The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-01-25

cities, paints pictures in bright array at
close of day. until ambition, filled with
light and hope. returns to cheer and
soothe the wearied senses that in honest
labor wore the hours away. Suddenly
awakened from its lethargy, Neville.
Jams strong mind ran on before. and
with a master hand built water-works,
laid lines of pipe, and poured into the
owners pockets 4 stream of gold. The
practical outcome of this hopeful train
of thought became apparent on the first
day of February, when McWilliams.
after working hours. began to DIG
foundations for the new boiler and
pump.
Those three (Scape) graces, old grand
mother Fate, her woridly-wisc daughter,
Fortune, and her impulsive grand
daughter, Luck, watched McWilliams
with curious attention that day. Here
was former slave, in defiance of their
teachings, well started on the road to
prosperity; here was a case that de-
manded attention. If McWilliams, by
sheer force of will and energy, could
get along without them, they surely
could not get along without him. They
must get him back in some way, and
with this resolve they retired to work
out their plot.
The fourth day of February, 1866, will
long be remembered by men that drill
for crude petroleum. 1t was the day
on which Fate shot her last arrow at
McWilliams. Leaving the clumsy
pump and greasy water-barrels in
charge of an INDECENT negro, McWill-
Jams set off for Oil City to buy machin-
cry for his new enterprise. Second
hand engines and pumps were not plen-
tiful, but after tiresome walk up Oil
Creek McWilliams succeeded in pur-
chasing what he wanted.
1t was late in the afternoon when, on
his return, he came in sight of the hills
OF Pithole. A towering cloud of smoke
hung over the city. Holmden street
was in flames. The fremont House,
the Syracuse House, the United States
Hotel, the Buffalo House and the Chau-
tauqua livery stables were great blocks
of fire.
McWilliams fastened forward. His
first thoughts were for his pumps and
water-barrels. OF course, in their
eagerness to subdue the fire the citizens
would seize upon his pump and use all
the water without thought of remu-
neration. In hasty or careless pumping
they would destroy the well or pump it
dry. Painting and breathless. McWill-
Jams looked eagerly at the burning
buildings. Only dozen or so of fran
tic men seemed to be near them. and
no water was being thrown on the
flames. The well must have gone dry!
sat down upon stump
and groaned. Fighting against fate
was a hard Job, after all. After few
he rose and resolutely pushed
on toward his lease. He would know
the worst. The Scotch grit in him
came to the surface, and he determined,
with set teeth and clenched hands. that
neither fate, luck nor the devil could
swerve him hairs breadth in his pur-
pose. He would succeed; hell itself mad
no power that would make him pause
But what was this, as he climbed a
slight rise of ground? Three thousand
men were crowded upon his lease.
unusual had occurred. 1t
could not have been that the well
had merely gone dry; no one
cared about that. 1t could not have
been that the negro had fallen into a
quicksand and Disappeared; no one
cared about a white mans life, much
less negro's. What was it-what was
fate's rev nge?
The crowd pressed like madmen about
the pump. Greasy dr:llers, with strong,
rude motions, elbowed aside less stall
wart men and trod on the toes of finely
dressed Spectators from the East.
Small men went down like straws in the
crush, and were carried out half stran-
gled. Employer fought with workman
for places at the pump.
what new misfortune is this?" cried
New liiams. as a man dashed past him.
They pumped your well dry and"
The runner was gone before the sentence
could be finished.
The well had gone dry! This was
enough to start with. What next? Nc
Williams forced his way nto the crowd
with fierce energy. Men recognized
him and gave him room.
The pump-handle was flying up and
down like runaway walking-beam.
Then McWilliams, crowdi"g forward,
suddenly stopped. Something there
there where his eyes were chained-sent
the blood back upon his heart. and
left his cheeks and lips like ashes. 1t
was oil!
McWilliams' luck hSd run on to its
uttermost limit; i. had done its worst,
and here was the result. McWilliams
had pumped for water and found oil.
The first of the wonderful surface wells
Of Pithole had been struck. Did Nc
Williams care? No: for in that trying
moment, when the sun threw the ra-
dance of that sparkling stream of oil
into his staring ewes, the Scotch per-
held its own. He had done
with fate and luck forever.
"'Fore God. Massa," shouted the
negro, as he caught sight of McWil-
liams in the crowd, "Ise po'ful glad to
see you. Ipump dis yer thing Tor de
ire, an de mo- dey frcws on de mo- de
ire burns
The negro was right. 1t will he re-
nembered that the discovery of the ia
nous surface wells was due to the fire
IN Holmden street. In specifies
the firemen saw streams of
water turn to fire and go blazing heav-
onward. When it became known that
he water well on the hillside was
De ching forth torrent of oil. the fire
ost all attraction except to the hotel
,rOprietors and persons financially in
eres Ell. For a full description of the
cene cheerfully refer the re der to
he flowing English of the Pithole Rec
'rd of February D, 1866.
McWilliams received this gift of fort
Inc with sullen thankiulness; much
u the same Shirt as that in which an