Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-06-19

ident Of the Rock River OIL and Atning
Cempsny Joseph W. Brssksst Ess., e
Rock lsland 0eorgs L. Dssenport aad q.
8. whistler, Of Davenport. member Of ~
conpany John G. Fosd. snginsse sf ~
company; D.. D. G. Rouody, Of Camden
Mills; WIN. II. Ssgs, aad n. san, Il Rock
Island; P. B Jones, Hsasy Dsvenpost, ard
NJ. Fey, Of Davenport; Geo. Pi'ehss. wm.
G. Conner, Wm. II. fosuan, John Lyons,
John Sowss, Edwsrd Msrwesren, and D. @.
Datchsr. Of the BafFsie (losa) Oh Well, ~
visited the zuma oil disGingA We BIT u
Z A. N. on tho Western Uniso Railroad
steamer, Iowa, Capt. Smith. for Port By.
ron, and from that place were conveyed in
carriages BY Smith 4 Disney. livery stable
keepers ia lie Claire, to the now famous oil
ravines Of Zuma.
We first visited the place Of WIN. Mccall,
and there, in . ravine, pulled o6 coats, rsll>
q up sleeves, tucked pants under boot tops
and explo. ed the ravins near the house.
Tin pans. skimmcrs. tunnels and bottles
were produced, and plenty Of crude petro~
leum gathered from the surface Of The wa>
ter ooxing from the ground. A lightning
rod was sunk from to 10 feet, t. the rock.
and petroleum bubbled up - il IVES With
draxn. Put your hand in the water and
withdraw ii, and your hand 10 covered with
oil and your hand 10 ~ greasy % grease
can make it; smell Oft aid your oafscto-
riss are Allied with strong stencil Of petro-
leum saturats paper with It. and light il
with match aud it blases With Ill the fury
Of turpentine, and iills the cir With stench
Of petroleum run your hand and arm down
my where aud bring up mud fseo the low
est poin, ron can reach and il smells Of PEI
troleum-in fact you can't toueh anything
in that ravine without getting creased and
perfumed with petroleum, for il i there, oil
through and through, most unmistakably.
1t vas curious sight to 80 " 20 70 50
men oil excited with the discovery, and oil
striving to gather the precious liquid. Il
is not in one place, but all through the val
ley.
From there ws went to the farm Of A. F.
Russell, with the same result, finding 4
in scores Of places. Aud it 10 probably thu
same thing in Ill the ravines in that region
The people have caught The fever. and mel
and boys. with spades, bottles, pans, tun'
nels and skimmers. are prospecting al
about in that region.
Several Of the citiKens Of Zuma joined
us In these explorations, among whom VI
remember Mr.. WIN. Mccall, 4. r. Russell
Samuel Wainwright, Esq, Joslyn. and 9th
ere whose names We cansot nov reoollect.
That there is petrolsum there 10 ssttlet
beyond doubt Old Pcnnsylvsnians wh'
wese present, declare the Indications bette
than they have ever seen In Pennsylvani'
tho pstrolcum better, pures, and the in
dicsli0ns Of It more abundant. The onl,
question is "Can il be found 10 payin,
quantities ?" That question the Rock Riv
<r Oil and Mining Company will determine
The Company has leased several hundret
acres Of the land, ordered IN engine, aus
will soon commence to test tho matter.
This company deserves credit for ester
prize and litsrality in prosecuting these en-
quiries to satisfactory conclusion. If q
is found In paying quantities, It win be on
Of the greatest thiass ever done for ou
county. We all ought 70 wish success {
the efforts being made, for Il would beneG
oil. and add Immense wealth and populatio
to our county.
! Returning NO stopped At the National Hs
tel formerly De Soto House), Port Byros
kept BY Walter Kinsslsy, where the comps
ny dincd. Mr.. Kingsley has newly Cite
up and newly furnished this hotel, and Il
nov 4 credit to the place. We LEFT Port b
roa, 10 tie steamer Bill Hsoderson atou
i41 o'clock, and got safely through th
bridge about 9. just before the gssat ssoss
which deluged the whole country about hes
like flood
It was pleasant trip, pleasant coap,
ny and veil paid Tor The visit.
I Nor Exouon. i not enough % spea
good word for good thing, Or 10 help I
get Il started ssi then leave Il to take CT
Of itself for ~ishsut proper suppsst the bel
institntien eanhst stand. Through The :
forts Of few Of eur musical t1ieods q
Iowa Normal Musical Academy lns Ssca I
Gated here. Now shall il be made crDa
to our city, Of for want Of proper suppoI
shall Il aAes prsearious living ole taui I