The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-11-30
Letter from Rutler COnffY.
NILI.ERsrowS, Nov. 20, 1877,

NILI.ERsrowN, Nov. 20, 1877.
FRIEND MAC-we took our departure from
your quiet and peaceful town (which IS especi-
ally at the early hour your Branch train
moves ouU with the intention of visiting por-
tion of the Pennsylvania oil fields, and soon
found ourselt gliding down the western slope
of the mountain a the rate of perhaps thirty
five or forty miles an hour. Arriving at Blairs-
vile Intersection before we bad scarcely time
to realize our whereabouts. we changed cars
to Allegheny function, from whence we took
passage on the Allegheny Valley Railroad 10
Parker City, reaching the latter place abonts
O'Clock the same night.
The first thing that attracts the attention Of
the stranger on entering the oil country is the
constantly burning gas emanatinE from the
many oil wells on the hills an6 along the banks
of the Allegheny river When we reached Par
ker station our eyes were oaZzied oy the prIght
lights that shohe through the glass fronts OF
the business houses in this city, situated as it
is on the opposite bank or the river, and to
which we wended our way over oil-bridge
which spans the river at this point. Parker
city claims 5000 population ana Is brisk oll
town, though, like all other towns In the oil
country round about which the territory has
been well developed, il has lost the excitement
which attends the opening up of new territory
The Parker DdaH newspaper published here,
is an able sheet and well deserves the large pa
trODsae it recei, es throughout oildom- While
here we met with number OF former Eoens
burgers, all of the m engaged in various pur-
suits. From this place we journeyed TO Petro-
liza. about eight miles up the Parker, karns
City and Butler narrow guaRc road, passing on
the way several small villages and numerous
derricks Which dot hill and valley On either
side.
AS the train novel into Petroia we were
tonished tn see how clust the railroad is heDncd
in on both sides by business houses-so close
indeed that one could almost step out of the
car into not few OF them. This place is very
little different f. ON Parker rs to size. and is
the lIVelest town OF its proportions i'll the oil
country. Large blacksmith and machine shops,
in which the necessary machinery for drilling
and working oil wells is manu- factured, are
among the most prominent industrial estab-
lishmenis here. The oil territory in he vicini-
" OF Pctroia is good and reiIbi" and the wells
drilling and pumping are numerous, some OF
the latter OF which produce from my tos hun
dred barrels per day.
There are many gambling hells and houses OF
prostitution in Petroin and the commission Of
crimes of every grade, from the hig hest to the
! lowest. is OF frequent occurrence. On the 2Ist
inst. young man named James Glenn was ia
tally stabbed in fracas which occurred at the
Exchange Hotel, aud died two days after. The
supposed murderer was captured, but soon af
ter released by giving worthless security as
ba and his whereabouts are now unknown.
Our attention was called by friend while
! there to q gentleman and two bright looking
little boys who were passing along the street,
/ and he said, DO you see hat mar ana MS tive
/ the mother OF those boys, while standing in the
doorway of her own residence, not many
months ago. was shot dead without the least
proVOCaton ny mend in human shape, nnd
for the terrible crime he only sentenced a
I that = we inquircd. "Weii. lie had friends
with money and influence, and a plea of insan-
ny -lue iot noe lII'ue ~.liHt % ul'nS .',pu
! ern murderers escape just punishment for their
{ fearful otenCcs-was put in and served the
We met at PetroIa Mr.. T. T. Spence former
! ly of Ehenshurg, who has fine photograph
gallery there and Is doing a good business
We also ran against MIR. John A. Thompson
tr., who has an interest in two good wells near
. Fairyicw, " hich is II pleasant and substantially
! built village about two and a hulf miles west oi
! PetrOlia.
/ a couple of miles further by rail brought u:
| to karns City, Il town OF considerable sire an,
! ct one time OF great activity, hut now quietcC
down very considerably. From this place We
/ were induced to Take stroll out in the coun
, try. Woodland hills, fenceIess fields without u
! sign of vegetation. rude dwelling houses, der.
rIcks. large irouitanks for the storage OF oil
{ stations, and roads branching
, every direction, were the objects which pre-
, scnted themselves TO view. At one OF these
pump stations we were agreeably surprised tc
meet an old time resident OF Ehcnsburg. Mr.
, John Murray son of vour regpectefI tDwnsnlan
/ Capt. Jas. Murray. This gentleman kindly y
showed US through the establishment and ex.
piatned things down 10 semicolon. From an
( other station further on poured constant
. stream OF oil through pipes and into two large
+ tanks with 4 capacity of thousands of barrels
and from these the oil Is forced through pipe
several miles to another station 10y the aid oi
powerful steam pumps. Taking leave OF Mr.
; the way noticed numerous croguet ground:
and dancing platforms, at which plHces, we
were told that during the summer evenings
ana under the gasHRht the Young men and
msiiens of the neiGhborhood are wont TO as.
semhir, and with usllet and ball, or in the
may dance, while away the time until thc"wee
! sma hours" cone Cna apacp. In our peram hu la
tOns we caCe across Geo. a. Williams, W nc
was assisting to dri!i an oil well. and WIN. I'll
D Williams, who is acting in tho capacity Ot
pumper, both Of whom are from your town.
/ Once more taking he train on the narrow-
guage road, we soon reached HiIlertown, about
. three miles from harHs CITY. From 5.0CD TO a.
900 is the number OF inhabitants now claimed
. by this place. which, like oil towns in general
is mostly composed OF temporarily Construct ed
I plank and frame bIildings. The oil excitement
. is running high here, and has been for mont M
I past, on account of the great strikes of OF
/ made in this vicinity. The all absorbing topics
/ are oil and the Standard Pipe Line Com mpHny
] This great monopoly represents about sJ5,0o0.
/ OO in wealth, and, since its recent purchase oil
the Conduit Pipe Line. is said to control the
price of crude oil. An organization called the
Z Producers Protective Union, which has been
formed among oil men of all sections OF the oil
D country. already represents shout aS0,OO0.Go0
+ and is SUI increa sing. Their proceedings are
conducted in secret aud what course they will
. pursue on mooted questions is as yet unknown II
. to he outside world.
For fear OF taking up too much of your val
. liable space, II we have not done sO, already
we Will t.iOse toy promising to write you again
In care We conclude to take Il contemplated triI
/ to the Clarion oil district.
Yours, Nc, W. ). w