The Express.
London, England, 1865-01-24 00:00:00

A VISIT TO THE OIL REGIONS OP
PENNSYLVANIA.

The Morning Post publishes an interesting letter
from the " Oil City," Pennsylvania, January 7—giving a
description of life at the oil regloos. Immense fortunes
are being made there. A well, producing • hundred
barrels daily (and there are several wells on Oil Creek
largely exceeding this product), yields • daily income of •
thoesand dollars, with no express in the camp of • flowing
ad bet about ten dollars • day if bet • pumping well
—the erigisal expense of sinking the well, including the
cost of engine and pump, if needed, being not over 6,000
dole. There is room, too, for severs' such wells on an
IMO of posted. Stress, freaks of fortune occur every few
days. An Irish labourer, employed io handling freight at
the railroad depot at Titusville, • month or so since, in-
vested 300 doll. of his saviop in • Foal of four acres on
the Creek, neer Titusville. An oil well has been struck in
the vicinity of his land, and on the seventh day he was
offered 5 000 dole. for his purchase. He refused the offer,
holding the property at 10,000 dole., and he will get It.
One of the must successful, shd at the same time most
liberal, of the original operators in oil on the Creak was
Captain Frisk, • man of limited means, but whose specula-
time in oil wells built up for him • fortune of nearly two
=Whet dollars before his death, about a year since. Not
long before his death a young man came to the Creek in
search of employment, sod, when his mow was entirely
goes, applied to Geisha Funk, who essaged him as clerk
at • moderate salary. Being well pleased with the manner
in which his dirties were
_performed, Captain Peek gave
him an interest in a well he was thee sickles. The well
was • success, and a few days shim the young Mau sold out
his interest for 100,000 dole. Still, another awing man, not
yet 21, was employed at waggoning oil on the Creek. In
part payment of his services he took • sixth interest in •
well then sinking. The well struck oil. sod recently the
yowls men sold out his property for 150,000 dole, with
a part of which money he purchased • large farm in Min-
u•sota.
A man named Taylor, who kept • lager beer saloon in
Cleveland, became affected by the oil fever and started for
the oil region with 700 dole., his initial wealth, and &letter
of introductioe to an oil dealer. He stayed two months
" weitieg for somethies to turn up," and at last his oppor-
tunity arrived. An undivided thirty-mooed interest in a
fern', on which a well wan ping down, was for sale at
1,600 dole. He had 600 dole. of his capital remainisd, end
the oil•clealer agreed to lend him the amount necessary to
mate up the purchase money. A few days after the purchase
was made the well reached oil. The value of the property
suddenly increased, and Taylor sold out his thirty-wooed
interest fee 27,000 dollars. He is sow opersties larply in
oil and oil lauds, and has increased his capital enormously.
Still another example of • similar character ass las
oiled of • citizen of Cleveland, a Methodist minister,
named Van Vleck. He was so exceedingly poor that his
family were in absolute want, and he bad neither mosey
sor credit to supply their needs. At this juncture Hr.
Streator, the contractor for the construction of the Oil
Creek Railroad, employed him to negotiate for the
right of way for the railroad. Vas Visa found an
obstinate farmer, who refused to give the right of way,
but offered to sell his farm at a moderate price. Finding
him deaf to all other propositions, Mr. Streator told Van
Vleck to boy the farm, and he would advance the money,
which was done. Oil was afterwards (amid on the pro-
perty, and Van Vlsok sold oat the farm, mangos a profit
of more then 100,000do1s.
"But Is my journey up the creek," writes the correspoo-
dent, "I found, connected with the history of many of
the principal wells, instances of sudden elevation from
poverty to wealth that would scarcely be credible were it
not for the tangible evidence before the eyes of everyone.
Steadies before • flowing well, gushing out oil at the rate
of 6,000 dole. a day, without other expense to the proprie-
tors than the original sinking of the hole, and the hire of
two or three men to take can of the oil,
id It wasly
acquired
• 5...„

Strwewist rw • SHLDT Puot --On Friday I
evade( lest the National Hospital for the Paralysed and
Epileptic, Qum-square, Bloomsbury. promoted aa un-
wonted cheerful aspect, a soirée baring been arranged in
celebration of Ws opening of the Lady Tbomond wards.
The institution was tastefully decorated with Bowers, Isc.,
by the poor patients and their nurses ; a beautiful series of
dtssolvlog views illascretiog the " Pilgrim's Progress " and
other interaction subjects formed the great object of
attraction, the fan-famed allegory befog interpreted by
T. Brooker, while his friend Mr. Harris generously supplied
the apparatus at his owe cost. Heoreatioos of • lighter
character followed, and after the patients had partaken of ,
refreshments, the ladies' committee adjourned to the wards,
whets a musical performance took plain. Many 'new
bars of the board of menages eat were present, sod
laboured assiduously to promote the hippie's' of their
afflicted friends. It was also satisfactory to notice the
attendance of several of the method stet( of the hospital,
who by their protect* on such as occasion civilised their'
deep interest in the welfare of the nfferem confided to their
charge. A characteristic feature in the administratioo of
this sable charity is the ecoasbiat eadeavour to wail a
homelike feeling among dm inmates, ani to relieve as far as
possible the dreary monotony of hospital life. hemmed
with the importance of cheerful commtioo se a means of
promotiag tie recovery of tbe patios* the cemmittee hare
given up the use of their maims board-mom. which is DOW
000Virtild into a day-mein, wherein cook as an able may
mop is various light employamete—reakiee op warm
electing. to., for tie more destitute entiodiset• Oppor-
tunities for seMimproventee4 will also be porevidisd for those
who we able to and them el of it. The committee are
so well saddled with the beadicial results of the evening's
witertainmeat that they have determised to sepal It from
time to Mee.

Monde does not publish it.
The authorisation granted to M. Albert de
Broglie, M. Cochin, and M. de Lavergne to lecture
in the Rue de la Pale has been withdrawn. It was
already made a matter of complaint that them
champions of the Pope were not to be allowed
to talk religion or politics ; but the sub
jests announced for their lectures were " Adam
Smith," The History of Paris," and "The Inds-
enoe of Morality in Matters of Taste." Why it
should have been thought compatible with public
order on Jan. 7 to permit these gentlemen to dis-
cuss the above topics, and necessary to withdraw
the permission on Jan. 19, the Gazelle de France has
been making strenuous endeavours to find out, but
protegees to have been completely baffled. It ocoursi
to me that the friendship of these gentlemen for the
Bishop of Orleans may have something to do with
the matter. M. Duruy would not, I think, have
sanctioned such a petty illiberal act as the suppres-
sion of their lectures, had not his band been forced
by bigisewanthority.
M. Bayle.Mouillard, &judge of the Courtof Cana-
tiou, has been translated to the Council of State.
This appointment, of a very unusual character, haa
a special significance at the present moment. M.
Boyle-Mouillard's reputation as &lawyer was made
in 1838, by his resistance to clerical encroachments.
lie was then imperial procureur at Clermont, and
in that character bad a greet fight with the bishop,
who refused Christian burial to M. Montlosier,
the celebrated adversary of the Jesuits. The new
recruit to the legislative section of the Council of ,
State arrives also apropos for the discussion of tbel
bill for the abolition of imprisonment for debt, ce
which subject he wrote an essay in 1835, which
obtained a prize from the Academy of Moral and
Political Sciences.
The hopes entertained of the recovery of Colonel
Charras have unhappily turned out fallacious. Be
died yesterday at Bkle. Of his political career,
which is well known, I wrote a short notice the
other day, when the news of his death was prema-
turely announced. The leisure of his long arils,
which, since the amnesty (which he refused to profit
by), was voluntary, he devoted principally to the
composition of military works. One, the "Cam-
paign of 1815," has attracted much attention, sad
been the subject of much controversy ; another,
"the Campaign of 1813," is yet unpublished.
Colonel Charras leaves a widow (the daughter of
M. Keetner, one of his oolleagues in the Legislative
Assembly), to whom he was married after his
banishment in 1851.
The Indtpendance states that a man was killed
the other day, in the Hotel Dieu, by an overdose
of chloroform. A celebrated professor amputated
his arm without perceiving that the patient was
dead, and all the spectators were equally mistaken.
The Bourse has been very heavy. Rente fell
15c. for cash and account, closing at 66fr. 850.,
and 66fr. 90c. ; Mobilise fell 6fr. 25c.

The health of Mr. W. B. Lindsay, M.P., con-
times to iroteove, and he is so far recovered se to be able
to have his bed fora few boars daily.
Ma. ANOZESTEIN, M.P., AND HIS COMMITMENTS. I
—Lost night public meeting of the election of
rough of Orseewick was held at the Literary Isekltatioe,
Royal-hill, in that town, to hoar an address from Mr. W.
degerstein, M.P., explanatory of his views as pablioques-
dons. The chair was occupied by Mr. B. Cook, of Black.
bath, who briefly referred to the put awoke. of Mr. ha-
genitals as a member for that borough. Mr. Angerstein,
M.P., who was wall delved, commenced his address by
widths' his oonatitands a happy new year, and a:prairies
a hops that the events of the present year and especially
that of the election of a new parliament, would prove boas-
Acid to all classes of the commuoity, and tend to added
the cause ef proper, reform, and retreediment.
Haviag bristly reviewed the odds of the last assoion,
he said, that although much had base done of a bee
nature during it, more might innately have bees done ; hat
there were at least two reasons why this had ad hew the
ore. First, the peened parliament was the bullies of that
political party which was opposed to any comprehensive
measure at progress sad reform' and, secondly, it was very '
much the fault of tits people. The mar of the people Ind
' not given that hearty support out of doors to the pining of
measures for their own basalt m they ought to have dot*
With regard to the future, be should egotism to support
beneficial changes ; and although he did sot mord with Mr.
Bright in all things, be believed that noose loved biometry
and he masses more than Mr. Bright; and be Wadded
with him that a great mewed of petireeselary reform
: Gould not be masst until the people wore tednai Is do-
mending it. He did not mean that a violent seethe'
should take place. The intalligesce and improved edeestims
' of the mar tithe people would prevent that ; but he looked
upon an a ereditable Wag that the herd aed isdiastrious
classes should seek to take pert in the constitution odor
which they lived, and which would be streegtbseed by the
extrieskie of the suffnue to these dames. Ow the =hoe '
of Mr. Huntley, a resolution upresold of continued de-
, Meese ia Mt. Aeoretels yea imeateesedy adopted, sad
the sotedas sogoostod.
Tx' 15smon-ww. Minna. This cese was
Mae at the Clookeewell Felice-wart yutorhy,
Vrersltelbsok, the potion weeded by tbs falsonow,
I being ha ettseasese, and &leg widows. The assured,
who reserved Ids admen wee esimettri Ire Ida.

PION OUR OWN OONZWINvoc...,
FLORINCI, 351.10
Within three months the court sad the adminis-
tration of a realm of 22,000,000 of inhabitants are to
be removed from Turin to rorenoe, which, with its
palatial public buildings and countless convents, is
quite capable of accommodating the King and his
court, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies,
the different ministries, and great public boards.
But it is not enough to find room for the public
offices. The officials too, and their families, must be
housed, and spars room must be found for all the
merchants and manufacturers who live by the
court and the government, and for all those idlers
who 'like to bask in the rays of a court, and for that
floating population which transacts bedneet wit
espilel. An intelligent Englishman eanneeted
a building company at Turin took detailed informa-
tion about the number of people who ars likely to
remove to Form*, and found that between forty
and fifty thousand persons are to increase the popu-
lation of the new capital within a twelvemonth.
Now Florence hes about 110,000 inhabitants, not
including the garrison : ant of these only 5,000 are
entered on the rolls of the Weston as householders,
lawyers, physicians, someone, emission, surveyors,
und prolesoces ; for Mr. Disraeli's fancy franehlesi
thrives here in full bloom. About 10,000 eon-
ts the Setting tffitifidefilei of travdkts • sat
foreign residento--migratory birds, who some in
autumn and defeat in spring. This we nay say
that the number of inhabitants will be increased by
ose-third, and the vanguard of that migration is to
arrive in April. But Florence remains as dreary as
it has been for the last hundred years. There is
no extraordinary activity at the municipality, no
new buildings are waded, no adonis put in cedar
for the new comers. The Flmees are angry at
lMing disturbed in their agreeable sleepy ***tense •
the working population are uneasy about the inevi:
table raising of house renta—the artists and art
students, about the Doming bustle of the capitaL
The town council and municipality discuss
dically the plans for the extension of rieli-
submid to them by kreagn and
never decide anything : they mail= be-
wildered, unfit for their teak, utterly desponding.
Under the government of the Austrian Archdukes
Florence bad got a cosmopolitan character ; it was
a boarding-house for all Europe—even the anoes-
tail palaces of the Bastolini Salimbinis, of the
Persizie and Ricasolis were transformed into the
Bends du Nord, Della Porta Roma, and New
York ; and the municipality did not care much for
the comfort or even the sanitary condition of the
town. Owing to the want of cleanlinem in copse-
queues at the scarcity of water, Florence became the,
hotbed of an endemic eruption, "the Miliary
fever," as dangerous as scarlatina, which year after
year decimates the population ; bat no sanitary
commission has as yet inquired into the best mewl
of stopping the ravages of that disease. Not lees
disastrous are the periodical inundations of
the Arno, ever sinoe the great dam of
the Upper Arno has been levelled, against
the advice of Ihissombroni, !who predicted these
overflowings of the river with mathematical pre-1
elision. Tempt by the disaster of 1848, the inuni.l
eipality had indeed built a large sewer on the WI
bank of the Arno, which intercepts the sewage awl
rainfall of the greater portion of the town, mad
carries them into the river below the walls ; but the
sewers of the right bank are still is • most peind-
, tire, unsatisfactory condition. For the traffic of a
capital most of the streets are by far too narrow ;
for the sudden increase of the population the town
is too small ; under any circumstances the water,
supply is insufficient, and a spacious market and-
slaughter-houses are indispensable ; for streets in
the centre of the town should not remain reeking
with vegetable reins, and the blood of animals.
These ought to be the principal cares of the Gonfa.
loniere and his officers. But though it has bola
known since last September that Florence is to be- i
come the capital, neither of those questions has
found any solution. If is England or America such
a change were expected in any town, thousands and
thousands would be busy to take advantage of tba
opportunity; but here we live in a country of POOO-
- everybody preparing for fleecing tins
vadat.' in search of an apartment, but nobody caring
for their comfort. Government at last became
alarmed by the apathy of the municipality. Ole
of the ministers declared that if house rent rose
too high, he would oscupy half-a-dozen con-
vents out of the forty-three which Mill stand in Flo-
rence, and lesse them on moderate terms to the
officials of his department. Of course this is only a
threat against the greedy householders who want
to take advantage of the extraordinary circum-
stances,acoording to the laws of demand and supply.
The plan of the Minister of Public Works is by far
more rational ; he recommended his subordinates
to seek apartments in the neighbouring towns of
Prato and Pistoja, where there are plenty of large
houses scarcely tenanted, whilst the railroad com-
pany is ready to run in the morning and evening
two extra trains, with reduced fares for season
ticket-holders. It has been resolved, besides, not
to transfer all the offices at once, bat only gradually
during the coming eight months, that the sudden
and simultaneous pressure should not create famine
prices.