Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-03-26
STORY OF A PITHOLE.
SOME OF ITS STRIKING PASSAGES
RECALLED BY A VISIT.

The Ground Of a once Thriving City.
No city in America, and few in the
world, have had so wonderful history as
Pithole, which lies in little valley some
five hours journey from Pittsburg and
about as distant from Buffalo. Early in
December, 1861 the site of this town was
occupied by two farms, and its inhabitants
could be numbered on one's fingers
At that time the oil regions were in the
most terrific throes Of the initial petroleum
excitement Fortunes were flying by on
the wings Of the wind in the Titusville
field and those who were quick enough
reached out and grasped them.
Wildcatters were prospecting in every
direction for new territory, and early in
the last month Of 1864 well was begun
here, in what has since been the Mystic
City Work was continued until Jan. T.
when oil was struck. No pumps were
needed. The we'll No. 4, U. S, proved to
be a gushcr Great streams of fluid gold
burst from the bowels Of the earth and
rose high in the air, Overrunning all the
surrounding land. Oil sold at five dollars
Der barrel. and this well was making 800
barrels per day.
Those were the days of "Coal Oil
Johnny and other famous characters.
days when all were on the alert for news
from the field ready to move at an hours
warning. So when a horseWan dashed
over the wild road from Pithole to Titus
willie with the word that No f. U. s., had
proved a gushcr, excitement knew no
bounds. Hundreds started at once for the
new fields, on horses. iu wagons, on foot
with baggage and without
In six weeks from the time the first well
was struck the population of Pithole
reached G.OOO. BY midsummer this had
trebled BY October the Magic City had
reached its most astounding stage Of de-
veloument. At that time two theaters
were I'm full blast. one Of which (Murphy's)
cost $4,000.
TRADE LOOMING.
In the town were dozen hotels, among
them the Chase House, the St. Cloud, the
DaufJrth, tine st. Nicholas and the Morey,
some Of which bad been built at a cost of
$4,000 each. A Roman Catholic and a
Methodist church were completed and a
Presbyterian church, built just for fun
was under way Two railroads were fin
ishod and others were being surveyed
The postoiice handled more mail mat
Ger than any other in the state Of Pennsyl-
vania except those at Philadelphia and
Pitt~burg Residences, barrooms, dance
houses, brokers offices, banks drug stores,
law offices and other buildings covered
what a few months previous had been titled
fields Rafting old Dick Longwell (since
then of the oil City Derrick burst into
town one day ready TO start "a daily news
paper, but bee couldn't get building for
love nor money. Longwell, however was
newspaper man.
"Ill issue the first number of the Pit
hole Daily Record he roared, before day
light tomorrow, 81 we have to work in a
balloon
And be did, but his compOsitors stood
knee deep in mud while working at their
cases.
At this time, October, 1865, Pithole was
seat of trade employing millions of dol
lars in money, a city with the third largest
postodice in the state; a city with water
works, efficient fire and police departments,
magnIdcerf hotels and theaters, teeming
with "a busy, industrious, enterprising gen
eral population, and with artisans mer-
chants, specuIatSrs, agents and profes-
sional men, a city with railroads, express
and telegraph offices, and the ordinary ac
cessories to populous municipalities
A COMPARISON OF PRICES
party of Philadelphia capitalists found
an old farmer named Copeland, who
owned 22O acres of land thrce-fourths of a
mile south of pithole They offered him
S70O,OOO for the property, but he refused it,
saying he "wouldn't hev no home eff tn
old house wuz sold"
Another man, living two miles north Of
the city. was offered $3.50, 900 for his farm
of 2GO acres, but he swore that it would
not be sold for less than 81 100000 Both
of these farms were tested, and not enough
oil was found to pay for pumping the
wells
When the correspondent came TO Pit
hole short time since he had to let down
bars of a fence to get in. Not a soul lives
there A farmer in the valley four years
ago purchased the entire city, buildings
and all, for 81 200, which was paid to the