The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-06-12
Pennsylvania OIL TOWNS.
ne Curious Names They Bore and Theis
Fall from Greatness.

Let-Her- Go-Gallagher suggests some
odd names under which oil towns have
fiourIshed in this country, saws the
Pittsburg Dispatch. Among the first
curiously christened towns was Cash
Up few miles from Pithole. 1t was
one of the first places to attract atten-
ton after Pithole. DR.. Shamburg OF
Titusville, who bought some land
around Cash Up, has told the writer
how it came to be named. When the
first well was struck there DIR. Sham
burg. who had recently come to the
oil country to make some investments,
was early on the grounds. The we'll
in question was owned by three young
men who had spent all their money to
get it drilled. 1t was flowing oil in a
fine spray at the rate of ITO barrels a
day. The young men were satisfied
with the result of their labor, and
when the doctor asked them to put a
price on it they held a consultation,
lasting about two minutes, and inform
ed him he could take the well for $780,
600. He asked what kind of payments
they would require. and they as
promptly decided that it would have
to be leash up"
They could not be moved from this
decision. and the doctor finally paid
them 100000 cash in hand and took
their well. The well was located on a
fve-acre lease, and DR.. Shamburg at
once set out to buy this. The price on
the lease was $50, 900, and when he be-
gan to talk about payments he was in
formed that it must be cash up or
nothing. So cash up" it was, and
the doctor took the lease. A farmer
owned strip of land alongside of him
which he wanted, and the best terms
he could make on this was $50. 600
leash up" He took it, paying the
money in hand, as he had done in the
other purchases. and these conditions.
which seemed to obtain with every
body in that vicinity who had anv-
thing to sell. so impressed him that
when town began to develop around
his we'll he named it Cash Up.
This well proved to be bonanza.
The doctor drilled it deeper into the
rock and its production increased to
800 barrels a day. 1t paid back the
purchase money of S92, 900 in the first
month, and ultimately Melted him
over $3.50. 900. Hundreds of wells
were drilled in that neighborhood and
the town of Cash Up flourished for
several years.
A little town that grew up in the
same section, in contradistinction to
Cash Up, was called Stan of. Both
Of these towns were in Venaugo
county. Not far away were the towns
of Red Hot and Gas City, and on the
other side of Pithole was Ball Town.
This latter place continues to exist.
while all the others, like Pithole. have
passed away. The Ball Town Oil
Company is still operating in the
vicinity and has a large number of
small wells, from which the members
Of the company have made a great
deal of money.
Petroleum Center is a familiar name
n oil annals. Ben Hogan, the ex-
prize fighter and present evangelist,
who kept gambling house there, SAYS
t was the wickedest town in the world.
At the zenith of its prosperity it had
population of about 5000. About fifty
people live there at present. The
own is about seven miles above Oil
City, on the bank of Oil creek. Coal
Dill Johnny" flourished in this neigh
his old home being at Nc
three miles further down
he creek. Venango county % de-
'eloped Big 1njun, called after big
veil of that name. This town was
DON rechristened Bullion. and under
his title it soon became a place of i'm
with a population of about
700. There is not now single
ard left of the town.