"STRUCK OIL."

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 204, 1 September 1887, Page 5

"STRUCK OIL."

Success of Boring Operations.

(by telegraph—press association,)

Gisborne, Wednesday. Owing to there being 137 feet of oil in the bore at the South Pacific Works, Mr Fleming, the Chairman of directors at Sydney, who is an American oil-borer of many years' experience, has come Over to decide on the measures to be taken. The'

bore is down over 1,200 feet. On Monday a! party of 17 of the principal settlers and business men here, and Mr Fleming, went' up to the works, where it was found that! the oil in the bore, which had been partly! emptied a few days ago, had risen 163 feet] in the pipe. It was decided to empty \ the bore, and a 36-gallon barrel was placed! alongside the pipe to receive the oil,] and as each bailer was withdrawn, thef oil was allowed to ran in until the barrel^ was over-flowing. Various tests were made-j to show those present that the oil was in a-1 fair state, and the addition of a drop of| water, however slight, to the oil in a glass'] was immediately seen, clearly proving that j the oil was brought from the bottom of the; bore (depth of 1,218 feet)in its perfectly un-j adulterated condition. As each bailer was emptied into the barrel the oil came out; with great force, being accompanied by ai percentage of gas which made it froth in the barrel like yeast. Mr Fleming pro-, nounces the oil an exceedingly rich product,.and he will remain at the works tor somer days to further test the value of the find; but I what he has seen fully justifies the report j that was sent to Sydney, and confirms thej belief that the district is rich as an oil-1 bearing one. The first barrel of 36 gallons brought up was emptied out and allowed toJ run to waste. The barrel alone, in the esti- j mation of the experts present, represented' a value of £6. it will be only after a few' days' work, the bore being in the mean-! time carefully emptied, and the incoming' flow gauged, that the value of this well oanj be arrived at, though certain facts have: now clearly placed beyond doubt its being; an oil-bearing one. Those present watched everything that was done with a. keen interest, to set at rest the doubts that}' existed in their minds. The testing of oil,! and of the amount flowing in, will continue; some days. The oil is of extraordinary rich quality. It has been decided to sink; the bore a few feet further, to cause the inflow of oil to be more rapid. •