THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 79, 13 December 1887, Page 2

THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.

FLOW OF OIL AT SOUTH PACIFIC. A Fire—THE DEHMcg DESTROYED, A REVIVAL OR BOPBi “As outburst of oil," •' A Mrtous oonflagr*. tion," “ The derrick burned down,” " Ths pipas full of oil." Such it tha report which was circulated throughout tha town on Bains, day evening. No wonder then that there wjii considerable excitement throughout the avih. ing, and the one absorbing topic was " OU, oil, oil.” The more intense was the exettement because the news came unexpectedly, for although it had been riimoiired a day or tVq previously that Something of an etceptiona* character had occurred at the work, there w»| no definite information to to wh»t the Mot* were, although a message Mat to Messrs Smith and Maude to proceed to the works occasioned some surmise. It now appears that there were no grounds for the rumour at all, for, in the ordinary course of evente, the two gentlemen named—or, we should abrreotly say, one —were invited up to measure; on behalf of the Directors, the depth of the bpf*; Ae before said, during Saturday evening there was con“iderable excitement in town. Could it be that, after yeare of expectations, raised to tht highest pitch one minute and only to bo dashed to the ground immediately afterwards, success had crowned the efforts of tbe Diree. tore ? Could it be that those few ehareholdert in Gisborne who bad stack to their shares throughout were at la|t going to reap the benefit of their pluck? Wae it, in a few words, a fact that a flow had been obtained ? These questions engrossed the attention ot al] in Gisborne, and no doubt throughout the colony and Sydney, for no time was lost fa making widely known the report that "oil had been struck.” Year by year, month by month, and day by day has the sound of oil been trumpeted forth by those interested in the industry. Delay after delay hae occasioned the most sanguine to -be sceptical, and it is only natural that the report was received with much reservation, but those who had visited the worke expressed themselves highly satisfied at the prospect. The newe on Satur. day night was thought by the majority to* b$ far too good to be true, and believe it they would not. Of oouree those who always have had faith in the oil industry were jubilant, and well they might be, for not alone would they derive a pecunary benefit from aeuoceHful issue, bnt they would have the satisfaction of knowing that their predictions have turned out so true, and also the benefits which would result if*sucoess were attained. Turning to the actual facte of the care. The report is sufficiently good to satisfy even the most credulous. The borer, Mr W. Weaver, arrived in town on Saturday afternoon, and reported that at half-past ten o'clock on Frit day morning they were lowering tbe tools ihtd the well, when a sudden outburst of oil took place, the petroleum spreading over the de: J rick. Immediately, from some unknown reason, but probably from a spark caused by friction of the band-reel, the oil caught fire s which the utmost exertions of those preleni (the Mestre .Weaver) could not succeed in quenching, Mr Ewen, from Mr Foster’s station, arrived on the soene directly after the fire occurred, and rendered valuable assistanee. The oil flowed for some hours, and was not extinguished before the derrick was completely destroyed. The well itself is uninjured, as also is the machinery. i'Hg damage done will probably amount to £BO, but this is nothing as compared to the lose of time, for it will be a month before work can be again proceeded with. After having waited for so long this should net be so much coil sidered, for it is alleged by those who oug) f to know, that we have at last obtained tha* which wo have been Becking for—oil. Thia knowledge only maker us anxious for further developments, but nothing san now bo dons until a new derrick is erected. Mr Weaver has cabled to Sydney for instructions, andas these will no doubt be to proceed with a l vigour, it is expected that no time will bo lost to make assurance doubly cure. There can be no doubt that a vein of oil hae been ctraok, and the insertion of the tools has stirred ths gas, thus causing an outburst, The depth of the bore at tbe present tints is 1821 foot. The contract depth was 1800. Seven feet over this wae reached, and the contractor then cabled to Sydney that ho considered it advisable, from the indications, to go another fifteen feet. A reply was received agreeing io this, and fourteen feet out of the fllteon has given a result far beyond expectations, The oil, when Mr Weaver left tbe works, was up to the surface, or about three feet top of the pipes. On Saturday following party arrived at the works i—Moseri Maude, Smith, Stubbs, Muir, A, 0, Arthur, F. Arthur, Fysqp, and Captain Winter, These gentlemen saw tbe effects of tbe fire, and those who we have spoken to appear to have no hesitation fa affirming that at last oil has been obtained. In September lasi when Mr Fleming, Chairman of Directors a| Sydney, was over here he was perfectly satisfied with the prospects, and any doubts of success were dispelled. So far was he satisfied that he proposed to at once form a company to run a pipe line from the worke to Gisborne. We believe the initiative steps ■n this direction have been attended to, but, if not, the news which was wired to him on Saturday will stimulate him to decided exertions. The bore is now resting on solid rock, and Mr Weaver estimates that to go another foot will be sufficient for all purposes. The report is certainly very encouraging, and, for the benefit of the district, it is to be hoped that we may in the course of a few weeks have a continuous flowing well. Even if it were not so a payable pumping well seems now assured.

Several gentlemen visited the worke on Sun. day and corroborate all that hae been stated by the party who first visited the scene of operations. Mr Weaver will proceed to the springs tomorrow, and will take two Christchurch shareholders, at present fa Gisborne, up to the works. Work at the Minerva Company's bore is going on with the regularity of clockwork. On Saturday the bore was down 108 feet, all go. fag well. Since the success which has attended the efforts of the South Pacific Company enquiries have been made for Minervas, and some hate changed hands at good prices.