Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-01-20
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80 ~ 1Ak tbsuY al JIfSG k-4siA AEysAssl
tteLa 10 Keep trespsssers from gaiuirg
scoess In order 70 keep the result of tns
veil score; from TIE pgblIo until ths
owners have had tins to buy or sell adj
joining lands and prepare for the effect
of the veil On tas narkst- Such a well
in oil region parsasce, 10 termed a
mystery" and tAe frequent occurrence
of "nysisriAsr aaS rssuI.ed in the en-
ployment BY lAadins brokers and large
producing firms Of rnsu thoroughly
vsrsed in oil matters pertaining ~ tie
petroleum industry, who ara aptly
termed scouts, - it 10 their duty 70
learn the condition of such wells By
strategy or force.
Ths nsW yell il ~ Forest District 10
no 01sepeiSa b ~ rae. A. soon as u
baGsa AovinG Ass~iiy rs owners ~
Cured the oDzvioee Ct afsy Ssodss, sn-
ployee d DsaiiAG beniosk ten baeH IN
she vicinity, nd - scsm - telling
trees Asouud tse veil, vasch 10 located
In the mida OF vast forest. 4 piss
so fest oluerv VS. marked ous, aud the
logs AID brush COT VsfS piled upoo tue
iinss OF ~ square, forming high pail
sado af0sAA sas vel, vAioh vas located
IN ths ceosss OF ths square, and then tns
Swedss ware rus on gard within the
incloguro ~ prevent any oRs gaming
admittaloe. The scouts arrived In due
time on Friday morning and beGau
skirmiehi1& around outside tho tors
trying 10 gain An entrance, but while
daylight lasted -4hsy we're unsuceessfui.
Whsn the frieadly ehaass Of night had
fallen, though, three of the most daring
ones
SILENTLY scALKD THI WALL
and cautiously crept through the trees
ana bushes inNds the inclosure, TO the
tanks int vhish the We was flowing,
where tAsy roaainod several hours lis
senins ~ Shs hows and measuring she
contents q Ne tanks. after whica they
silsnsly stole away again. While the
shres we're ia ~ the tanks two Others
drilled hole in The pips line laid 10
convey the oil Awey fron the we'll and
on which pur ? WAS working, by which
means theY learned that no oil WAS
passing .Asouah the pipe. Ga Satur-
day night they again asRsd the tanks,
twenty four hours aftsr the tlrss meas
ufement, and a. no oil va pumped
away thy knew the exact output
Of the well for that day. Luckily
tho seoais we're not devoted at thjs
work, or they would have been roughly
handled.
A mils and half southwest Of this
vel il located tho famous Cooper tract
nyseeTy, Whlsh Was drilled in July last
and kept closely guarded for swo months.
Ito oil SCOUTS Hsd more trouble WITH II
than With this latest oil sensation. for
while the guards were fewer in number
| they v0He more vlailaue aud hostile
JUS before NE vsli was finally opened
| to the public, in September, II was
l watched By twenty i've scouts, who took
| tu1as Watching il day and night. They
| msoe many futile attempts to gain an
| snhonoe through the picket line, always
| beina very cautious, for the guards, II
they heasd Q dry swia break In the
| darknssc of the night, did NOS hest
tate 10 shoot in the direction OF the
| sound, end the scouts soon learned that
their aim Ies not deficient. One nigh,
about midnight, one OF the scouts nad
stolen through the picket lines and
stood near the tanks, but not satisfied
with Tho 10 attempted TO get nearer
/ and in doing 90 stepped ON dry
stick, which broke with q snap.
INSTANTLY TIE REPORT OF RIFLE
was hoard from one Of the sentinels
posts, and tbs scout heard the bullet
strike the troe against which he WIS
leaning. Tho tree saved his life. He
vacated his pOSition a. rapidly as he
could without making any further noise.
Another scout kad his clothes aud the
akin out BY rue ball q the knee two
niRhts later, and in his anger drew his
revolver and poured hot volley in the
direction Of Tho gusrdsman, who was
heard scrAmbling behind his sentry
oox.
Some time before this, when the
guards were not 30 violent, they cap
tured q luokless scout inside the lines.
They thoroughly frightened him by
threats Of dire vengeance, but finally
CONSENTED to les him so on promise
never TO return, and the payment of suf
ficient money TO treat the ssatineis
splsadidly.
Perhaps the most notable Of oil mys-
tories was the veil On lot GAG, Cherry
Grove Township, in Warren County,
March. The we'll was rank wildcat
of great interest to the trade, and rs il
Was generally understood 1t would be
made mystery, scouts were detailed To
watch il some time before 1t reached
the oil bearing level.
Mono Of them succeeded in getting
any reliable information from IL,
though, except 81 Hughes, who passed
through tho picksts and lay under the
derrick door for forty nine hours with
out food, in freezing Weather, and in
poslsion where he waa dstuHsd with
watsr every time the sand-pump was
used.
The result Of tho we'll, which started
in May, with a production of 1000 bar
rels . day, 10 well known, and MIR.
Hughes received from various parties
$50.O00 for the information he suffered
su0h hardship 10 gain. He also was
given an interest in an oil COMPANY.
which purchased lands adjacent to the
we'll, from which he realized hand
some sum. This company was the An
chor Oil Company, which owps the new
Forest County mystery. The scouts are
men chosen on account of their tho
rough knowledge Of the oil business.
their activity, their daring and their |
training 10 CLOSE observation of minute |
details. They are not only employed to |
WstoA mysteries, but also 10 compile |
stAeasties Of the production Of the old
helds and report the capacities of new
wells, which are not guarded, and among |
them arc found nAass Of the oil reporters
Ut the oil region newspapers. tier |
pay ~ various. Some Of tnem work for |
satariss ranging from Sl00 10 e3Oo per
month and exDensco. wnile Others work |
for brokers, and receive ons-half tho
proGte Of eli transactions made on the
strength Of their information. Some OF
theeo have made snug fortunes during
abe pAoe tuo months. Taken ~ class.