The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-10
TAPPAN'S MUSHROOM CITY.
The Interesting Story Of the Founding,
Growth and Decay of lPithOle.
New York Times


circumstances attending the birth, phenomenal
growth, and final extinction Of a city which Mr..
Tappan founded as a business enterprise in the
spring of 1863 This city has long since grown
dim in the memories of Wall-street men, and is
slowly but surely slipping from the pages of com
mercial history, but the casual review Of the
events of Mr.. Tappan's life has brought back its
strange career with more than usual force and
distinctness
It was called Pithole, and the wooded hills Of
northwestern Pennsylvania held it in such uner-
lenting grasp that only the most primitive Of
civilizations usages gained foothold there In
the spring Of 1865 the site of Pithole was an al
most unbroken wilderness; three months later
l0OOO people were camped on the hillside, and
before Christmas the city had population Of
fully 10000. To-day only the ruins Of a hotel
and half of an old log house are found within
radius of many miles
The first day of July, 1866. saw long narrow
street laid outon the Thomas Holmden farm.
and few scattered yellow pine buildings sprang
up along both sides of the way. The first of
these buildings bore the word Saloon above
its rough, unpainted door, the next was adverS
tised by cloth sign, saloon and restaurant,
and the third, not being in possession of muslin
or paint brush went into business with whis-
KY barrel placed conspicuously beside the en-
trance The streets were full of stumps and
stones and logs, but was regarded as a first
class roadway. If a teamster found fault with
the new Holmden street. he could drive his team
through the woods and so pick q wagon trail to-
suit himself. The path to the first three build
ings on the street was plain enough and every
body seemed satisfied AS well after well he
gan to pour its flood Of oil into the general pro
duetlon the excitement became furious Men
from all parts of the world-adventurers specu-
lators. capitalists from Wall street miners from
the Rocky mountains oil producers, workmen
solnlers sailors, negroes and Indians jostled and
elboWed one another in mad search for wealth.
Merchants went into business under awnings
hotel keepers served meals in the open air and
rented hunks in buildings containing little more
than floors and one or two sides. An enterpris-
ing real estate agent hoisted 4 sign .Oil Leases
Bought and Sold Here +" and in the intervals of
business built his Office up against the sign The
first BARRIERS shop was in an army tent. and the
hrst gambling den was in dry goods box on
Holmden street. The box cost the faro-dealer
$40 in gold. A laundry however, was not es-
tabfished for several weeks.
Nothing in all America has been Just like Pit
hole. For five months it was fierce lawless I'M
goyernaoie The energy that in six weeks
planted IN the wilderness city of 15 900 or 20
600 Inhabitants brooked no restraint Crime
was common Men were knocked down, beaten,
and robbed in the streets; shooting and stab
bing ARRAYS were of nightly occurrence, and
Sunday was set apart for prize fights on the
bluff above the town. Self-appointed vigilance
committees made pretense of dealing out jus
tice single handed, butit is an open question
whether these rangers were better or worse than
the roughs. The town grew to its full size in
SIX weeks, but the process of capitalization
took six months The postoffiee, which was es-
tablished July 81 by Capt S. S. Hill, was rob
bed twice to inaugurate the new civilization. 1t
had business second in importance only to that
at PittSburg and Philadelphia On SUNDAYS,
between the acts at the prize ring on the
bluff, the Office would be besieged by long lines
of men awaiting for news from Gods country"
The calmer world beyond the narrow Pithole
Valley. As street after street became filed
with houses, stores, hotels offices and saloons,
and as business constantly increased, the mud
about town and among the wells grew deeDer
and deeper. Quite often a pair of horses draw
ing an empty wagon would Stick in the mud in
Holmden street, and founder about until
pulled outby men with ropes and pulleys. In
the scarcity Of water mud was used to extin-
guish fires.
The first evidence of permanent growth in the
new town was the erection Of the Chase House.
at cost of 100000, by III. Patchen and S. H.
Allen. 1t was originally called the Patchen
House, but the name was changed when the
place was sold to George K Chase. of New York
city The Bonita House-James W. Bonita, pro-
prietor--was next built, at cost of $50 600 on
the bluff above the town. Then followed the
Danforth House, which cost A. D. Danforth
$4,000, and the Morey Farm Hotel, magnif-
cent building worth SO 000 Before the sum
mer closed there were about fifty hotels in the
town. exclusive Of the boarding houses and res
taurants. For the better protection of life and
property, a burgess and borough council were
elected on December IL Alexander ]. keenan,
was made burgess, and Lee M. Morton. James
7. Chalfant, Frank P. Confer, David Gardner
and Leonard I'll Church councilmen. The fact
mat some OF the canoloates electeo were not
residents OF the State was not permitted to In
tertere with the general result
In January, 1866, the town was at the height
of its prosperity 1t had banks, churches. daily
newspapers .water-works' several theaters' 4
onod opera- house. large hotels two teleoranh
offices, pipelines, plank roads to neighboring
towns, and narrow-gauge railroad from Pit,