The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-01-26

lease. He was digging a water-well.
"Most likely find quicksand or coal
bed here" he muttered grimly.
"Drilled for oil and found saltwater on
the upper edge. Things seem to go
by contraries with me Luck having
no connection with this well, neither
quicksand nor Goals were found, but
water, pure, fresh spring water, in vol
ume sufficient to supply half the town.
Later in the day McWilliams put into
the well box pump of his own manu-
facture. and with the help of a. dozen
barrels and a few lengths of two-inch
iron pipe established the McWilliams'
Water Works
McWilliams was pretty low down on
his luck at this time; for he was less
than newer of wood he was a draw
err of water In Pithole in 1S65-66 the
drawing of water was much more
profitable than it had been in ancient
Palestine. In dry months water re-
tailed at ten cents per drink and one
dollar per bucket; but in the closing
days of January sixty cents per barrel
was the ruling price. Even in the dry
months there was little danger of a
water famine, for, as the price of drink
ing water increased, the demand fell
off to such an extent that 0'Reilly, a
saloon keeper who had come to Pithole
with key of liquor on his back and
thirteen cracked glasses in his pockets,
was enable to buy diamond pin as
big as a walnut and to run as the popu-
lar candidate for Mayor. At the time
when McWilliams' broad back began
to heave up and down with the motion
of the pump-handle, water was cheap
enough to drink, and yet not too ex-
pensive for an occasional cleansing of
soiled linen; so that at the end of the
first days pumping McWillams con-
sidered himself justified in looking for
ward to the time when he might put in
boiler and engine and steam pump.
AT the close of the second day Nc
Williams was so well satisfied with his
defiance of fate, fortune and luck
that he determined to quit his boarding
place, and, for the sake of economy
take up his residence in an abandoned
engine-house on his lease. The engine
house was all that remained of his at
tempt to strike oil; the derrick, boiler,
engine and other machinery having
been sold to pay his quondam wife S
debts.
With his hands engaged in purely
mechanical labor, the busy mind breaks
away from the mental office of the body
and scars into world of its own. The
unthinking hand plods on, the quiet eye
performs its part but the mind, roam
ing at its will, builds castles, towns and
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 it's lethargy, McWill-
Jams strong mind ran on before, and
with master hand built water-works,
laid lines of pipe, and poured into the
owners pockets 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 worldly-wise 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 al
McWilliams. Leaving the clumsy
pump and greasy water-b 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 McWiliams succeeded in pur.
chasing what he wanted. .r
1t was late in the afternoon when, or
his return, he came in sight of the hill:
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 block:
of fire.
McWilliams fastened forward. His
first thoughts were for his pumps and
water barrels. OF course, in theiI
eagerness to subdue the fire the citizens
would seize upon his pump and use al
the water without thought of remu
neration. In hasty or careless pumping
they would destroy the well or pump i
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. anC
no water was being thrown on the