The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-04-09
PENNSYLVANIA OIL TOWNS.
The Curious Names They Bore and Their
Fall from Greatness.

Let-Her- Go-Gallaghe suggests some
odd names under which oil towns have
founshed in this country, says the
Pittsburg Dispatch. Among the first
curiously christened towns was Cash
Up, few miles from Pithole. It was
one Of the first places to attract atten-
tion 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 DR.. 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. It was flowing oil in a
fine spray at the rate of 10 barrels
day. The young men were satisfied
with the result of their labor, and
when the doctor asked them to put
price on it they held a consultation,
lasting about two minutes, and inform
ed him he could take the we'll 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 $50, 1000 cash in hand and took
their well. The we'll was located On a
five-acre lease, and DR.. Shamb burg at
once set out to buy this. The price on
the lease was $32, 900, and when he be-
gan to talk about payments he was in
formed that it must be leash up'' or
nothing. So leash 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 any
thing to sell, SO impressed him that
when town began to develop around
his we'll he named it Cash Up.
This we'll proved to be a bonanza.
The doctor drilled it deeper into the
rock and its production increased to
800 barrels a day. It paid back the
purchase money Of $4,000 in the first
month, and ultimately netted him
over $780, 900. Hundreds of wells
were drilled in that neighborhood and
the town of Cash Up hourished for
several years.
A little town that grew up in the
same section, in contradistinction to
Cash Up. was called Stan Off. Both
of these towns were in Venango
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 q large number of
small wells. from which the members
Of the company have made q great
deal of money.
Petroleum Center is a familiar name
in oil annals. Ben Hogan, the ex-
prize fighter and present evangelist
who kept gam bling house there, says
it was the Wickedest town in the world.
At the zenith of its prosperity it had
population of about 8, 900. About fifty
people live there at present. The
town is about seven miles above Oil
City, on the bank of Oil creek. Coal
Oil Johnny" fourished in this neigh
borhood, his old home being at Nc
Clintockville. three miles further down
the creek. Venango county also de-
veloped Big Injun. called after big
well Of that name This town was
soon rechristened Bullion, and under
this title it soon became place Of i'm
portance with population of about
II,
board left of the town.