The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-05-29
From the New York Ledger
Rooney Podkins speculates.
A SKETCH tnot fancy IN GLE
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.

oho! Dou lalk SO, DetSey.
"But | will talk so, Rooney Podkins.
I say you're fool"
"Betsey, | shall have to let my angry
passions rise"
well. I'd rather enough sight see
your angry passions rise till they run
over in food, than see you lose all your
money"
Goodness gracious, Betsey, should
say you was the fooll Thunder and grist-
millsl d'you s'pose I'm goin to let such a
chance as this slip? No-not by plaguey
sightl | tell you I've looked into it, and
/ know all about it.
"Yes you've looked into mill stone,
and if you don't look out, you'll find
that there's another mill stone under that
one, and you'll be lucky if you don't find
yourself between en-
That's just like you women folks. If
there was a shower of twenty dollar gold
pieces fallin' in our yard at this very
minute, you'd be afraid to go out and
pick EN- up, for fear some on 'em might
hit you on the head. But amt such a
fool. I'm goin' to make hay while the
sun shines. I've worked and shaved long
enough, and now I'm goin' to lay back
and let somebody else work for me. You
needn't talk, cause it won't make no die-
ference. I'm bound to go in.
"Well, Rooney Podkins, you can 90 in,
as you call it, but you can take my word
for it that when you come out you'll be
like drowned rat"
"Betsey Podkins, we shall see who'll
look like drowned rat"
$50 we shall see. Where are you 60
ing now, Rooney"
I'm going over to the tavern to have
another talk with them ere lie men,
And away went Rooney. without wait
ing to hear any more from his wife s
ready toRgue.
Under the piazza of the tavern, and In
various other conspicuous places, were
posted huge placards, giving notice to the
people that then and there was the golden
opportunity to make fortune by taking
share in the property of THE BOILING
TAR SPRING FLOWING On WELLS CON-
rANY. Property ralued at Fius MilliOns
Of Dollarsr'
In the parlor set man, with numerous
maps and diagrams spread cut before
him.
He was a middle aged man, dressed in
the hight of fashion, sparkling with gold
aud diamonds, and apparently one of the
most intelligent men that had ever visited
the quiet town of Boomerberg. To a
gaping assembly he described the manner
iu which petroleum was deposited in the
deep laid rock; he told how many ages
and ages-how, ever since Adam fall
this oleagiuous deposit had been forming,
and how it had been left for this genera
tion of Live Yankees to End 1t He old
how the whales were being killed of in
the Polar seas, and how but for this mar
velous discovery, coming generations
might have been left to grope their way
in almost total darkness. But this was
not SO to be. A wise Providence had
anticipated and provided for the want
Gcologists had divided the earth into six
grand periods, or strata, but in this they
had made grand mistake, as present de-
velopments amply demonstrated. At the
end of the Fourth Grand Period Of For
nation, the whole earth was covered with
water. In fact,it was one vast salt ocean.
In this period big whales grew, and in
creased, and foulished, until at the expi-
ration o. countless thousands Of years,
they had become so numerous that they
were fairly packed solid. and they had
used the water all up. Over this surface
of what was really the Fifth Grand Pc
riod, and which modern geologists prop
erly term the OLEAaINoUs STRATUM, a
crust was formed and huge forests sprung
up where the ocean had been, or rather
above where the ocean had been. This
forest, in turn, was covered up, and gave
what we term the Carboniferous Forma-
tion. Here is where we find our coal
But-what lies beneath that Carbonifer-
GUS Stratum? Where and WHAT are these
millions upon millions. and quintillions
upon seKtillions of whales? They have
formed most curious stratum. In some
places they have formed solid beds of rock
and salt, while in others they have form.
ed vast subterranean seas of OIL
As the man of science closed this part
of his subject, his hearers were more thar
interested-they were agap with eager
wonder. Rooney Podkins who had gain.
ed place near the table, only wished
that Betsey could be there to hear him.
"And now, gentlemen" continued tn,
agent. opening an elaborately drawn ant
highly colored diagram, which moyemen
was accomplished with grand flourish
! Il will proceed to bring you into NOR
intimate acquaintance with this subject o
:. Oil. You observe this broad tract which
Ills colored red upon the diagram. Thi
is the land which belongs to the Ia
Spring Flowing Oil Wells Company. :
You will observe this figure here, jus
! upon the edge Of our land. In fact it
, upon our land, but as the men who ha
spent their money in developing the won
, derful and miraculous properties OF thi
, tract were honest and we'll meaning, an
as they undoubtedly supposed they wer
t upon their own land when they commenc
!. ed to operate, we have let them keep pos
session of just ten square rods Of thu
3 land for which they readily paid us forty
two thousand dollars. The price We ha