Daily Kennebec journal., 1880-11-13
Col. Drake and the First OIL Well.

Col. Z. L. Drake, who sank the first well
in search Of petroleum in Pennsylvania and
was the pioneer in the oil buiness, died at
New Bethlehem, in that State. on Monday
last. The circumstances which led to Col.
brakes venture are sufficiently interesting
to be repeated at length. About 1920, Ger
tain Nat Carey. an old quack doctor, peddled
the peculiar oil which he had SKINNED from
the surface of Oil Creek, insisting upon its
virtues as a purgative and liniment He
gave it the name of ..Seneca Oil' from Red
Jacket the Seneca chief who had first made
known its medicinal proprieties to the whites.
While Carey went about from hamlet to ham
let disposing of the ill-smelling compound
with much pecuniary profit. Gen. Franklin
attempted to introduce it into Southern
market. but the project ended disastrously.
the Baltimore merchant to whom it was con-
signed dumping it into the Chesapeake Bay,
unable to endure the odor which it sent
forth, and believing that his Southern custo-
mers could never accustom them
selves to the remedy, no matter what
the nature of their ailments. Northern pa
tients took more kindly to it, but among
them even it was known more as liniment
than as medicine. For a number Of years
previous to 1853 New York firm, Evelith &
Bissell, were receiving petroleum at the rate
of gallon day from Titusville. Penn,
mixing it with other ingredients to form their
''Mustang Liniment."
The oil thus used was obtained from spring
owned by the firm, by dipping blankets in the
water and wringing them out into proper re-
ceptacles. When, in 1858, the firm failed,
creditors in New Haven. Conn, took the
spring in payment. Col. Drake, then con-
ductor on the New York & New Haven X. r.,
had attracted the attention of the new own
ers by his shrewdness, and they sent him to
Pennsylvania to perfect their title Becom-
ing satisfied that Seneca oil was possessed of
more qualities than had ever been accredited
to it, and that a fortune was in store for the
man who could secure it in any quantity, he
at once suggested the idea that the oil could
be obtained in paying quantities by sinking
a we'll. He laughed at as lunatic by
the Pcnnsylvanians. Returning TO New
Haven, however, he succeeded in interesting
some capitalists. and in organizing the Seneca
Oil Company, of which he became manager.
In the spring of 1859 he commenced sinking
a well on Watson's Flat, at spot about a
mile below Titusvile. So ridiculous was the
project considered that it was only with the
greatest difficulty that he could hire assis-
tance. He finally secured the services of an
old salt-borer, named William A. Smith, and
his two sons. and the boring of the first
petroleum well was begun on the lst of July,
1859. When the three enquit work at sun
down on the Goth of August they had drilled
to depth of 80 feet 6 inches. When the
elder Smith came to the hole the following
morning he found it filled with oil. A barrel
of it was dipped out in few minutes. The
news of the discovery at once spread through
ont the whole valley and surrounding regions
Spectators rushed in and the memorable oil
craze which made and unmade innumerable
fortunes, ensued New Oil Creek Valley is
honeycombed with wells and the farmers
skim enough to meet their wants from the
waters of the same creek where Carey with
difficulty obtained his petty store. Col.
Drake made a fortune in oil but lost it again
and at the end of FIVE years retired, penniless
and broken down in health The State of
Pennsylvania, however, in recognition of his
services, granted him in 1873 pension of
$500. upon which he was able to live. He
settled in New Bethlehem, where he spent
the last years of his life, confirmed invalid.
William A. Smith still lives in Butler county,
Penn, destitute. with large family on his
hands 1t is said that a statue to Col.
brakes memory is to be erected on the new
Oil Exchnnge now in process of erection at
Titusville.