West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-08-14

that beyond an occasional visit ~ the HrrN
men, the englnchouse wHs comparatively
unmatched. Without losing "a moment I,
time ne shipped out oi the woods. and
dodgcd and crrpt 70 the OUTLYING ahcd of
the derrick Then he crawlrd along the
timbcrs until he lay close against the der
rick uoor He could hear unuSunl prrparn.
uons going on, aud was eager 20 gct ncarrr
BESIDES hc was liable 20 b. discovered by
one OF the men who kept luttsring about
from the derrick room past him To the
other parts OF the machinery. All the
while the drillcrs were making unusual
nuise with the tools in the derrick roou
Creeping 20 the side opposite them, Hughes
iouud board loose and got into the der
rick room, The floor boards were laid
down very loosely. To pull two of them
up, squeeze himself through under the floor
ana pull the boards after him was the work
OF moment. Ho could hear the drincr,,
tramp about over his head, busy making
last the pipe connections. After awhile.
rom the sound OF other voices above he
knew the mon had been replaced by another
gang, aud that daylight was breaking. lie
changed his position TO dryer spot. and
made himself comfortable for "A long sb,pc
On In the day ne was aroused from a nan
he had dropped of into by an unusunl
commotion overhead. Above the tram
ping he could distinguish the sound Of "A
liquid squirting with violence against "A hard
substance. The oil began 60 leak through
the floor and drop on his face and clothes
lie was all attention i'm an instant. There
was no mistaking II the well had flowed.
For several minutes ho could hear the
splnsh OF the oil. Then the trampling OF
icct again became active and the squirting
sound ceased.
" The biggest part of Hughes' work was
done. He wished il was night that lac might
escape from his perilous position, report
ms discovery and reap the rewards OF his
hardships and daring. But II scumed TO
him that night would never come He heard
the clatter of tin pals and the muuchinr of
Jaws after awhile, and know that dinner
time was come, and grew hungry himself
IL seemed "a century 60 him before twilight
began TO settle down. Then the we'll made
a second flow, this time more than before.
lie was satisfied that the flow was vvrv
considerable, and that the nugatory would
bc market breaker. When darkness had
onvcloped everything he carefully slippc,I
through the ricltcty floor, replaced THE
boards, crnwlcd out Of tho derrick room
and dropped behind log. One of the
guards stood with his back 20 him pccriuu
intcntly into the forest not fifteen feet
away. In "a minute or two the guard took
up his patrol toward the other side of the
well, and Hughes scrambled along the
machinery shed TO the side of the engine.
room. Hearing nothing i'm the darkness b,.
tween him and the forest ho stole out. and
IN moment had disappeared among the
closely growing hcmloCka. In "a short time
he had safely reached the farm house where
he boarded. stopping only TO get some
thing 20 eat, he mounted one OF the farm
er's horses and rode like the wind to War
ren. When lac drew rein at tho telegraph
office day was just breaking. cipher dia-
patch sent 20 the firm for whom he worked
explained everything about the well Then
his obligation 90 his employers ceased
Through messages sent 10 several Of his
friends and by some money ne had of hi,
own he WIS able that day 20 nppear AT the
Oil Exchange and take investments that
brought him $4,000. This, incrcascd bv
the bonus given by his employers, raised
thesum 20 more than S2O, 900
Not month ago Hughes was up at
Buffers He IT, still scouting. Fortune
does not always smile ON him, though he
still holds on go the biggest part al the
money he made by lying Tor two nights and
a day under the wei. He is - young man.
medium sized, rather heavy set the met ure
of health, and, on the whole, good looking.
lie y fluent talker on every subject except
his scouting experiences. Whenever there
is the least attempt TO pry into them
Hughes Immediately rclapsc- into silence
" Beaumont's experience was almost M
unpleasant as Hughes. n was about "a
year after 616 came in that n wiidcnt well
was begun forty miles from Warren in "a
terribly wild country. The derrick was
erected in secluded hollow right i'm among
the big forest trees. Except nj the very
base Of the derrick no undcrbrush wa,
cleared away. n was some time after
drilling began before the outside oil world
knew of the wells existence. So closely
matted WIS the foliage of the trccs, and un.
derbrush about the derrick that q stranger
would almost run against II before he
would discover ~. Beaumont was sent up
5y The Anchor oil Company 20 spy IL out.
When he got 10 lettering around the wei he
was warned several times by CadwalIadcr.
one OF the owners, not 20 trespaAs when the
drill began tapping the pay--und. Then the
owners sent 90 o railroad that was build
ing up IN New York State and brought
down some fifteen Swodc5 60 clenr away the
underbrush, that tanks might be erected
and also TO do guard duty. They were told
go capture any one found trcspasssing about
the well. They could scarcely understand
q word Oi English. 40 that tho scouts could
not reason with them about the way they
should be treated.
conc afternoon the Swcdcs flushed Beau.
mont from behind o pile Of cable alongside
the derrick-rOom. The moment he saw ho
WIS discovered he dashed across tho omen
space aud plunged into the underbrtish.
with the whole pack oi Swedes ~ his heels
with axes upraised and yelling like 80 many
demons Over the side Of the ravino ho
scrambled and timbled, with the Swcdcs in
ms wake breaking down the bushes and
stumbling over logs like % herd Of frightened
cattle. Beaumont was not young man.
and before he had gone far the Swedcs had
him lie tried 20 explain matters and 10
have himself released hut they could not
understand, and 20 he was marched back
20 the derrick. The owners of the well do.
cidcd 90 hold him for trespnH, and make %
test case Of ~. As they did not want 90
take the trouble ~ driving him 40 once 20
tho nearest cOnstables they tied him 20 a
tree with % piece oi rope until late that
night. Whom released 90 be taken 80 War.
rem his limbs were so badly swollen from
the cords that no wae helpless. Ilo was
driven 20 Warren and delivered over FOR
trospass ie aiterward brought suit for
assault and got heavy damages Puts
burgh Cor. " Y. Sun.
Two Hats for a Cent.