Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-09

The Glory Of Richburg aud Bolivar
Great In 1852, Now Gone Forever.

The Glory Of Richburg aud Bolivar,
Great In 1852. Now Gone Forever.
A recent dispatch TO the New York Sun nom
Richburg, N. Y, says: Before the oil man came
this beautiful valley was not profaned by that
advance agent OF civilization, the railroad
Now that the oil man has gone, this once ia
nous oil town has fallen into . premature de-
cay, and the yard-wide road, with its two
streaks of rusty and rickety rolling stock,
which had seen valient service In other oil
fields, has sunk into the mire of hopeless bank
ruptcy. 1t is nearly two weeks since train
pounded over the rusty rails, and it will prob
ably be months, and possibly an eternity, ere
the earspiitting engine whistle and the clang
ing bell will startle the farmers as they APP
preach the dreary and deserted crossings.
The low frame depot with Its weather stained
front and grin.y windows Is as silent and de-
serted as a tomb. The dingy waiting-room is
Boots and greasy garments, waiting for the next
express to Olean and Bradford. Those days are
RichbSre's twin brother, Bolivar, once one Of
the hottest of hot oil towns, is as badly off as
Richburg. Both towns are literally dead be-
Ss qr he the produser
the roustabout and even the saloon keeper ana
gambler are gone. The big hotels. which for
are en now making miserable living. Those who
could raise the money got out OF town when the
Oil excitement died out some have gone west
drifted into the new settles that within few
weeks have sprung up in Butler and Clarion
Empty and lonesome buildings greet the eye
on every side. The long and narrow freight
platforms, which in their day have sheltered a
and oil well machinery, are rotting away In
the September sun. The army of teamsters,
which only recently turned the very clouds
bluer tint because OF their unapproachabie pro-
family, has moved on to fresher fields where
the shifting and erratic Oil god reigns.
repetition of ancient oil town history. Like
Pithole, Cash UP, Evenburg, Millerstown, Red
Rock, Petrolia and other dead and forgotten
Oil towns, they have had their day, and are now
in the sere and yellow leaf When once an oil
to WIN starts on the downward path IL goes to
the dogs in short order.
ator, was the father of the Allegany field. But
for him IT is possible that New York would not
At this day glory In an extensive oil field;
TaylOrs friends put him down q crank, and
strongly advised him not to blow in his money
drilling holes In the ground in Allegany county.
could not shake off, and despite the sneers VI
his enemies he continued to bounce the drill.
His Triangle No. 3, opened in July, 1880,
direction; but it was not until the succeeding
year that the development of the field began in
In 1882 the New York field was riding on the
topmost crest OF oleaginous prosperity. The
sleepy and beautiful old valley was the scene
rection, as far as the eye could reach. stretched
endless strings OF grease-begrimed derricks.
Richburg and Bolivar, rival towns, although
souls. Today the census enumeration would
hardly find a fifth of that number. Richburg
had lively daily. the Echo, filled with teaming
columns OF fat advertisements and racy stories
of life rs seen in oil towns. 1t had also a dys-
peptic evening paper, dozen big hotels, a score
or more OF beer saloons, q big police force, &C.,
&c.
Early in its life Richburg came to the front
with brutaland unprovoked murder. At the
gallOws the hardened murderer Jack Mccarthy
caught sight of the district attorney. With the
rope around his bull-head neck the unrepent-
ant desperate launched into fierce and pro-
fame diatrbe against that official. Even as he
spoke the black cap was drawn over his face
and second later he was jerl1ed into eternity
with an oath ringing on his lips. Richburg also
INDUCED in several minor shooting and stab
bling scrapeS.
John Cain, who made roll of money bv run.
ford swooped down on Bolivar and built an
opera house, In which he played the best attrac-
tons then travelling. Theatrical companies
always like to strike a live Oil town. They are
sure of good prices, and, what is better, crowded
houses. 1t riled the Richburgers because thew
had no theater, and when they wanted to see
the MINISTRIES or witness the woes of Era and
Uncle Tom, they had to jump on the dummy
train and fork their money over to Bolivarites.
or big
nne public school, and brace of churches. 1t
never ns' rose to the dignity of murder, but has
reveled In several romantic suicides, and has
been shaken up once or twice by nitro-glycerine
explosions.
Within year the twin oil towns began to
wane. The drillers found no more territory to
drill, and packed up their grips and left. The
papers were forced to suspend for lack OF sup
port, the theater was closed and business began
TO fall OFT In every direction. The death knel
Of glorious Allegany had been sounded, and the
end was near. The trains no longer brought in
but took out people. With the disappearance of
Oil their occupation was gone.
The railroad forgot to pay dividends, and the
trips of the pay car became less frequent, and
finally ceased altogether. Trains ran irregu-
larly, ane now do not run at ALL It is six
months since the employees Of the Lackawanna
and Pittsburg road have seen the color of the
companys money. The road was com PEELED to
stop because there was no freight to carry, and
because the few passengers who got into the
narrow and uncomfortable coaches did not paw
for the fuel the hungry iron horses consumed
The citizens of the town are hopeful that the
Bradford, Eidred and Cuba railroad will put on
morning train for freight and passengers com.
bined. One reason why trains do not run on
the Lackawanna and Pittsburgh is that por-
tions OF the track missing. At PortviIle
freight cars lie their sides in the canal
Switches are broken and useless This work is
ascribed to discharged employees of the road
who never received their pay.
The daily production of the AIlegany field is
now less than 5000 barrels. Its wells will
probably produce small quantities of oil for
several years to come, but its glory as an oil
center has forever departed.