The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1889-05-09

r. vaatlng ra,aev,- the nnesr DoaO OH the
Allegheny river, and anchoring her opposite
the town on the Armstrong and Allegheny
county line. This county boundary ran
through the middle of the river, and il une
Allegheny county authorities molested him
he poled the boat out Of their jurisdic-
ton into Armstrong county, and vice versa
If the Armstrong authorities became trouble
some. The FLOATING Palace" was one Of
Hogan's most successful ventures. It was
originally built for a Pithole boarding house,
and was 150x40 feet in dimensions. +
Hen spent 81, 900 in furnishing the boat and
then commenced his old business. Fifteen
women, the very handsomest that could be
obtained, were on the boat, dressed in expen-
sive dresses of an abbreviated character; and
among the other attractions Of the craft
we're excellent music and tho best Of wines.
Tho patrons of the place were wealthy young
oil princes, who ~squandered from $50 to 800
a night, and they were conveyed to the "Pal-
ace' in boats. II any undesirable parties sue
ceeded in entering the boats tho experienced
boatmen would tip over In mid-stream and
let the intruders get back to shore as best
they could. The palace" was such a bonan-
"a that Ben finally weighed anchor with the
idea Of going down the river to New Orleans,
stopping at all the principal cities along the
way. The craft got no farther than Pitts
burg, however, where Ben wrecked her on a
faro bank. On the trip down the river an
amusing incident occurred. At. Kittanning
hundreds of people visited the "Palace'' out
Of curiosity. Ben waited until a large num-
Der Of prominent men were OH board enjoy
ing themselves, then cut the cable ond car-
ried the protesting nabobs about twenty
miles down the stream.
IN rETRoL1A.
After tho "F1oating Palace foundered upon
the faro bank mentioned Ben went to Pc
trolia, squatted on a piece of land against the
owners wishes and opened a big dance house
which he felicitously named Hogan's Female
seminary. While in Petrolia Ben had sew
eral lively adventures. Once he was wrong
fully arrested for theft, and settled the suit
by throwing the justice and the complainant
out Of a court room window. A short time
after this occurrence Ben was elected bur-
CESS, l. g. mayor, of Petrolia, defeating
Dimick, tho Republican candidate, by seven
votes; but he was counted out on account of
his unsavory character. While in Petrolia
Ben erected there the largest opera house In
the oil regions at a cost of S1l 1000. On two
occasions during his residence in Petrolia
Ben narrowly escaped dying with his boots
on. In a quarrel one Of tho inmates Of the
seminary fired at her lover, but the ball
missed its mark, struck Ben below tho belt
and imbedded itself In the muscles Of his alb
domen, where it still remains. A few weeks
later a desperudo, Mickey Mike by name,
fired four shots point blank at Ben OH the
street, but Hogan escaped by hiding behind
O tree.
After a Short absence in Boston, Mass,
where he joined a gang Of cracksmen, Ben
came back to the Gil country once more and
located at Elk City, where he spent 81 900 in
repairing tho streets. Flo next went to
Bullion, bought Nesbitt's hotel and built an
opera house. Tho best companies on the road
appeared at his theatre, and each night after
the performance the chairs were cleared out
in a trice, a bar rugged with rollers was run
in, and before the audience knew what was
up they were in tho midst of a f~ree-and-easy
dance. After a sojourn at Long Branch Ben
located at Tarport, near Bradford, Pa,
where his notoriety had preceded him and
where he did q business which netted him
$500 a day.
Having amassed quite a fortune, Ben
started for Paris, but got no further than
Now York, where he entered by accident q
religious meeting on Broadway ono night,
and was converted. Since that time Ben
has been preaching the gospel and giving lee
lures on physical culture. He travels from
town to town, paying his own expenses and
hall rent from the proceeds Of his nightly
contributions. That he is truly %repentant
and sincere is slown by his present exemplary
life and by the years he has devoted to Chris
tan work. E. H. cations.