of oil have been transported to the refineries of the Standard Oil Company. This company, representing-the Standard Oil Company, built large and commodious offices in the spring of 1907, in the city of Robinson, and removed thereto. They have extended their operations through Clark, Crawford and Lawrence Counties, have constantly increased the pumping capacity, until, today, at their pumping station at Stoy they are capable of sending over 118,000 barrels daily to their refineries. The amount of work accomplished by this company in the two years that they have been operating in this field, and the amount of money they have expended, is almost incredible. Their work has been of à permanent character, done quietly and accomplished in a manner entirely satisfactory to other operators and to the citizens of the county. INCREASE IN POPULATION.

Before mentioning the work of other- oil companies, mention must be made of the influx of people into our county. In the fall of 1905, Robinson had some 1,700 people. Palestine, Oblong and Hutsonville were villages, each of about 900 inhabitants. After the discovery of oil on the Athey farm, it became apparent that our population was gradually increasing. The spring of 1906 marked a new era. One supply store, with W. G. Long as manager, had already reached our town and installed gas in our homes entirely satisfactory to our citizens, and the National Supply Cómpany, the Jarecki Manufacturing Company. the Oil Well Supply Company, Frick- Reid Supply Company, Bovaird & Seyfang, Bessemer Gas Engine Company, Aeme Fishing Tool Company and National Supply and Equipment Company-were all applicants for rooms and were soon located in our midst with large stores of oil-well supplies. 'The demand for rooms and dwelling houses was incessant, and the question of supplying them was not a matter of easy solution. Our hotels were limited, but our citizens opened their homes and soon two and three families were domiciled where one had previously lived. As the season grew warmer, tents were erected and houses were improvised. Every room in town was occupied and acres of tents could be seen around Robinson. Workmen were in great demand and wages had more than doubled, and the season of 1906 closed with a number. of new buildings and Robinson possessed a population which exceeded four thousand, while Palestine. Oblong and other towns had grown in proportion.

"Another one of the peculiarities of the situation was the increasing freights of our railroads. It was no uncommon sight to see miles of cars loaded with oil-well and other supplies shipped in from other fields, and the Railroad Superintendents were put to their wits in building sidetracks and caring for and handling these excessive freights. The two depots had become veritable hustling shops and their forces were increased from time to time to meet the demand. Switchyard engines were running night and day, and the local freights at Robinson exceeded that of any other point on the New York Central and Illinois Central Railroads. It was no uncommon sight to see three hundred teams start out in the morning with oil-well supplies and material for the leases in the field, and this was constantly kept up during the season of 1906. Another fact worthy of mentioning is, that a number of tents and houses were improvised on the leases, and frequently a small settlement would be built during the day.

The postoffice at Robinson had also increased in mail matter until it was necessary to provide new quarters, and the forces of the office were increased very materially. Robinson was made a second class postoffice and the amount of mail that was handled by our postmaster and his assistants was larger than would be handled by a city of about four times the size of Robinson. Every facility was granted by the Government, and today we are enjoying the benefit of a free mail delivery in our city.

The telephone service increased very rapidly, and the two telephone companies were compelled to increase their capacity until, today, we have in Robinson on the Crawford County Mutual Telephone lines, 1052 'phones, and on the Southeastern Long Distance Telephone and Telegraph lines. 250 "phones. These two lines connect with other lines, making a service extending into all parts of the county.

Benedum-Trees Oil Company

This company was one of the first in the field, and secured, perhaps, greater holding than. any other individual company. Its leasers, Harry F. Miller, Harry S. Grayson and T. S. Riley, were very active and secured for the corporation some very fine property, which was developed under the management of John Kirkland, a wholesouled, excellent gentleman, who was trained by the Standard Oil Company in the east. M. Benedum, J. C. Trees, John Kirkland and other stockholders of this corporation had the satisfaction of receiving two million dollars from T. N. Barnsdall, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, for their holdings, which included a half interest in the Wabash Gas Company. Up to this time they had drilled about ninety oil wells upon their property. It might be noted, also, that these gentlemen are still operating in this field under the name of Superior Oil Company, possessing some of the very finest of leases, secured largely through the efforts of Harry S. Grayson, now a stockholder of said company, and one of the best men who left Washington County, Pa., for the western oil fields.

The Torpedo Companies

Without torpedo companies, this field would not show the good results that it has shown, and they are an indispensable auxiliary. We have two torpedo companies. 'The Independent Torpedo, whose President, E. Wannamaker, resides at Findley, Ohio, and who, by the way, is quite a producer, having drilled in on the Sargent Newlin farm in the northeastern part of the field in Hutsonville Township, a well that started off with about 400 barrels per day. His company, the Independent, has for its State Superintendent, Harry Lippert. with headquarters at Robinson. This company has with them the following named people as shooters: S. L. Theetge, W. Beck, Vern Osenbaugh, F. E. Davidson, Ben Dow and F. A. Stinson. Their nitro-glycerine factory is on the Walters farm, about two and one-half miles east of Robinson, and their magazine is located on the Dr. Firebaugh farm, four miles west of Robinson. Their mixer, or maker, is George Dana, who is one of the oldest shooters in the United States.

The DuPont Powder Company have their factory on Dr. L. E. Stephens' farm about four miles west öf Robinson, and their magazine is on the land of Jerome Garrard, about two miles west of Robinson. The State Superintendent of this company is Alex. W. Swanson and the field manager of this county is D. W. Stevenson. The other gentlemen with the DuPont Powder Company are: Fred Mack, Charles Townsend, W. Covert, W. K. Snyder, W. E. Donaldson, William Ramsey and Van Gray. No men in the field have more hazardous tasks to perform than the Torpedo men. They are a brave and fearless set. The business is alluring and, when once entered upon, they seldom quit it, and the wages paid are

Tt may be interesting here to state the manner of shooting a well. It requires about twenty quarts of nitro-glycerine to four and one-half feet of the rock. The shooter drives his wagon to the magazine, where the nitro-glycerine has been placed in cans holding ten quarts each; he carefully removes the requisite number of quarts to the wagon, where each ten-quart can is placed in upholstered, padded cells. 'The cover is then placed over the top of the wagon, and the empty torpedo shells, having been placed in a rack on the outside of the wagon, the shooter is ready for the start. When he arrives at the well to be shot, he first unhitches his horses and takes them away from the wagon to a safe place, then removes from his wagon these ten-quart cans and carefully loads his torpedo shells, each one holding twenty quarts of the explosive. When the necessary number of shells are filled, they are carefully lowered to the required depth and placed one on the other until the required number are let down. An electric squib, to which is attached a duplex insulated wire, is let down. The casing is then removed, joint by joint from the well, and set up in the derrick, and then a blasting battery is attached to the insulated wire and the shot is fired. It costs $105 to shoot a well with one hundred quarts of nitro-glycerine.

Some Remarkable Accidents And Escapes

In this field very few accidents have occurred. None have caused the death of a human being, but it will be interesting to note a few of the miraculous escapes.

F. A. Stinson, of the Independent Torpedo Company, was called to shoot a well in the southern portion of our county. He loaded his wagon and started over a rongh and muddy road. His wagon turned over and his load of nitro-glycerine was thrown into a mud hole. He extricated himself, righted his wagon, fished his cans of nitro-glycerine from the mud hole, placed them in the wagon and went on and made his shot and returned in safety. ;

Van Gray, of the same company, was called to make a shot on the Simons farm, about four miles northeast of Oblong. This well belonged to the Minnetonka Oil Company, and was doing about three hundred barrels per day natural, and had a great gas pressure. Gray was attempting to let down a filled torpedo shell, but the gas was so strong it blew the shell from the well and hit the pulley, causing it to explode. Gray fell to the ground before the shot exploded and was uninjured. One of the horses belonging to his team was killed, a house in close proximity was shattered, a dresser in the room was torn all to pieces, while a mirror on the dresser was thrown on the floor unshattered. A bed on which a child was sleeping was thrown over onto the floor and the child escaped uninjured. The motlier in the room escaped uninjured, although her clothing was torn in fragments. The shingles on the roof of the smoke-house were cut away as with a knife. The stable, two derricks and several oil tanks were all destroyed by fire. An iron knife in a coat pocket of Mr. Gray on the ground near by, was bent in every conceivable shape; is quite a curious memento of this explosion, and is now in the possession of D. E. Lamb of the Big Creek Water Company.

S. L. Theetge, of the same company, was called to shoot a well in the early part of 1908. Going to the magazine and securing the nitro-glycerine, he started. The roads were rough and the front wheel dropped into a hole and the front axle broke, pitching Mr. Theetge under the heels of his horses and breaking two of his ribs. The axle of his wagon struck the ground with considerable force, but no explosion followed, and Mr. Theetge took his team from the wagon, went to a neighboring house and telephoned to Robinson for a new wagon and another shooter. With this shooter, and, in his crippled condition, Mr. Theetge went on and finished the shot and came back to town.

Another explosion occurred on the McKnight lease in the summer of 1907. A shot was thrown out of the well by the gas pressure, which caused the burning of the derrick and the annihilation of the team and wagon belonging to the DuPont Powder Company. The shooter, Ward Lester, threw himself on the ground and escaped injury, although the explosion caused a terrific shock.

D. W. Stevenson, of the DuPont Powder Company, in the fall of 1906, performed a deed for pluck and bravery that is rarely equaled. He was called to shoot a well about four miles west of town, on a farm directly south of the Illinois Central Railroad. It was No. 3 on the Ohio Oil Company lease. It was a good oil well, with a high gas pressure. On lowering his torpedo she!l he felt the line give way, and his clear head discerned the result, as the shell with its twenty quarts of nitro-glycerine was forced out by the heavy gas pressure. Mr. Stevenson coolly locked his arms around the torpedo and prevented it from being thrown on the ground, thus averting the destruction of many persons who were standing around to witness the shot.

W. H. Ramsey, of the DuPont Powder Company. They had one hundred quarts of glycerine in their wagon, to which was attached four horses, and in crossing Big Creek bridge in Oblong Town- Ship, the bridge gave way. Wagon, men and horses were precipitated in the creek into about twelve feet of water. 'The men swam ashore, but the horses were struggling in the debris. Snyder remarked to his companion, "if these horses must die I will die with them." He went back into the water, eut the harness and freed the teams. Having rescued the horses they remairted by the stream until the water went down, when they went to the wagon and carried the glycerine to shore and telephoned for another shooter to come from Robinson. They took the wagon out next day in a badly damaged condition, the front end having been kicked out by the horses.

It will be seen that the business of shooting wells is one that requires nerve, but these men have it. 'They are a fine set of fellows who realize their responsibility and govern themselves accordingly.

Early Oil Companies In This Field

Among the early oil companies in this field that have been very successful, are the Mahutska, under the management of D. A. Finley; Treat, Crawford & Treat, under the management of A. M. O'Donnell; the Minnetonka, under the management of J. E. Schell; the Crescent, under the management of Daniel McQuiggan; the Daisy, under the management of Frank Fertig, and the Riddle Oil Company, under the management of A. W. Nickle. These corporations began operations in the spring of 1906.

Mahutska Oil Company

As has already been mentioned, D. T. Finley drilled in the initial well, known as Shire No. 1, and from that time on the success of the Mahutska Oil Company was assured. Mr. Finley is a hard worker, a gentleman well liked by every one, and his efforts were crowned with the greatest success. The Mahutska has its offices in Robinson, where Mr. Finley has built a splendid home and lives in ease and comfort. This company has now 1,700 acres of leases with óne hundred wells to its credit, all fine producers, many of which started off at 1,000 barrels per day.

Treat, Crawford & Treat

A. M. O'Donnell, Superintendent for this company, has been constantly on the go and ever on the alert for the interests of his company. They have 9,000 acres of leases in the field, arid the splendid producing oil wells speak volumes.for the activity of this company. Their production is very large in this field, and they have recently put in a Gas Plant at Oblong, Ill., and now supply that town from the John Walters farm in the northwest corner of Robinson Township. They have drilled in this field 210 wells. C. C. Harter is leaser for this company, and has been untiring in his efforts.

Minnetonka Oil Company

The Minnetonka Oil Company had about 8,000 acres of leases in this field and drilled in 192 wells. Their production was so fine that they sold the same to the Ohio Oil Company on March 26, 1908, for $1,250,000. Mr. Schell and his assistants are to be congratulated on the splendid success of their two years' work. Perry O. Laughner is President of this company, and is also an organizer of the Crescent Oil Company, the company having its offices in Robinson and doing a very successful business. The Superintendent is Daniel McQuiggan, with Chal Laughner as its field manager. One of its initial wells was drilled on the Harry Martin farm in 1906, and produced in the first twenty-four hours, 1,600 barrels of oil. 'This lease was especially rich, and Mr. Martin, the owner of the farm, refused $79,000 for his seventy-nine acres of land. The Crescent had, on the first day of January, 1908, 52 wells to its credit, with a dàily production of one thousand barrels.

The Riddle Oil Company

The Riddle Oil Company was organized by tho - election of J. E. Hughes, President, T. L. Riddle. Vice-President, C. L. Nickle, Secretary, A. W. Nickle, Treasurer and General Manager, and Gaily Myers, Superintendent. Mr. Riddle, for whom the company is named, is a veteran of the oil fields, and he and his associates. have been very successful in oil operations. Their lease in Honey Creek Township, on the A. W. Mann farm, started off a gusher, producing 1,600 barrels in the first twenty-four hours, and the succeeding wells are almost as rich. This company now has 1,274 acres of leases, with 39 wells to its credit. A. W. Nickle, the Treasurer and Manager of the Company, is a resident of Robinson and the owner of one of the largest, as well as one of the most beautiful, residences of this city. The Riddle Company developed the Henry Musgrave farm about three miles northwest of Robinson, selling a lease of 286 acres, cohtaining eleven wells, to W. J. Neuenschwander, of Sistersville, W. Va., for a consideration of $160,000.

The Daisy Oil Company

The Daisy Oil Company was organized in March, 1906, largely through the efforts of Frank Fertig, who became its Superintendent and Manager. Mr. Fertig first came here as a leaser for C. B. Shaffer of the Consolidated Oil Company. He resigned his position and leased the farms of Capt. William Wood, John York and Samuel Dennis, containing 600 acres in all. The initial well drilled in on the Capt. Wood farm was a dry hole; the initial well on the York farm, across the road, was a 50-barrel producer. An amusing little incident is told regarding a transaction between Mr. Wood and Mr. York. Being neighbors and owning about the same quantity of land, they entered into a written agreement to pool their earnings. When Wood's well came in a dry hole, York offered him $1,000 to re- Jease him from the contract, which the captain promptly accepted. Mr. York paid the money and the captain gave him the release. The next well on the captain's land, 400 feet from the dry hole, proved to be a gusher and made 1,000 barrels per day for a short time, and the farm proved to be one of the best in the field. A well, however, was afterwards drilled on Mr. York's farm that made a thousand barrels. The settled production of these leases were 2,000 barrels per day. and forty wells were drilled on these farms prior to February 22, 1908, when the leases were sold to John G. Jennings, of Pittsburg, for a consideration of $440,000 cash. The property ing paid dividends to its stockholders. The office of the Daisy Oil Company is in Robinson, where Mr. Fertig also resides, having built himself a fine residence, determining to take the world easy and develop other holdings which he possesses.

The Austin Oil Company

successful in procuring leases, perhaps no man being more energetic along that line. He was one of the promoters of the Daisy Oil Company, and at the sale of lands belonging to that company, mentioned above, he received one-eighth of the amount of that sale. Mr. Fritz organized the Austin Oil Company in the Fall of 1906, and has since been its Superintendent, with headquarters at Robinson. This company at the time of its organization owned leases amounting to 175 acres, upon which some very rich finds have been made, No. 3 on the L. E. Stephens' farm being, perhaps, the best, doing about three hundred barrels per day.

Mr. Fritz has been very successful in other enterprises aside from his connection with the Daisy and Austin Oil Companies, among which we desire to mention the Chas. Henry lease in Oblong Township. This lease had two dry holes drilled upon it and was virtually abandoned, when Mr. Fritz purchased the same for a consideration of $500. His initial well demonstrated the wisdom of this purchase, for it started off with a production of 500 barrels per day, this well being drilled between the two dry holes. His second venture upon this lease started off with a production of 600 barrels per day. He has since become a resident of our city, and has built a beautiful home therein, and the activity and enterprise of him and his associates has also been the means of building Robinson a fine opera house. He has also been instrumental in bringing other producers to this field, who have profited largely by his suggestions. Mr. Fritz has secured quite a number of leases about Flat Rock and vicinity and is interested in their development. The property is now producing oil in great abundance. He also leased about a thousand acres in the Martin Township pool, which he afterwards sold to M. F. Whitehill, of Pennsylvania, which has since become a very fine producing property.

The season of 1907 was an extremely wet one, and the roads were well nigh impassable before the winter set in. Frequently you would see ten horses hitched to a boiler, dragging it along through the mud to its location. Some 847 wells had been drilled in this county during the year 1906, but it remained for the year 1907 to eclipse the former year. Active work began early in the spring and the rains that were almost continuous did not seem to deter operations. Much material had already been placed

Mention must be made, also, of the activity in building in the towns of our county. Many of our new-comers had determined to make their homes with us. The town of Oblong had more than doubled its population, and this year became a place of 2,500 inhabitants, with a substantial new hotel, two national banks and many good business houses and wellings. Robinson had increased its population to six thousand, had erected the Woodworth Hotel, a $50,000 structure, and built an opera house and several substantial briek business structures, while the producers vied with each other in erecting beautiful modern dwellings. The New York Central erected a new and commodious depot, and both railroads put on additional trains. The passenger traffic at this point was greater than at any other station along the lines of its two roads, and business was very active in all departments. This city had become the greatest depot for oil well supplies of any city west Pittsburg. Machine Shops had been built capable of supplying almost any kind of machinery used in the oil fields. We have with us the Warren Machine Shops, Locke Brothers, Norris Brothers, Oil Well Supply Shops, Parkersburg Rig & Reel Company, Chandler's Tank Factory and many other factories and shops, and we could supply a sucker-rod or build an engine in our own town. We had increased in tank factories and lumber yards and could supply the increasing demand for both. The Robinson Oil Refinery had been built and put into operation, and a bottle factory erected by the Wilcox Brothers, who were not only splendid business men in that line, but are also successful operators in the oil field.

Red Bank Oil Company

T. N. Barnsdall, of Pittsburg, Pa., had been a large producer in this field prior to the advent of the Red Bank Oil Company here. He had, with Mr. Erdman, developed the Hook property, a rich lease of 92 acres, a half-interest in which he has since sold for $70,000. After purchasing the Benedum-Trees leases, this company, the stock of which was largely owned by its President, T. N. Barnsdall, was the strongest independent company in the field and had to its credit about 55,000 acres of leases in this and

The office of the Red Bank Oil Company was removed from Marshall, Clark County, IlL, to Robinson, in April, 1907. W. E. Goodrich was State Superintendent and George W. Yerian Superintendent of Production, with Messrs. George L. Martin, Andrew J. Foust, John T. Scott and James Briody as his assistants, and E. O. Bartlett, Assistant Treasurer, with Robert R. Forker, clerk. These gentlemen were all old and experienced oil men, who had, like most oil men, received their training in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, as well as in other States, and under the excellent management of W. E. Goodrich, by the 1st of January, 1908, the Red Bank had to its credit, including the ninety wells purchased of Benedum-Trees Oil Company, about 500 wells. Too much credit cannot be given to Mr. Goodrich and his assistants for the able manner in which they managed this property. In the spring of 1908 Mr. Barnsdall sold about 600 acres of leases in Robinson Township, and about 1,180 acres in Oblong and Martin Townships for about $900,000, to the Ohio Oil Company, on which are some of the finest producing wells in this field. The Red Bank Oil Company also sold to the American Oil Development Company about 500 acres of leases for the sum of $370,000. They also sold to J. F. Hanna, of Franklin, Pa., the C. H. Morris lease, containing eleven producing wells and one gas well, for a consideration of $50,000.

The Morrison Oil Company

The Morrison Oil Company came here in March, 1907. Its President is Henry D. Morrison, of New York City. It purchased 1,200 acres of leases from the Riddle Oil Company for a consideration of $250,000, and has since added to this property many valuable leases, some of its most valuable wells being on the John Carlton farm in Martin Township, many of the wells showing an initial production of 5,000 barrels. This company has 62 producing wells to its credit, and a fine daily production. Elmer D. Smith, a quiet, sober, thinking man, is the Superintendent, doing excellent service, assisted

Tank Farm Of The Ohio Oii, Co

Mr. Duffield and his brother James have been quite active in this field and have some valuable lesaes and fine productions. The Duffield brothers have built fine residences in Robinson, and are now permanently located here.

Big Creek Water Company

Without water in the field it would be hard to complete the immense amount of drilling that has been performed in the Shire and other pools in Crawford County. T. G. Lamb & Sons, of Indianapolis, Ind., were quick to discern this fact, and established the Big Creek Water Company. This firm is composed of T. G. Lamb, D. E. Lamb, H. T. Lamb and Thomas Alford. The company first established their water line to Big Creek, but soon extended their lines to the Embarras River, where they placed a pump station eapable of supplying about 600 barrels per hour. In addition to supplying water in this field, Mr. Lamb and his sons were. both con- and producers. They drilled No. 2 on the Dr. E. L. Birch farm for Treat, Crawford & Treat, which started off with an initial production of over 2,000 barrels per day. Mr. T. G. Lamb is also President of the Warren Machine Company, which was brought from Indiana in 1907.

Smith, Kerr & Neely

This firm has been operating in this county for the past year on farms owned by the heirs of Green B. Hicks, Dr. Newlin, D. C. Brubaker, Everett Manheart and others. Some idea of the richness of these leases may be formed from the statement of the production of two of the above farms for a single year. The D. C. Brubaker farm was in litigation and A. P. Woodworth was appointed receiver. The receiver's report shows that $44,000 worth of oil was produced and sold during the year. This farm comprises 36 acres.

Dr. Leroy Newlin's farm contains 70 acres, upon which 11 wells have been drilled. The lowest estimate of the largest producing well on this farm is 8,000 barrels per day, and the highest is 20,000 barrels for 24 hours. This is the best well drilled so far in this county. Dr Newlin receives an eighth royalty from this farm and it netted him last year about $20,000. These farms are in Martin Township.

which he had the good fortune to obtain was the farm of J. W. Dennis, containing 160 acres, adjoining that of Dr. Newlin. This farm is one of the best producing farms in the field. Several wells have been drilled upon it, and the royalty from them has given Mr. Dennis about $40,000 for his share.

J. D. Downing and E. W. McArthur have been operating the Wasson and other leases during the past year, and their initial well on this lease started off at 1,000 barrels per day.

Another rich find about five miles north, in Robinson Township, is on the Grant York farm. This pool was discovered by J. H. West, who associated himself with Mr. Downing, under the firm name of Downing & West. Their wells have been of the gusher variety, and most of them started off with an initial production of 1,000 barrels per day. The Tom Moore Oil Company also have a lease on this farm, and paid $150 per acre bonus and the one-sixth royalty for same. After one year they are on velvet and paying good dividends to the stockholders. :

George Bole leased the farm adjoining York, of Ed. and S. T. Lindsay.. Mr. Bole paid a third royalty for this lease and his venture has proven highly profitable. Both York and the Lindsays are receiving several thousand dollars per month from the royalty on the oil found in this pool.

To the west of the York and Lindsay farms, at the corner of Robinson and Licking Townships, another rich pool was brought in by the Annin Oil-Company, under the management of J. J. Cauley, on the Robert Athey farm. This farm consisted. of 120 acres of land and was purchased by Dr. E. C. Price in the early stages of the oll field for $35 per acre. He leased for a bonus of $75 per acre and one-sixth of the oil. There are seven wells drilled in; and he is receiving from $1,200 to $2,000 per month royalty. This is given as one instance of many transactions that have occurred in all parts of the county since the discovery of oil.

Duff & MeClintock leased the P. C. Barrick farm of 1,000 acres in Robinson Township. The farm has now fourteen- wells drilled on it. Mr. Barrick has been offered $100,000 for his royalty interest, which he refused, and is now receiving several thousand dollars each month as royalty, it being one of the richest finds in the field.

The depth of wells drilled in this field varies from 850 to 1,350 feet, but the usual depth is from 980 to 1,000 feet. Gas is found in the top sands. The best gas wells that have been found in the county are in Robinson and Honey Creek Townships, and their capacity is from one to ten million cubic feet per day, and there are a number of them. In drilling wells about 60 "to 180 feet of 10-inch casing is used, and about 400 feet of 814-inch and about 700 feet of 614-inch. It requires about ten to fifteen days to complete a well and costs from $2,500 to $3,000. The greater majority of the wells have been of the gusher, or flowing type. The *Go-Devil," or iron rod, is not used in this field in shooting wells, as the wells are required to be cased close to the sand, which necessitates the pulling of the 614-inch casing in order to make the Shot, although in some parts of the field the walls of the wells stand up sufficiently so that it is not necessary to case with the 6% inch until after the well is shot. After the well begins to flow, tanks are erected, power houses are built, the wells are connected together by shacklerods, lines are laid to carry away the oil to the Pump Station, and the producer is ready to have his oil gauged and sell the same. The specific gravity of the oil in this field is from is of a lower grade, and in some instances is but 28 gravity. The oils here contain a high percentage of gasoline and naphtha, and are almost equal to oils found in the eastern fields. Sixty cents per barrel has been paid for the lower grade oils and sixty-eight cents for the higher grades. Taking everything into consideration and the immense amount of money originally expended in this field to build lines for transportation to the refineries, this is not an unfair price for the production. It will doubtless, however, in the near future, command a better price.

A large vein of salt water is found between 1,100 and 1,200 feet in drilling. The top, or gas sand, is usually about 8 to 12 feet in thickness. 'The second or oil sand is about 22 to 39 feet in thickness, and is usually very free. A few wells have been drilled in a third sand, with very good results. "This field is yet in its infancy, and a deeper sand will be found at from 1,700 to 1,900 feet, which will produce oil equal to the grade of the Terre Haute well, which certainlp must have some connection with this field. The county is also underlaid with good

John Markham, of Bradford, Pa., was one of the early producers in this field. He has made His first lease was in connection with his nephew, Mr. Hollern, on a farm of 360 acres, belonging to G. L. Walter, which they partially developed and sold to the Ohio Oil Company for $70,000. His next venture was in connection with Samuel Bell on the Sam Barrick farm, which proved to be very rich in production, Mr. Markham selling his interest to Mr. Bell, his partner. He then leased the Wm. Quick farm, upon which he has drilled more than a dozen good oil wells and one very fine gas well. He has also leased the Ferd Raines farm and has drilled in one good producer on same. Mr. Markham is one of the most experienced and active oil men in the field, and his operations have thus far been confined to Robinson Township.

It is impossible to give the details of all the Producers in this field. Success has attended the efforts of most of them. Oil has been successfully found in nine of the ten townships of the county, and 2,869 producing wells were being operated January 1, 1908, by the different companies, among whom are Armor & Stewart, Brown & Hogue, Rex G. Davis, R. D. Crawford, D. D. Nolan, Odell & Whitmer, D. P. Fleeger, C. B. Shafer, Leeper Bros., Sammel & Booth. Beers Bros., Black & Fitzgerald, Brenneman & McDonald, Bruner, Abbott & Co., Clinton Newlin, S. C. Clover, Moran & Adsit, Daugherty & Keenan, Duff, McClintock & Davis, Dye & Grace, E. N. Gillespie, C. W. Kirkbride, Lamberton Bros., P. P. Milliken, W. G. Reel, Anchor & Seybert, Skelly & Slattery, W. W. Splane, F. S. Wilbur, Trees Bros., Culbertson & Son, Parker, Edwards & Co., Fulton, Bright & Co., Peoples Oil and Gas, Devonian Oil, Eagle Oil, Fisher Oil, Mefford Oil, Atlantic Oil, Whitaker Oil, Parker Oil, American Oil Development, Columbia Oil. McKean Oil, Newlin Oil, Northern Oil, Sun Oil : and Pure Oil companies. These are the pioneer workers in the oil field of Illinois, and they deserve to be remembered. It is safe to place an estimate of 20,000 as a number of men engaged in this field as producers, contractors, derrick and tank builders, pumpers, teamsters, common laborers and others who have charge of the field as superintendents, farm bosses, district foremen, engineers, clerks, warehousemen and leasers. The Ohio Oil Company alone have 4,100 men in this field in their employ, 2,200 of whom are working in this county. They make an army of men, and take them as a class they wil compare favorably with that number of citizens engaged in any other occupation. The prices paid are good, no class of men receiving better wages. The field has been orderly and few accidents have occurred. Work has progressed rapidly and satisfactorily from its inception to the present time.

Effect Of Oil Development

What has been the effect of development of the oil fields from a business standpoint, is worthy of consideration. Before oil was discovered in aere, $40 per acre being a fair average. Since the development of oil it has increased three times in value. Town property has increased still more in value than lands. The price of everything raised and for sale in the community has more than doubled, and any one who desires and is willing to work can do so at excellent wages. Merchants of all classes have been the recipients of a large trade since the opening of the field. Activity has been general in all lines of trade and occupation. The banks of our county have increased to ten in number, and the deposits of the three banks in Robinson were about two millions of dollars on the first day of January, 1908, while those of other towns in the county are correspondingly large. The official business of our county has increased in the same ratio.

Equipment Of The Ohio Oil Company

The Ohio Oil Company has its pump station at Stoy, at which all the oils from this field are gathered for transportation to the various refineries. It now has two pumps which are able of pumping 50,000 barrels each per day, and one pump capable of pumping 18,000 barrels per day. It has nine 80-horsepower boilers and . hundreds of miles of pipes are laid out in the fields to receive oil and earry it to the pumping station. 'There are 36 miles of gravity lines and one large suction pump by which producers are enabled to transport their oil to this pumping station without cost. There are three 8-inch pipe lines laid through Crawford County for the purpose of transportating oil to the next station north. These stations are about forty miles apart. The tank farm on the McLain land, immediately north of Stoy, is rapidly building up this summer and, when complete, will be a vast collection of iron tanks, holding about 35,000 barreis of oil each. A railroad was built from Stoy to this tank farm and about fifteen of these tanks are already completed. This has all been accomplished in a short space of time and demonstrates the ability and sagacity of those who have its management.

Crawford County is in the central portion of the oil field, with 2,865 wells, the counties of Clark and Cumberland being on the north with 2,948 wells, and Lawrence County on the south with 608 wells, making a total of 6,421 wells. All are good producing counties. A pioneer of the eastern oil fields remarked not long since, that he never expected to see as good an oil county as that of Butler County, Pa., but that this county "equaled, if it did not excel that county." The field has so far exceeded the expectations of the most sanguine, and it is hard to make perdietions for the future. The year 1908 will doubtless be better than the two preceding vears, and driling will probably be continued for many years to come. But gushers will not always last, and it remains for our sober and industrious people to take advantage of the blessings a kind Providence has bestowed upon us to build up our towns, improve our country, and leave a better heritage for future generations. Our people so far have acted in concert with our new-comers, and our towns and country have shown the wisdom of this action. Let us move together in harmony and pursue the even tenor of our ways, and Crawford County, by the time of the next consus, will have doubled in population and will be one of the richest and best counties in the State.

Development And Product Of 1908

The season of 1908 ushered in propitiously, the. Townships of Oblong. Martin, Honey Creek, Licking and Robinson were the scenes of greatest activity, though some wells were drilled in Prairie, Hutsonville, Palestine and Montgomery Drilling progressed steadily from the west and reached about the center of Robinson Township in July and August of the year. The season was exceedingly dry, the

The towns of the county kept pace with the oil field. Oblong made a fine growth, her population reaching about 3.000 ; Robinson had grown to a city of 7,000 people and many new and substantial brick business houses had been erected, and a great number of dwelling houses had been built. The Water Light and Heat plant had been re-constructed and a good supply of water secured. The Telephone lines were consolidated, and placed in a new and substantial home. Ice, and other plants. have been constructed and Street paving progressed rapidly during the season. The Catholics and Christians have each erected new and commodious churches, and changes of every kind had taken place in Robinson, due solely to the oil industries.

Many changes and sales in the oil properties were made during this year. The Red Bank Oil Company sold many of its leases to the Ohio Oil Company, and the Company's large holdings finally passed into the hands of J. C. Donnell Agent, and are now operated under that name. The .North Fork Oil Company secured the holdings of Smith, Kerr and Neeley and other property in this county to the value of $500,000. The large holdings of Treat, Crawford & Treat were sold for a consideration of over a million dollars to the Associated Producers. This company also purchased the Robinson Club House and remodeled it until it is now one of the most elegant office buildings in the Middle West, and is the General Western Headquarters of the Company. This company operates The Tide Water Pipe Line and it has purchased lands and erected a fine power house near the village of Stoy. They have secured the right of way for a 6-inch pipe line from Stoy, Ill., to Bradford, Pa., and have already a large portion of their line constructed, which will be complete and ready to transport oil in the spring of 1909.

During the season the Licking Oil and Gas Company, The Ohio Oil Company, The Riddle Oil Company: and Culbertson & Son made rich finds in deep sand, a little north and northwest of the City of Robinson. At a depth of 1,140 feet a third pay was struck about one mile from the corporation line in Sections 21, 28, 29 and 30 in Town 7, Range 12 West.

The oil sold from this field 1907 was second only in value to that from the Oklahoma field, and the sales from the products realized over $17,000,000. The total number of wells now in this field, January 1, 1909, are: in Coles, Cumberland and Clark Counties, 4,240; in Crawford County, 5,601; in Lawrence, 1,112 - Total 10,953. From this it will be seen that Crawford County leads in the field and is one of the greatest oil producing counties in the entire country. The total number of barrels produced in the Illinois fields, up to January 1, 1909, has been 60,248,393, realizing over 40 Million Dollars. The field is one of inestimable value to the citizens of the county; and its development has been made by the oil producers rapidly without friction and in a manner entirely satisfactory to the people of the county.

During the year 1908, a large number of producers and contractors have built elegant homes in our midst and are now permanent residents of our county and State.