Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-18
STORY OF A PITHOLE.
some OF ITS STRIKING PASSAGES
RECALLED BY A VISIT.


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, 1854, the site of this town was
occupied by two farms, and its inhabitants
could be numbered on ones 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 ont and grasped them.
Wildcatters were prospecting in every
direction for new territory, and early in
the last month of 1864 a well was begun
here in what has since been the Mystic
City Work was continued until Jan. :,
when oil was struck. No pumps were
needed. The we'll, No. 4, L. s. proved to
be gusher 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
per barrel, and this well was making LOO
barrels per day.
Those were the DAYS of Goal Oil
Johnny and other famous characters;
days when all We're on the alert for news
from the field ready to move at an hours
warning. So when a horseman dashed
over the wild road from Pithole to Titus
Vile with the word that No. 4, L. s., had
proved a gusher, excitement knew no
bounds. Hundreds started at once for the
new fields, on horses, in wagons, on foot,
with baggage and without.
In six weeks from the time the first well
was struck the population of Pithole
reached 5000. By midsummer this had
trebled. BY October the Magic City had
reached its most astounding stage of de-
velopment. AT that time two theaters
Were in fun blast, one OF which (Murphy's)
cost $50, 900.
TRADE BOOMING.
In the town were a dozen hotels, among
them the Chase House, the ST. Cloud, the
Danforth, the st. Nicholas and the Morey
some of which had been built at a cost OF
$4,000 each. \ Roman Catholic and a
Methodist church were completed, and
Presbyterian church, built just for fun"
was under way. Two railroads were fin
ished and others were being surveyed.
The postoiIice handled more mail mat
ter than any other in the state of Pennsvl-
yania except those at Philadelphia and
Pittsburg Residences. barrooms, dance
houses brokers offices, banks drug stores.
law Offices and other buildings covered
what few months previous had been titled
fields. Rattling old Dick Longwell (since
then of the Oil City Derrick burst into
town one day ready to start daily news
paper, but he couldn't get building for
love nor money. Longwell, however, was
a newspaper man.
III issue the first number of the Pit
hole Daily Record, " he roared, before day
light tomorrow, if we have to work in a
balloon"
And he 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
postoffice in the state; a city with water
works, efficient fire and police departments,
magnificent hotels and theaters, teeming
with busy, industrious, enterprising gen.
eral population, and with artisans, mer-
chants, spectators, agents and profes-
sional men; city with railroads, express
and telegraph offices, and the ordinary &C
cessories to populous municipalities.
A COMPARISON OF PRICES.
A party of Philadelphia capitalists found
an old farmer named Copeland, who
owned 800 acres of land three-fourths of a
mile south of Pithole, They offered him
500, 900 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 $50 900 for his farm
of 260 acres, but he swore that it would
not be sold for less than s., 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 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
collector of taxes. Your correspondent
drove to the renowned postoffice. Two
calves thrust their heads through an
empty window frame and gazed at him.
Three or four sheep scampered out of what
was once the $4,000 Danforth House
Graded embankments of the railroads re
main, but the rails and ties are gone.
A poplar tree twenty feet high is grow
ing in the cellar of the National hotel. on
First street. The Metropolitan theater is
gone. Grass stones and underbrush cover
the site of Murphy's theater. The Morey
hotel, the Patterson, the St. Cloud, the St
Nicholas and the Hubbs House have van
ished. The sites of Delmonico's cafe and
of the johnson House can be located only
by half filled cellars, overgrown with weeds
and brambles.
A SCENE OF nEsoLATIoN.
DR.. Christie's residence. on First street.
and the banking house OF Prather 6 Wads-
worth on Holmden street, remain in fair
state of preservation. Our correspondent
climbed through the broken glass door of
large drug store on First street and
brought away from the shelves several
fancy phials as souvenirs. In Main street,
where millions of dollars once daily
changed hands, are stacked cornstalks
The avenues erstwhile lined with resi-
dences are titled fields
Today Pithole is n scene of desolation.
Upon the hill overlooking The ruin stands
the Presbyterian church. Its bell still
hangs, its pews remain, and on the pulpit
desk rests the clergyman's Bible. One of