Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-02-25
GFor the Spectator.1

For the SPECTATOR
Having just returned from trip to Parkers-
burg and Burning Springs, W. Va, will give
you few notes from that locality. The latter
place, together with Oil Rock, White Oak and
all the oil territory has about ''played out. -
| At Oil Rock there is not single we'll in opera
| tion-but recently there were several hundred.
| Nearly all of the companies who were opera
! ting there have abandoned the place, and their
property sold under the hammer, for mere
pittance. Engines that cost from $1,000 to
| $500, have sold as low as $50, and 500 in
many instances. and other machinery and tools
| accordingly The same results have occurred at
| White Oak, and there is no business doing
there at this time. At Burning Springs there
are about fifty wells in operation. Some 25 or
| 80 are producing and the rest are being bored
deeper in hopes Of striking the grease. -
Nearly all of the best wells in that place are
exhausted, and all have failed in the quantity
produced. There are some who sunk wells over
1000 feet to test the territory. Capt. Murray
has sunk one well 1850, and got no oil.
All are hoping for some excitement in the
Spring to bring the place up again. If no deep
or large flowing wells are struck soon, the place
must inevitably die. Oil is only worth SLIGO
per barrel at the tank, and while it remains this
low but few persons will prosecute their work
of development. However, if lie is scarce at
Burning Springs, the town is blessed with an
abundance of ''gas" There are several large
gas wells there which keep up constant roar,
like distant thunder. One we'll is now tubed
and supplies the entire town with gas--running
all the engines lighting up houses and streets,
and used in all the stoves for heating, cooking,
&c. The pressure is said to be l6 pounds to
the square inch. This we'll alone would supply
Baltimore with gas. And, furthermore, ifthere
were no gas wells there, they would not fail for
want of this necessary article so long as the
present population remains there!
Parkersburg is quite dull at present, and, In
fact, has been ever since the depression in oil
matters. The city was building up very rapid
ly so long as oil excitement was high, in conse
quence OF being the ''Head-Center' of oil men
and spectators. Trade is dull there now and
money matters close The Baltimore and Ohio
Rail Road Company have commenced building
which is to connect Cincinnati with Baltimore
by through line Of Railway.
One other matter of interest [ must note
The atrocious murders that have been COM
mitted in Parkersburg in the last few months,
have created considerable excitement through
out the country No trace of the guilty parties
could be ascertained until recently. A certain
German, known there by the name of John
Shaler but whose right name is Jacob Elsler,
is the party. He formerly belonged to the
Papal army in Italy, but deserted it, and it's
said, murdered a man there and got money
enough to come to New York, where he robbed
another man of money to carry him to Park
ersburg. He was regarded in that place as
quite gentleman, and after remaining there
some time he courted and married Miss Will
helmina , a nice, intelligent lady. She
knew not till recently that she had taken to
her bosom .tSend in the shape OF man. He
first entered the Lager Beer saloon kept by
Jacob Lienthall, and cut that persons throat
and robbed him. He next followed Alois III
rich from the above place to Wheeling, and
cut his throat, also, and stuck him under the
culvert of a bridge, where he was found soon
again and entered the house of one Rudolph
Tautor and cut his throat and split his head
with hatchet while sitting at the table, eating
his supper. He was suspected for these mur
| ders, but no positive evidence could be pro-
| cured until he recently attacked Mr.. j. b.
! White, of that place, at his Office, late in the
night with hatchet to murder him. White
parried the blows as best he could, screaming
| murderr at the top of his voice, which brought
others to his assistance, but not until severely
cut over the head and neck Shafer was ar
rested, and on confessing his intention of MUIR
der, was sentenced to be hung on the 9th day
|
the above confessions. He is man of fine ap-
pearance and quite intelligent.
The Conservatives Of that State expect con-
fdently to succeed in the fall elections for Gov
S'''' '' JOHNNY GRAYBACK.
BR1DaEwATER, VA, Feb 18th, 1868.
The New York Herald groups together what
it calls an imposing schedule of revolutionary
measures. They are as follows:
1st. Mr.. Edmund's new bill of impeachment,
which, if enacted, will get rid Of Mr.. johnson,
by means of the army if need be. aal
| I'd. The tenure of Office bill, the working oi
which we have seen In the Stanton Grant busi
| ness.
3d. Reconstruction Reconstructed which is
intended to erect an Empire South of the Po
| tOmac. ~,
4th. The two bills providing for the paralysis
of the Supreme Court.
5th. The bill to secure universal negro suffrage
throughout the United States.
If passed into the form Of laws of the United
States we may then look out for something still
more revolutionary and startling-a Roman
triumvirate or consulate an English common
wealth. French directory Mexican republic
a Haytien empire, or something which vii
dispense with the old constitution entirely
provided always that the new Congress to be
elected next fall shall be repetition of thi.
Congress, whose term expires with that O.