The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-10-16
AN OIL KINGS WHIMS.
Some of the Eccentricities Of a
Rich Pennsylvania.
Building Expensive Roads That Lead
Nowhere q FwvOrite Pastime-
His Vast Estate, His Store go.
and His House.


Nowhere Fxvorite Pastime-
His Vast Estate, His Store go.
and His House.
One of the oldest men in the oil
country, or anywhere else for that
matter, is Ed E. Clapp, of President,
Pa, seven miles above Oil City on the
Allegheny river. He is bachelor
about sixty years of age. 1t is some
times said that he is the richest man
In the oil country, and this estimate of
his wealth is based on the fact that he
owns 5000 acres of land right on the
border of the rich developed oil terri
tory. Wells drilled on one edge of
his tract has proved absolutely that
some of his property is valuable Pc
troleum lands, and the supposition is
that the great bulk Of his 5000 acres
is equally good. If this be the case,
he is not only the richest man in the
oil regions, but he is veritable
Monte Cristo. One Of Clapp's pc
-culiarities is that he will not sell or
lease an acre of his lands, nor will he
operate it himself for oil. He has
been paying heavy taxes on 1t for
twenty years, and on some of it per-
haps for longer time. The land
is wholly unproductive as 1t lays.
None of it is good for agricult-
ural purposes. A large part OF it
is timtered, but, as he never cuts
tree, he derives no income from this
source. Six thousand acres Of this
land lies in Venango County, and in
as wild and unbroken section of
country almost as there is in the
State, and yet without there being
any possible use for them he has
built fine roads and drives all through
his lands. Many of these roads are
built through unforbidding sections
and consequently at great expense.
Road building has long been hobby
with Clapp. He has his own theory
about road building. He is his own
engineer and never lays out a road
above certain very low grade, and
consequently the highest of the mount
ainous sections of his lands are
reached by easy grades. Some of
these roads wind around the hill for
miles until the summet is reached.
None of these fine roads go to any
place in particular. Some Of them
end abruptly in the woods and have
remained in this uncompleted con-
dition for years, while he goes ahead
building roads in other parts of his
forest lands. All these roads start
from Clapp's private residence at the
river, building which in itself illus
trates the peculiarities of the builder.
Clapp builds his fine roads mostly
by employing men who come along
looking for work, and as his generos-
ity in this particular is widely known
he has great many applicants 1t is
thought by some that he builds these
roads to give employment to idle men,
and for no other reason. Not wish
ing to give money direct and receive
no equivalent, thus inviting impo.
sition from unworthy persons, he sets
them to work quarrying stone and
working on his roads. Be this as il
may, he has got many miles of mag
nificent driveways through a large
scope of country that is almost mac
a,essible. Nearly all of these road:
cross wild streams. and Il great deal o
masonry is necessary tor bridge build
ing. The stone-work in one of thesc
bridges alone cost him $1,000. Thu
.ssone was all quarried on his owl
land. and this simply represented thu
actual labor. Along his roads a
intervals he has erected fine watering
Groughs for horses. These ar
put up in the most approved man
ner. All are built high enough
so the horses can drink without tn
driver getting out of the vehicle I
let down the check-rein. Some Q
shcse troughs are carved out OF soli
rock. The first one of these that tn
traveller en- counters in ascending til
river hill from Clapp's residence ha
a large sign erected some sixteen fee
above it. bearing. in large, black lie,
tiers, the appropriate legend: Horse
Delight"
Many of the watering troughs "a
Inscribed in some such manner. Clap
believes in plenty of cold water 70
both man and beast, and will allow Il
Intoxicating liquor to be sold or dram
on any part OF his big scope of cour
try il he can help it. 1t is often tn
ease that there is not horse passin
over these roads tor many days, an
perhaps weeks. at time to drin
out of these fine troughs, but ther
they stand, all the same. CONSTANT
full and running over with pul
mountain spring water. ready Tor an