The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-06-12
THE YUMA OIL INDICATIONS.
VISIT TO THE GROUNDS.
PETROLEUM FOUND In MANY
PLACES.
Wells to be Sunk Immediately.
Excitement on the Subject.

Yesterday (Monday) lin company with
Sol. John Dicksop, of Camden Mills, presl'
Sent of the Rock River Oil and Mining Com
any; Joseph w. Bracket Esq, of this
Iity, Geo. L. Davenport and c. s. Whistler
f Davenport members of the company
ohm G. Ford, engineer of the company; Dr.
D. C. Roundy of Camden Mills, VIM. II.
,age, and Mr.. Sill, of this city P. B. Jones,
Henry Davenport, and Mr.. Fay, of Dsven-
ort; Geo. Pitcher, VIM. G.. Common, VIM.
I. Forman, John Lyons, John Sewer, Ed
Yard Merwerren, and D. G. butcher of the
suffslo (Iowa) Oil Well, we visited the Zu-
"a oil diggins. We left at A. NJ. on the
Western Union Railroad Steamer, Iowa,
capt. Smith, for Port Byron, and from that
lace were conveyed in carriages by Smith
Disney, livery stable keepers IN LIE Claire,
the now famous oil ravines of Zuma.
We first visited the place of VIM. Mccall,
nd there, in a ravIne, pulled off coats, rolled
% sleeves, tucked pants under boot tops and
xplored the ravine near MS house. Tin
ans, skimmers, tunnels and bottles were
reduced, and plenty Of crude petroleum
altered from the surface of the water ooz-
ng from the ground. A lightning rod was
unk from 8 to 10 feet, to the rock, and pc
roleum dubbed up as it was Withdrawn
'ut your hand in the water and withdraw
/, and your hand is covered with oil 8; rub
and it Is as greasy as grease can make it :;
nell of it and your olfaotories are filed with
strong stencil Of petroleum ; saturate pa
,er with it, and light it with match and
I blazes with oil the fury of turpentins, and
Ills the air with stencil of petroleum run
our hand and arm down anywhere and
sring up mud from the lowest point you can
each and it smells of petroeum-in fact you
ant touch anything in that ravine without
citing creased and perfumed with petrole-
N, for 1t is there, all through and through,
1ost unmistakably.
1t was a curious sight to see 20 to 80 men
II excited with the discovery, and all striv-
ng TO gather the precious liquid. 1t is not
q one place, but all through that valley.
From there we went to the farm of A. I.
RUSSELL, with the same result, finding it in
cores of places. And it is probably the
anne thing in all the ravinss in that region.
che people have caught the fever and men
md boys, with spades. bottles, pans. tunnels
md skimmsrs, are prospecting all about, in
hat region.
Several of the citizens Of Zuma Joined US,
n these explorations, among whom We re.
member Mr.. VIM. Mccall, A. F. Russell,
samuel Wainwright, Esq Joslyn, and others
whose names we cannot now recollecs.
That there is petroleum there is settled be.
,ond a doubt. Old Psnnsylyanians, who were
present, declare the indications better than
hey have ever seen in Pennsylvania the
petroleum better, pursr, and the indications
Of it more abundant. The only question il
Can it be found in paying quantities pr
That question the Rock River Oil and Min
ng Company will determine. The company
aas leased several hundred acres of the land
ordered an engine, and will soon commence
30 test the matter. -
This company deserves credit for enter
pTiZ6 Huu llDeIaAtty III pfO5ccUtlt theso 81
luiries to satisfactory conclusion If oil il
found in paying quantities, it will be one o
.he greatest things ever done for our county
We all ought to wish success to the effort
being made, for it would benefit all, and adj
immense wealth and population to our coun
.ty.
Returning we stopped at the National Ho
eel formerly DeSoto House,, Port Byron
kept by Walter Kingsley, whore the company
lined. Mr.. Kingsley has newly fitted W
and newly furnished this hotel, and it is now
credit to the place. We lefs Port Byron
n the steamer Bill Henderson, about d o.
solock, and got safely through the bridge
about 6, just before the great storm which
adeluged the whole country about here like a
flood.
1t was pleasant trip, pleasant company,
and we'll paid for the visit.
SUBSTITUTE FOR BUTTER.-Ges tho or, vo,
love best to prepare and partake of yonr
breakfast, and then if you are a reasonable
-, ILL ,ot want auv b3f ber