The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-02
AN on REGION MYSTERY.


Tickets to the Show.
Butler Pa.) Special.
Situated on the banks of romantic little
stream bearing the name of Rough run few
during September was the lever which con-
trolled the speculative oil trade of the
world. A daring scout while roaming
a'miessly through the forest one pleasant
September morning, saw curl of smoke in
the distance. 1t came from the smokestack of
an engine house. 1t a wildcat drilling in
remote and unknown section of the field. in the
midst of virgin forest. The scout dubbed it
the Midnight Mystery" and for days it was a
mystery to the trade. When the news of its
existence flashed into Oil City. Bradford and
New York a score more of scouts were hurried
to the scene, with instructions TO obtain trust
worthy news of the we'll at whatever cost.
The Leidecker Brothers were the owners of
the well. When the drill tapped the oil bearing
sand and began to show signs Of PRODUCING the
brothers. who wanted to secure certain leases
surrounding their property. plugged up the
holes. boarded up the derrick, and stationed
three guards, who were armed with Winchester
rifles, to watch the approaches. Them in the
oilman's expressive slang the we'll blossomed
out as full dedged mystery.
From the hour that the awkward walking
beam commenced to wag at the Leidecker, the
farmers watched the progress of the we'll with
tireless interest AS the days grew on and
the we'll grew deeper. they increased the bonus
figures on their lands, and the Leidecker boys
found it difficult to secure the lands which they
had bargained for Although the we'll was
plugged. the pressure of gas at times was so
strong that sprays of oil would escape baptizing
the derrick and it's surroundings. The eagle
eyed farmers now and then witnessed the rain
bow-like hues cast by the escaping fluid. and
mentally made up their minds that the well was
big one
A cunning fox of a granger thought the wa
ter in Rough run looked strangely brilliant
STOPPING over, he carefully annonted the end
of his nose. and then, chuckling with glee he
FASTENED home
amiable spouse. They've gone and struck lie up
on Rough run and I've carried off a bit of it.
Here le IS on my nose mother Don't it smell
like lief
September passed. but no definite news could
be gained as to the calihre of the well. The
Leldeckers and the scouts who saw the we'll
creased derrick and the oily waters which
Rough run discharged figured on gusher of
the Thorn creek variety. The guards were
honest to the backbone and above all brides.
The scouts and interested spectators got up
purse of 5000. and offered it to the three men
whose rifles kept tine intrud, out of the boarded
up derrick. but without avail
Failing in this, the scouts tried in every way
to outwlt the guards. One of the boldest was
Ben Upper. At all hours he walked from
every direction toward the we'll. He acted as if
he were looking for some rare botanical speci
mems, but the guards blocked his little game
every Iime. On0 stormy DlSDU, Wne0 Jn0
pickets sought shelter under the boiler house,
Upper stole into the derrick. He was inside
less than two minutes, but in that period he
counted the coils of the drilling cable the bul!
wheel shaft and accurately estimated, as was
subsequently verified by the owners the actual
depth of the we'll. Another scout crawled one
hundred yards through scraggv growth of IN
derbrush, lowered a bottle into Rough Run, and
secured fine specimen of the oil. The trade,
however, laughed at him and pooh-poohed the
idea that the oil came from the we'll.
All kinds of propositions made to the
Leidecker boys. A Standard official was told
that for SIS. 900 cash in the fist the we'll would be
mystihed week longer for his benefit. The
pulse of the great monopoys agent almost
stopped beating, so great was his surprise
Meanwhile the farmers went about their work
in the fields chanting hymns and building gaudy
air-castles in which the pumkins in the corn
patch figured glittering globes of gold. Since
then their gilt edged day dreams have vanished
/ to thin air. and they ipdustriously
feeding the golden skinned PUMPKINS to the cattle
as fodder.
The end of the mystery came at last. The
Ledeckers succeeded in gobbng all the land
they wanted, and commenced to drill out the
plugs. The we'll was still guarded. Among the
visitors to the we'll was John l.. Satterfield, of
Titusville, president of the Union Oil Company
Mr.. Satterfeld possesses sound sense, and is not
afraid to spend his money Meeting one of the
Leideckers he said:
II will give you $500 if you will allow my man
in the derrick when the we'll is opened / have
great deal of oil on my hands, and if the we'll is
a gusher | want to know It."
His man was there when the we'll was opened
Henry Fisher of Pittsburg, and FIVE other heavy
weight operators, who do not care for trifes
invested in $500 tickets. and were also
represented in the derrick. The we'll started off
small much to the delight of the trade and the
CONSERVATION of it's owners, who found that they
had more land on hand than they wanted. To
day the we'll is flowing less than ten barrels
every twenty four hours. The Leideckers made
their only strike on their $500 tickets.