The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-10-10
From the Mex can Miner.
Enforcement Of the Laws.

EnIOTCenenU OI tue DhWSs
RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS NOT TO BE
TRAMPLED UPON EvERYWHERE BY
CoRPoRATIoNS- FIRST GUN FIRED
AGAINST THE MoNoPoLIsTs BY GEN.
KANE.
Disputed oil lands seems to be the
business of the day. Monopolies seem
to be possessed of the idea that by a
slight effort toward fulfilling their con-
tract they can retain an undisputed
right to an unlimited amount of oil
territory. This scheme has been sue
cessfully carried out in the immediate
Bradford region and is now being at
tempted in the Kinzua valley. 1t ap-
pears that i'm 1876 Mr.. Frederick Prem
tice entered into an agreement with
General Kane for all the lands owned
or represented by him on the waters of
the Kinzua creek in Wetmore and
Hamilton townships, Mexican county.
They were believed at that time, and
have since proved to be the best oil
lands owned by the General and as
such were solicited of him by Mr..
Prentice. Mr.. Prentice, in order to
strengthen him in contest into which
he with certain parties who were be-
lieved to represent the interests of a
monopoly, of refining oil against that
of the producer, then formed COM
pany known as the Producers Con-
solidated Land and Petroleum Com
pany, who are now the actual trespas-
sers on General Kane's property. Most
old oil men are familiar with the story
of Mr.. Prentice's ruin. His failure oc-
Cured in the spring of 1877. 1t oc-
casioned at the same time some feeling,
as it was believed he had been craftily
sold out to the refining monopolies by
pretended friends who had advanced
him funds which came from the mo-
nopolists' treasury. He was then re-
quested to call and. settle, at time he
was ill prepared to do it. 1t is evident
that Mr.. Prentice was reckless buyer
of oil at high prices and bought with
out reasonable regard to his ability to
carry it. Becoming insolvent Mr..
Prentice made an assignment of the
''Kane estate" recorded at Smethport,
to his P. G. L. & p. Co., and his opera
tions have since been conducted only
in Western Virginia. Although un-
fortunate, he was man of excellent
business ability. individuals would
stand no chance against corporations
if it were not that they attend more
closely to their affairs, and perhaps
this is where the P. G. L. & P. Co.
have made great mistake.
The P. G. l.. s. p. Co. since Prentice's
time have been corporate organiza-
ton employing salaried officers who
attend to special departments of the
affairs in detached offices while the
main chance has been overlooked by
the great capitalists above it who have
been the real power to manage the
concern. The people are now indebted
to General Kane for the rapid appre-
citation in the value of the oil territory.
Upon the character of the agreement
of Mr.. Prentice it is not our province
to comment. The agreement is found
| recorded in the miscellaneous record
book at the county seat. The cove
nants of agreement on the part of Mr..
Prentice have not been performed as
will be seen by reference to the instru-
ment, the time being made in the es-
sence of the contract.
The most eminent counsel practic.
ing at our bar, such men as Judge r..
Brown, Hon. B. D. Hamlin and others,
concur in the opinion that the license
to enter upon the Kane lands has been
long since forfeited, and cannot at this
late day be revived.
The P. G. l.. s. P. Company had pro.
nounced the two wells that they had
sunk on the Kane property--iD order
to obtain rights for pipe line as will
be seen by the agreement-to be dry
holes, and abandoned them. They
seemed to take a different view of theil
interests after the strike of the oil well
known as the Big Owl which is on the
Hulings land and which was formerly
a part of the Kane property. The near
est point being in asouthwest line from
the Huling's Big Owl well they slipped
in from the rear upon it. They hauled
their material from Wilcox, via How
ard hill, and have since maintained
possession by strong force of armed
men. General Kane's friends version
of the story is that he endeavored, anC
up to last week was engaged in efforts
to buy off the trespassers.
Whether this is true or not, he ap
pears to have waited until the wei
was sunk to depth of 1881 feet before
putting in his appearance. When h'
did put in an appearance he did it t.
some purpose. In the early dawn o
last Friday morning he quietly tool
possession of his property, and ha
since permanently resided upon th,
premises.
The we'll which General Kane nov
has possession of is located in the south
east corner of warrant 30S5 and nea
the State Road. AS the former partie
were trespassers on the land, thei
property had no1ight to remain, conse
uuently it was removed by permission