Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-05-18
TORPEDO jim.
The Story Of a Aoonlighter.
/ am dying; yes, dying

Away up on the Bingham lands, in
the great northern oil-ield of Pennsyl-
vania, a man lay dying. The flare of
a huge gas jet came struggling through
the wide crack of the rude hemlock
board shanty and fell on the form of a
man upon whose features the hand of
trouble and sorrow had left heavy
traces He was alone, save the writer
of this, and as the hours dragged slowly
along he grew uneasy, as if be feared
and dreaded the end which was newt
able. With an effort he reused him.
self
What time is it 2 he asked
Nine o'clock
Big Jack won't be home till half
past twelve, and before that time / will
be locating wildcat wells in another
world
Shall / 60 for him?'
No; oh, no! Don't leave me /
couldn't watch out the last tour and
run the last bit alone. want to tell
Big Jack something, but you will do
just as we'll. Can you keep secret p
Yes
We'll, it's strange story I'ye got to
tell, and | want somebody to know it
before
He paused long time for breath.
The cabin or 'shanty' in which he lay
was situated in sheltered spot among
a cluster of giant pines, and was the
only habitation for miles around. 1t
was far beyond the line marking the
extreme front of oil operations, and had
been hurriedly thrown together as a
cabin for the drillers and tool-dressers
of test we'll since become famous
among oil men as the duster that sent
the market flying into the nineties.' 1t
wasn't much of a shsnty even for the
oil country; the boards had been nailed
together with more than usual care
lessness, and the heat from the rough
stove inside had warped the boards 80
that snow and rain sometimes blew in
on the 'bunkers' during the night and
frosted each mans beard and hair like
network of lace Outside, q few
rods from the door, eas-light famed
and fared across the snow and played
ghostly pranks with the giant trees in
the darkness of the night. / had
sought the shelter of the rude cabin
one cold day during the winter just
passed, fer | had been delayed while
out in the big woods prospecting for
new territory, and had not set out on
the return journey soon enough to
reach civilization by night-fall, and had
been Hospitality invited to stay as long
as pleased, providing | could accom-
modate myself to the surroundings.
Five men occupied the cabin-two
drillers, two tool-dressers and male
cook Two of the men were, at nine
o'clock at night, busy at the test well
half-mile away, two others were on a
visit to Bradford for provision supplies,
and the fifth one lay in rude bunk
above the gas stove, tossing from side
to side and waiting for the silent sum-
mons 1t was Torpedo Jim. the moon
! lighter What his real name was no
one knew; he went under the dime
novel name of Torpedo Jim. Some
men called him Jim Barton, but " heth-
er or not that was really his name none
of his friends and acquaintances could
tell. Jim had been sick for three days.
so the head-driller, Big Jack Sanford.
said and as / stood by the side of his
bunk and watched the pain-eontorted
face | wished | might lift the veil hang
ing over this mans life, and so learn
the tragedy and romance lying deeply
hidden beneath the blue shirt and
heavy coat. As ] stood watching and
waiting be started up in fright
My God, did you hear that p he al
most shrieked
No; | heard nothing. What was
it?'
"A woman's scream / have heard
it before moe than once. Go outside
and LISTEN
Curiously wondering what the man
could mean, opened th door and
stepped out into the night. All was
still and dark save low whispering
among the pines and the fare of the
burning gas. Away eff down the val
ley, at the test well, could hear the
puff, puff of the laboring engine as it
swung the ponderous drilling tools up
and down and the ring of the heavy
hammer as the tool-dresser pounded
the bit into proper shape No other
sound broke the stiffness Of the night,
and the little cabin under the pine was
as silent as the grave. Into the room
again and by the invalid's bunk was
but step, and as his eyes met mine
the mute question was quickly answer
ed:
Il could hear nothing except the
well; all is STILL was my reply.
1T must be that am dying yes, dy-
ing the man murmured once more,
and | cannot go with secret on my
mind Say, stranger, said he sudden
ly, do you think God forgives the
blsckest sins and crimes p
He waited eagerly and with emotion
for my answer
Yes, if you ask it in the right spir-
it,
DO you think SO? Well, am glad
Of it, and | have been praying long
time these three days / have been sick
for God to wipe out the black spots
and stains in my life and oh, dc
hope He has Leard what asked. But
I feel that the end is near, and III tell
you my story
After having been proped up with a
pillow of old coats and boots he began
dispose you've heard ofTorpedo Jim
the moonlighter? Yes? Well, that's
me and got the name because I'm
the only living man that took an active
part in two glycerine explosions ant
lived I've handled hundreds of tons
of the internal stuff both in the employ
of Roberts, the torpedo monopolist
and working for myself, skulking
aroung the woods at night and shoot