Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-30
Notes Of the Excursion to the
Oil Regions.
OIL CIty---Its Growth, Business, Etc.
Reno and Its FOUNDER.
FrankIIn---On Product and Pros
Dect.
MEAnYILLr. October q, Ise5


MEADYILLE, October 81, 1866.
Oil City is another of the marvels of
Petroiis. In 1850 its population num-
bered scarcely three hundred inhabitants
The population is now ten thousand; and
in point of business it is claimed that Oil
City exceeds in amount the aggregate of
all the towns in the oil region. Its ioca-
ton is at the confluence of Oil Creek with
the AIleghanyriveFsone hnndredand forty
miles from Pittsburgh, and sixty miles he
low the head of navigation on the Al
leghany. The city is built upon both
sides of Oil Creek. Upon the opposite
side of the Allegheny river are the small
towns of Latonia and Imperial, soon to
be connected with Oil City by a bridge
and consolidated into one municipality.
The business portion of the city is on the
west side of the Creek, and consists of a
long, narrow, muddy street, wedged in
between the stream and the base of a tow
ering and almost preeipitous mountain.
The creek and river front is occupied by
offices, oil sheds and landings, and the
side of the street next the water is pretty
compactly built with business houses,
hotels, etc. On the opposite side occa-
sional edifces have been thrust into hill
side excavations, and others hang like
bird cages higher up. Derricks and re-
fneries are mixed with stores, saloons,
hotels, churches and dwellings,, and a more
| filthy and uninviting street man and
horse never foundered through. Cottage
Hill, on the east side of the Creek, is a
| slightly and pleasant locality, and has a
number of fine residences. The new towns
across the Allegheny occupy eligible sites,
and an interesting fact connected with
is that Cornplanter, a noted chief OF the
Senecas, now claims ownership under a
grant made by the State of Pennsylvania
about thirty years ago. The title is in
litigation.
Oil CITY is a great oil tunnel. 1t is esti-
mated that the petroleum shipped from
that point in 1855, by river and rail, will
| exceed six hundred thousand barrels. This
does not include the refined oil passing
through. The amount of capital employ
ed in the oil business at Oil City is estima-
1 leu dl ltu mllllOu uOlldTbs U6 uuLlDcI VI
steamers, both passenger and for towing,
employed directly in the oil trade, will
average twenty-and the number of flats
and barges, of avery kind, engaged in the
river and creek navigation, Is estimated at
about five hundred The number Of. two
horse teams employed in hauling oil from
various points on Oil Creek to Oil City
will average during the entire season If
teen hundred, and the number of men en-
gagged in teaming and boating three thou
sand five hundred. The branch of the
Atlantic and Great Western Railway from
Meadville terminates at Oil City, and a
railroad is being constructed up Oil Creek
to Petroleum Centre and Pithole City.
Oil City suffered severely by the disas-
trous freshet oflast Spring, much of the
town being inundated and some portions
swept away. The food wasthe worst eyer
known in the Venango oil region, the total
damage in that section being estimated at
from five to seven millions of dollars. Oil
Creek is well lined with fiat boats, laden
with barrels or oil in bulk, and floating
down with the current. Ascending boats
are towed up by horses, which travel in
the middle of the shallow stream. The
surface Of the creek, some forty to sixty
yards wide, presents an oily appearance;
and at low stages pond floods for getting
down oil are resorted to, always exciting,
and occasionally resulting in heavy losses
in oil and boats.
Some two miles below Oil City the
river strikes over to the opposite high
bank which it hugs round a gentle bend
for two or three more, enclosing one OF
a agffn aRflst lie Here eef is located Mr.. Gai7er's
new and grand enterprise, the objective
point of the excursion. With the
novel plan, its great advantages and
quite certain success, the LEADER has
been posted. We have seen Reno, exam
ined its locality, heard from Mr.. Culver
what it is to be and how the work is to be
carried out, and though not given to spec
~ulation, have no doubt but stock in Reno
will prove a good investment. As the
phrase goes, Mr.. Culver "will doto tie to-
His past-his habits-his means-guaran-
tee the future, if health be his. He has
never used tobacco, tea, coffee, spirits or
wines, on any occasion. Elected 10 Con-
gress against his wish to be a candidate,
he was told by his friends that his tenn
perance habits could not stand Washing
ton customs. He replied, "If invited by
the mistress of the White House to take
wine, / should pledge her health in cold
water After he had organized the
Third National Bank in New York it was
intimated to Mr. Culver that a supper and
blowout to the bankers was customary
in Wall street. Mr.. c. blandy hut firm
ly said he should be happy to entertain his
bank friends with a supper, but it must be
understood, at the outset, that he never
slipped wine nor invited others to.
And the grand excursion just closed, so
munifcently got up and carried out at a
cost of some twelve thousand dollars, con-
tanned no liquor or wine provision. Mr..
Culver did not attend the wine supper
! given by Messrs. Pratt and Summer at
Pithole, and he informed us that it was no
part of his programme. When congratu-
lated that such sterling young men as Nj.
George Z. Beebe, a Cleveland Bank Clerk,
and Nj. S. ID. Page, a Cleveland Editor,
were intrusted by him with responsible
positions, he said, Il employ nearly a humid
red such; and we were specially graft
fed to learn that all c~onyeyances of real
estate in Reno will contain an anti-liduor
confiscation clause for the benefit of pub
lie schools. Mr.. Culver means Reno shall
be, as noted for pleasant homes and social
advantages as for mechanic arts and COM
merce, and he purposes to Don fonnd and
endow an academic institution of the first
class. Nature has done much for Reno,
and we confidently predict that the twelve
hundred acres owned by Mr.. Culver will
become the site of a large and lourishing
town, should Venango oil bold out, before
he arrives at two score years of age.
Franklin, the county seat of Yenango,
is Situated at the mouth of French Creek
four miles below Reno, and contains sew
eral thousand people. The old town is in
the midst of a charming valley, surrounded
by hills of rare beauty. In 1854 General
Montcalm visited Fort Venango, on the
point just below Franklin, then one of the
chain of French Notifications extending
from Canada to Louisiana. Franklin
boasts of an antiquity of over q century,
and is now growing with a rapidity which
marks all the principal places in Petrulia.
The Valley Of the French Creek from
Franklin to Meadville, tw~enty-seven
miles, is fertile, well cultivated, and goodly to
look upon. There are some oil develop
ments at Franklin and the region round
about, mostly of the heavy fubricating
quality, but in no great quantity. 8 /
The probable product of the Venango
oil district, about twenty miles souare. is