The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-06-26
CABE HARRIS

the Hniori oil region hAd been fall foI
may days. and every time veil flowed
"se 8 brad" the pa,rolsam y. wasted.
II ran over ,ne tanks brim. satursied lhs
dry leaves sad. formed pools 90 The
hill sides in the depressioas behind the
irees snd siumps
The spring had beed early; by the las,
wsek OF April the snow ". all gops IRON
The feee-ses of ibe deep forest. There had
been bat little rsio. aud the warm sun had
dried the roi,iug timber in the wocd., The
leaves s,resine the woods we're crisp aud
combus,ible As paper They we're scatter
ed shitber aud ,hiibsr NY the frequent
breszes blessing from The Gc-st Lakes.
ssd tasy found Judgment Gully where they
feil iuto ssste petroleum aad becsme soak
ed Never we're thers conditions more
favorable for q terrible, disastrous forest
fire.
Everybody was careful Of fire. Men
who Ia snllen siencs. or with angry denim
citation Of the Pipe Line company, watch.
cd their oil run to waste forbore smoking
iu the woods for fear spark from pipe
would start the confsgration they ell
dreaded. Drilling was stopped; fires we're
drawn from the boilers at pumping wells.
The producers had held mass meetings
and denounced the action OF the company
they bad even attempted violence. To oil
complaints the company seemed indiffer.
his ent; to protect their property they had
called upon the sheriff Of the county and
posse, which consisted msinly OF men in
their employ.
Fiom all the meetings Gabe Harris had
been absent. Ia the attack upon the pump
station he had taken no part; but every
day be had gone to the Office OF the Lines
and asked to have bis oil "rup." Having
made the request and received an answer.
he handed the superintendent an estimate
Of the amount OF petroleum that had run
to waste on his lease the previous day. The
reply he received was the same that all
applicants we're met with
We have no room, butare increasing our
.ankage daily. and hope TO relieve You
soon. However, If you wish to sell your
,il for immediate shipment, we will run it
1t once.
Immediate shipment oil brought twen-
y cents barrel less than the market
price for crude petroleum. and many Of
he producers, pressed by their creditors.
,r needing money to buy the necessities OF
lie. we're forced to accept the company's
erms. But Gabe, though his credit was
learly exhausted, would not thus yield to
Rather than sell bis oil for
shipment be would let his cred
tors have his property. and support his
smiIy by working on the street Of Hsr
ord His home he could retain. for the
lite portable house with its furniture was
aid for. and he would not have to pay
as On the leases the surface
I the ground had novalue, save where the
errlcks aud their ngine. houses and tanks
'ere located.
Perhaps he would hot have been so cour.
geous had his wife not been OF the opin.
IN that his course was right. Her nature,
iough affectionate and gentle, was indie.
endent and self.rehsnt. Poverty had no
,rrors for her. She had endured it, had
,ffered many privations in practicing .
gid economy in order TO save the wages
abe had earned as driller, so that some
ay they might bave lease OF their own.
hey had secured one; on 1t had put down
Iree wells, and we're meeting with regu-
rity and promptness the notes given for
achinery and tanks when the shut down
me, and their oil Joined that OF other
'oducers on the hill side forever lost.
le was glad Gabe had not become violent
ID made threats as his neighbors had
,ne, because she thought much talk
splay OF weakness, and she would have
eretted her marriage had she ut last !,
und herself the wife Of weak man. She
lew she could rely upon bis silent deter r
iustion TO win in his conflict with the
ines withour an appeal to dynamite.
,ich remedy for their abuses WAS daily O
by the producers.
Meanwh bile Gabe found plan. BE re. a
ived to run his oil himself. first gausing
J tanks 10 the presence Of witnesses to o
certain the amount they contained; tLen (,
would turn thsstopcock. and SET don a
' engine to work pumping the petro b
i'm into the main line. When his tanks il
rs empty. be would demand Of the 81
Ines' a storage certificate for the amount 10
the oil run ci
)a clear warm morning III Msy he In
sed bis wife good by Tor the day, and ii
out on horse back for Hartford to mskt a,
nal demsnd Oh the company to run his
lis lease was st the head Of the X endall
ek valley From the door OF bis bouse oy
could see the Tona, into which the
I'D Kendall creek emptied. Scattered er
oush the valley we're several villages.
nearest to his home being Kendall. II
the banks OF the creek we're q great ch
nber OF iron storage tanks, escb one Vi
nted red, and having on one side the sn
nr Of the owner and Its capacity stated w
y bite letters. Gsbe bad often looked Of
hem. and thought. rs many smother
ser hsd done. wbst big fre they so
nd mske II the petroleum 10 one of on
M should be isniiedi Bot that day ~ DR.
rode toward them bis thoughts we're foi
from the subject OF . cobH ssraiion 10
N Suddenly BIS revery was rul-ly 10 W
npied. The sound Of an explosion ,b'
tiled hin snd looking ny. be ssu 'h'
ts fat ohj~c, asins 10 the air. Recos.
t,.a