The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-02-10
THE PUBLIC LIBERTIES.

aud iudustry. and went to work to remove the
drill-a beemipply hopeless task. For Nften
uvnths Mr.. Uaincs labored assiduously with
this object, and patience and industry were at
last rewarded by success-his troubles were
healed BY the gentle soothing of"a hundred
barrels day."
WHERE PETROLEUM Is FOUND.
Since the great commercial Importance OF pc.
troleum became known, the discoveries OF oil
have been wonderful. Western Pennsylvania
was the 6rst, and still Is the greatest oil pro.
ducing region, but the oleaginous compound
has since been found to exist In nearly bali the
States and Territories now within the Union,
and probably will also be found 10 those now
under rebel dominion. when Jeh DAVIS ana MS
clan are made to see the folly OF chasing the ig.
mis- tatuus Of indepe1dence' and IL 90 . to Dor
ing for tangible petroleum. The Oil Greek re.
zion is the favorite with practical oil men, for
the reason that the chances OF success In boring
here are better than In any other locality yet
discovered. But throughout all Western Penn.
sylyania the petroleum excitement has reached
feyeuuheA Wells are being bored, land bought
up a(lsbulous prices, and the people, who for
years have been content to plod along as fru.
gal and industrious farmers, ara dazzled by the
prospect Of fabulous wealth. In Clarion and
Fayette Counties rich wells have been obtained
aud In Washington, Lawrence, Beaver, Butler,
Crawford, Erie. Green, Indiana, Clearhe'd and
Elk counties, oil has already been obtained. or
the sinking Of wells Is in progres. In these
counties the farmers have all put extravagant
prices upon their land, and even then are care
ful to stipulate that certain percentage OF the
prospective oil Is to 60 into their pockets
Western Virginia, next to Westcren Pennsylva.
MIA, Is the admiration of oil men. The war and
the oil fever broke out simultaneously hthis
region but Notwithstanding the greasy ap-
pearance Of the rebels generally, there seems to
be but little affinity. between rebellion ana pc.
troleum, and the rebels have disageeable way
of making periodical raids into the Western
Virginia oil regions, thereby suddenly suspend.
ing oleaginous research. II Is thought, how
ever, that when "this cruel war Is oyer,"-
to use n strictly original expression-the oil re-
Cions of Western Virginia will be found to beat
least equal In richness to those OF Pennsylva.
MIA, In Ohio the oil seems to 'lay around
loose" and It Is said, with undoubted truthful
ness, that farmers almost fear to 60 to sleep at
night, Test before morning the petroleum beds
known to exist under their farms, shall burst
their earthly bounds. and inundste the surface
with an olcaginious food. The Mecca excite
ment, as previously stated, proved decided
humbug, but more stable wells have been struck
in other parts Of the State. In uth.eastern
Ohio, there Is every indication OF boundless pc
tr6leum deposits. In Washington county, also,
in the vicinity Of Zlnesville, Marietta, New Lis
bon and Waynesburg, oil has already been
found. Columbia, Preble. Muskingum and ma
ny other counties have also reached the height
of the oil fever and the bowels OF the earth are
being effectually stirred up. Tho c0ntagi0n OF
oil excitement has also broken out In Indiana,
and the 'Hoosiers" are in'lustriously trying t.
bore themselves rich, with apparently good sue
cess. But to partcularize the oil localities
would take too much space Suffice II to BAY
that petroleum has already been discovered. in
addition to the above.named localities, In Ken.
lucky, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Kansas,
California, Colorado, New York and elsewhere
IN this country. and yet the discoveries arc ap-
parently only In their infancy:
Is THE SUPPLY or PETROLEUM ExuAUsrIBLE!
This question Is sorely theoretical. and can be
demonstrated only by time. The best opinions
are, however, that petroleum Is inexhaustible,
that the Transformation that the earth Is cOntin-
ualy undergoing causes the perpetual deposit
of vegetation beneath the surface OF the earth,
and the distillatiOn Of this vegetable matter
forming constituents Of petroleum, the geoln.
gsts argue that the supply Is boundless. Oil
men are quite willing to leave this subject to the
savans. 1t is quite enough for the disciples OF
Petrola to know that the oil now exists In vast
quantities, and they are determined that while
the geologists theorizo, they will pump.
OIL STOCKS.
Although oil stocks are bought and sold dai-
ly In New York, with the exception OF those Is.
sued by very few companies the value OF
them Is wholly fictitious. The formation Of oil
stock companies has become mania; the
sharpers have succeeded in conveying tho be
lief to the creiulous that to own stock in an
oil company Is only preliminary to the attain
ment of the fabulous wealth. Not one In .
dozen Of the petroleum companies that figure
so largely in the advertisements Of our city ph.
pers and in the Petroleum Exchange, has any
foundation whatever. They are formed by q
few Of the shrewd ones who buy tract OF land,
no matter where, so II be within days jour-
ney Of Oil Creek. and by great flourish OF
trumpets they sell the stock Of embryo wells ut
extravagant figures, and In the end the holders
OF said stock instead Of striking oil. are struck
with the fact that they have been egregiously
duped. ..
:. PRESENT STATE or the OIL YEvER.
At tho present time the oil excitement Is At
the highest pitch that II has yet attained. All
over the country II seems To prevail ns m cpl
0emlC, anu tO VII Oitys WHtCU 10 stiil tuc Stcbt
centre OF attraction, spectators and adventure
ers are coming rs they never came before. Cap
italists, farmers. merchants, mechanics, manu-.
facturers, all eager o accumulate wealth and
following them come lawyers, sharpers, gamb.
lers, and other disrcputablc characters to flch
Il from them. In conclusion, Q word OF advice
to persons having symptoms Of the oil fever,
will be very appropriate. You can always de.
tcct the approach of the fever by an itching o!
the palms, wnkeful visions 0f Fitth Avenue
residence, and disposition to attend the Petro-
leum Exchange. When these symptoms appear,
this When man happens to be
lucky and becomes petroleum millionaire the
oil companies and oil.land proprietors are care
full to publish II far and wide-it is an admira-
BILE advertisement Tor them, and tends to throw
dust 10 the eyes Of the people ;-but the ninety
nine other men who embarked their fortunes
with the millionaire, lost all
they possesscd-fheir experiences never see the
light-if would iniurc the coil interest" In
short, do not read ot mans acquiring rapid
wealth In consequences OF success 10 the petro-
leum business, without considering that anoth.
err, who startel out with equally good prospects,
ended bis boring experiences By putting hole
through his head with pistol ball.
BEooNo rHE DEvrL's PARpoy.-Rowland
Hill was always annoyed when there happsn.
ID any noise to divert tho attention Of his