In the year 1876 the large Haymaker well was drilled in at Murraysville, Pa., but was not utilized until the year 1883, when its prod uct was piped to Pittsburgh. By the close of 1883 a number of pipe lines were supplying Pittsburgh and the Beaver Valley with natural gas from a number of good gas wells drilled in Washington, Beaver and Butler counties. Dur ing May 1•5, the first natural gas well from the deep Speechly sand was drilled, seven miles south of Oil City, Pa. During the same year the remarkable reservoir of natural gas in the Grapeville pool, near Greensburg, Pa., was also found.
These numerous natural reservoirs at this period with their great initial pressure encour aged the impression that it could be found in almost any locality and that the supply was practically inexhaustible.
In 1885 the large natural gas fields near Findlay, Ohio, became prominent and the year following large wells were also found in In diana. These latter developments gave addi tional assurance of its unlimited supply.
In Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana immense quantities of gas were consumed in the most wasteful manner and in the extravagant dis play, which in numerous instances turned night into day. The effect upon witnessing mile after mile illuminated by the burning of escaping wells and torches produced an impression long to be remembered. This extravagance and waste were not realized until many of the then known fields began to show a serious decline in the rock pressure and, knowing the original pres sure, it was a simple calculation to show that a large percentage of the quantity of natural gas originally contained in the natural reser voirs had been withdrawn and that something must be done to stop the waste. Even then the reforms were slow and gradual and many companies became bankrupt. It was not until
the general introduction of the gas meter in 1890 and 1891 that economy in its use by the consumer was inaugurated. Formerly the nat ural gas was sold by month, according to the size of the orifice through which it was deliv ered without regard to the manner of its com bustion and use. The meter made it to the interest of the consumer to use this convenient fuel in an economical manner. It is estimated that under the meter system a saving of fully one-half the gas required to accomplish the same results was made. Another economical improvement introduced consists of shutting in the wells when their flow is not required; their closing or opening being regulated by telephone from a central office. The wells are also more carefully watched and the salt water removed by pumps, instead of by blowing out as formerly. The pipe lines were thoroughly overhauled for leaks and the new pipe after ward used was heavier and of larger diameter, being supplied with heavier thimbles or im proved rubber-packed joints. In the cities and towns larger distributing mains are used and a greater number of regulators secured — thereby maintaining a more even pressure — through out all the variations in consumption, due to changes in seasonal temperature. Consult Hager, D., 'Practical Oil Geology' (New York 1916) ; Johnson, R. H., and Huntley, L. G., 'Principles of Oil and Gas Production' (New York 1916); Thompson, A. B., 'Oil Field De velopment and Petrol Mining) (London 1916); United States Mines Bureau, 'Technical Paper No. 10' (Washington 1912) ; Westcott, H. P, 'Handbook of Casing Head Gas' (Erie, Pa., 1916) ; and 'Handbook of Natural Gas' (Erie, Pa., 1913).