Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-07
PROTECTING A PASS.
All the Lanterns in Coraopolis Bought
y Up by Rival Parties
CONTENDING FOR AN OIL WELL.
An Exciting Time for the Borough and All
Who Are Living There.
THE PARTY ON TOP HAS THE SYMPATHY

Coraopolis is enjoying greater sensation
than any other in its eventful experience
just at present. Messrs. Mcdonald and
Jolly have been lying on their arms for
some time, and in absence of row in Conn
ellis, their respective adherents were in dan
ger of rusting from inaction, but have been
saved from oxidization by a difference of
opinion between oil operators. The cause
OF the trouble is thus stated:
Last April w. L. Mellon leased 100 acres
of the Carr property, oh Thorn run. Az
there were 200 acres in the tract, survey
was necessary to determine metes and
bounds. 1t is claimed that there was no par
ticular time set for the survey, and work on
1t was not begun at once. By and by Finni-
gan & Downing bored we'll on the Cooper
farm, nearl ,, and got oil, ] ust how much
has not yet peen IcarueA, out it seems the
well is regarded as "some pumpkins" Her
operations were repressed while Messrs. Fin
nlgan & Downing were engaged in cor
railing other property in the vicinity, in
which was included the Carr farm.
PREPARED TO WORK.
They leased ii, paying the same bonus
that Mellon had offered, s., 600 for 100 acres,
and, some say, with the understanding that
they were to get the bonus back in case they
failed to GUST Mellon. In pursuance of the
programme, they had rig hauled on the
ground and prepared to punch hole down
at once.
On Wednesday Mellon got wind of Fin
n!gan q Downing's operations. and that
night be got ten teams and force of so
men. including nearly all the available
hghting men of Coraopolis, and hauled an
other rig up Thorn run and commenced
operations. Having landed the material
the attacking party proceeded to load the
Finnigan & Downing rig on their wagons
and hauled it back, but instead of bringing
1t back to the railway, dropped it piecemeal
all along the route, and it is scattered at
various places, distance of between one
and two miles. Some say that the invading
party were heavily armed with all sorts Of
firearms to be found in Coraopolis, from the
continental 1intlock to the most approved
pattern of repeating rifle. The yeomen of
the village were each paid 81 so a day for
their services, and Jim Watson was placed
on the pinnacle of the derrick, with two
navy revolvers strapped to his belt.
The Mellon party bought all the lanterns
IL ~ ~ NOuy . store, anu tQen SOOk IN all
the other stores, and finally secured all the
lanterns of the village.
PROTECTING THE PASS.
There is narrow pass, like that of Their
mopyls, leading to the property, and there
is no other way to get to the place except TO
drop from the clouds. People in the vicin-
ity we're reminded of the story of the 300
Israelites, who carried pitchers and de-
moralized their enemies by shouting, "The
sword of the Lord and Gideon!"
The Mellon party were on the ground last
night, load of straw having been hauled
up to make beds for them. It was rumored
that Finnigan & Downing had sent to
W. Va, Tor force sufficient to
rout the Mellon party, but the general opin-
ion was that the battle would be transferred
TO the courts.
Mr.. Mellon was seen last night. He said
he had gotten the Augusta Oil Com
pany to bore well, so as to determine his
base of operations in the vicinity, and was
about ready to begin work on the Carr tract,
when he got notice to have the tract sur.
veyed in five days. As il is so rugged that |
one cannot see 100 feet straight ahead i'm one
direction, he said the survey was difficult |
matter, and Finnigan & Downing began
operations before it could be finished.
Sentiment in Coraopolis sides with
Mellon, and the boys of the village will
'taud by him as long as they can get 81 80 a
lay for soldering.