The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-08-13
STORY OF TIE COQUErTE WELL.


ALover's Dream, Arer ne Had Been Jiit.
ed. and the Happy Results that Came
OF n.
A letter from Petroleum Center, Pa,
to the New York San, says One of the
most famous of the oil farms that were
developed in the carly days of the pc
troleum excitement on Oil Creek was
the HYDE q Egbert farm, near this
place. DR.. Egbert, of Franklin, and his
partner had between them 81 900, which
they paid for the farm. This was con-
sidered an immense price for it, rs 1t
had not yielded enough under cultiva-
ton to pay taxes. In 1864 they struck
oil on it. They had several good wells,
but none that compared with the great
gushers that had spouted their 3 900 and
5000 barrels n day further down the
creek.
Hyde q Egbert's superintendent had
a brother who lived in an Eastern
town. He was in love with young
lady of the place, who was noted in the
neighborhood as great coquette. One
night in the early fall of 1864 troupe OF
Indians gave an exhibition in the viii
lage. The young man and the young
lady in question attended 1t together.
After he had escorted her home, he
seized an opportunity that offered and
asked her to become his wife. She re-
fused him. He went to bed disappointed
and respondent. He had long enter
tanned the idea of seeking his fortune in
the oil regions, and before he retired
that night he had determined on carry
ing out the idea without further delay.
Before morning he had dream. He
thought that he stood in n wild mount
ainous place, alone and friendless. Sud-
denly an Indian, hideous in war paint,
sprang from thicket and rushed to-
ward him with his tomahawk raised.
The dreamer was unarmed. He tried
to save himself by flight, but he could
not move. He had resigned himself to
his fate, when another person appeared
on the scene. 1t was the coquette who
had rejected his suit. She had rifle.
She quickly placed the weapon In her
Tilted lovers hands and disappeared.
The lover covered the Indian with the
rifle and fred. When the smoke cleared
away the Indian was gone. Where he
had stood there gushed from the ground
stream of oil of great volume. 1t
flowed down over the land in minia-
ture river.
The Dung man awoke from his dream.
1t made great impression upon him.
He interpreted it as good omen for him,
not only in business matters, but In his
love affair. He departed for Oil Creek
next day, and went first to the farm
where his brother was working. One
day the superintendent was showing his
visiting brother over the Hyde IL Egbert
farm. Suddenly the latter stopped and
looked about him with an exclamation
of surprise.
This is the very spot" said he,
"that saw in my dream"
He then related his dream to his
brother. The spot was not considered
a favorable one for striking oil, but the
dream of the young man 80 impressed
the superintendent that he determined to
sink well there. The result was
awaited with intense interest by the two
brothers. The drill, Vt the depth of 600
feet, struck literal river OF oil. The
rich deposit spouted out of the earth at
the rate of 1000 barrels day. The well
became famous at once. 1t was given
the name of the "Coquette," because OF
the coQuettishness of the young lady
that resulted in its being drilled. Thou
sands of persons ilocked to the farm to
see il, and fee of ten cents head was
charged for n sigh. at it, pouring its
wealth into DR.. Egberts tanks. 1t
flowed for fifteen months. DIR. Egbert
made an immense fortune from it, and
then sold n cne- twelfth interest in it for
S275,oO0. He gave $40, 900 to the yohne
man whose dream led to the discovery
of the Coquette well. With this sum to
start with, the fortunate dreamer in
few months made handsome fortune.
He returned to his native village. Still
loving the young lady who had refused
his hand, and learning that since his
departure she had ceased entirely to go
into society, he proposed to her again.
This time he was accepted, and he mar
ried the former coquette. Shortly after
ward the well ceased to yield oil volun-
tarily, fell to small bumper" and
then became entirely exhausted. A
few rotten timbcrs of the derrick that
stood above the once famous well is now
all that marks the spot where the river
of Oil burst forth.