The Petroleum Centre daily record. [volume] (Petroleum Center, Pa.) 1868-1873, 1872-07-27
IsLU Err,

Plumer was place once, and proud Is
'ye Oldest citizens" OF the fact, consequent
y they never grow tired of talking over the
days Of '65, when the quiet little village Of
to-day was q scene of activity and life that
many ofthe larger towns of Pennsylvania
could not boast Of A corresp ondent has
been engaged in ''interviewing" one of the
"natves" and gives on account of what the
old man said, as follows: "Yes Stree,
young man." and the aged veteran sighed
mournfully, as be helped himself to huge
pinch of Scotch snuff, "tbis used to be a
place once, when the steam hoss used TO
greet us daily with his shrill whistle; when
our streets were crowded with adventures
worshipping at the shrine of the oily god;
when derricks could be counted by the thou
sand almost, aud Alden, OF the Spencer
House, had his hands 80 full of business in
attending to the wants Of his customers that
many had to DO turned away for want OF
room. A few wells were down, a great
many more going down, and many in con-
temptation. You inquire did any of the
multitude win the oily prize, to which an
swer yes. There was good we'll on the
Lamb farm, which y elded about forty bar
rolls daily, and many other wells gave prom
ise of producing largely. But about this
time the largest well In oildom was struck
at Pithole, and 10 those days If well did
not prove to be big one it was immediate
ly abandoned, the owner pulling up stakes
and leaving for 'greerer fields and pastures
new consequently the bubble burst and in
the excitement incident 10 the striking Of
the United States well, the busy crowds of
Plumer were stricken with thousand barrel
wells on the BRAIN and swarmed at once
for the more lucrative fields Of Pithole,
leaving Plumer to look out for itself. Then
we were thriving people. Our stores,
banks, refineries, DC, were crowded with
people, and we had everything conducive to
the prosperity and growth of live town.
You can zee and note the sequel in the emp-
ty buildings to be seen on oil sides, and
other evidences Of decay" and the old man
lett us with sad suggestive sbake Of the
head, and mayhap tear was 10 his eye, as
he leaned over the bar at the Plumer House
and in broken accents requested mine host
Alden to mix him up little ''whiskey and
tansy, you know"
What the old man said, our correspondent
adds, is too true. Plumer is indeed but a
wreck of its former greatness, as q glance
at the ruins of our colossal refneries will
convince an observing eye. The largest o.
these was the Humboldt Oil Works, which
cover over many acres of ground, and cost
half million dollars. 1t was a losing COM
cern from the first, and most of the proper
ty has passed into the hands uf trustee
Connected with the works are two residences
One large aud costly edifice and the other
! q neat little cottage. Among the lesser re-
fineres were the Mohawk, owned ana run
by Wolf & McCorkle, the Osceola and War;
ren's and Wynkoop's. The First National
Bank was removed to Sharon about three
years ago. OF her seven or eight hotels on
ly one is in operation now. The machine
shops were all taken down and moved long
since, and the busy hum Of machinery is
no more heard. OF her many stores only
three remain, and this is brief outline of
what Plumer has been. What it may be
again we cannot tell, but we dobelieve that
good oil territory exists in that vicinity, and
that some time in the not very distant fu-
ture, she will ''rise again. and take rank
with her sister oil towus.