davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07

and fire. Finally, the City Councils gave
father notice to move his refinery outside
the city limits.
Arrangements were made to move the re-
flnery out to Lawrenceville, which then had
not yet been absorbed by the city. The ap-
paratus and machinery had been set out on
the pavement to await wagons, and when,
sometime later. Investigation was made, it
was discovered that the small castiron stin
had been stolen. Although he was using the
hve-barrel still at the time, father held his
first still as very valuable, and a search was
made in all the junk yards for ii, but with
out success. We have never heard of it
since.
No, don't think father ever thought seri.
ously of taking out patents on his refining
process. On subsequent visit to the chem
ist at Philadelphia, the chemist remarked.
ments; "We missed it by letting this thing
slip" You can safely say that carbon oil
must have been made by distillation by my
father along in the 1orties, for we have
papers showing sales of it in 1851.
Drake Comes to Tarentum for Pointers.
To return, now, from the little Pittsburg
oil refinery to the village of Tarentum, is to
suddenly stumble across a revelation,
startling because it is not generally known,
and important because it very materially
changes the face of petroleum lore. Three
persons tell me the story, each at different
times neither knowing that the other has
touched upon it in their respective
narratives. Thus, each confirms the state
ments of the other. Listen:
FN HUMEs-yn 1858 was cleaning out the
salt wells at TareL tum, when a man came to
me, giving his name IS E. L. Drake. He said
he had come down to Tarentum to see the
manner and mode of drilling wells, especially
those wells which were at that moment pro
ducing oil. 1t is an old tradition how the In
dians used to gather oil from the springs
along Oil creek in Venango county by soak
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07

relic OF the origin OF a worldwide industry.
Mr.. Kiers business in refining oil from that
time on was eminently successful. HIS
claim to being the first oil refner In the
country cannot be disputed though I hear
some man in the East has been trying to do
that lately.
Mr.. John T Kirkpatrick, who lives on
Fortieth street, Pittsburg, is at present the
principal owner in the Leechburg Iron
Works He says:
1 was in partnership with 8. NJ. Kier in his
oil refinery on Seventh avenue. He was the
first man in the country to appreciate the
value of petroleum, and he was the first man
to purify it by the ordinary refining pro.
cesses. Although they might seem small
now by comparison, our operations then in
that fve;oarrel: still we considered quite
large. The refinery was subsequently re-
moved to Lawrenceville. After Mr.. Kier
began refining the petroleum, it was used TO
considerable extent in Pittsburg for iliu-
vestigating that subject all the time, and
finally he invented lamp-burner that
would fit any kind of lamp. and which was
put on sale in Pittsburg This was burner
with four prongs, SO arranged to let in the
air and give good clear light
William L Kier, son of the late S. NJ.
Kier, has place of business at present on
Liberty street, near the Union Depot. He
SAYS:
The First Still Was Stolen.
The ive-barrel wrought-iron still, in which
my father refined oil before any other per-
son had ever thought of such thing. is still
in our possession. We preserve it as a curl
osity, and it Is to be seen out at our fire.
brick works in Salina. No, it is not the first
still father used, but the second. There Is q
little story as to why we have not got the
small cast-1ron still he first experimental
with. After he had been refining oil for
some time on Seventh avenue, people up
there got afraid that the petroleum was too
built-up section. They feared explosions
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07

ing their blankets in the water and then
wringing them into buckets. The oil got the
name of Seneca oil in this way, l believe
Well, after Mr. Kier got to bottling the pc
troleum in Allegheny county for medicine,
some Eastern people thought they would re-
sort to tile old Indian fashion of gathering
the same kind of oil on the surface of OIL
creek and its neighboring springs in We
mango county. These Eastern people made
coil of spike," horse liniments, etc, ont Of
this. II was some such venture by Eastern
mango county about this time.
To Get a DriIler for TitusyiIIe.
Drake got the idea that if the oil came
up into these springs from the estrth, he
might get it in larger quantities by boring q
hole into the ground. He was unable to sue
ceed. however, and finally concluded to
come down to Tarentum and see how we
did it here. He impressed me as agreeable
enough, and he remained with me at NV
work around the wells all that day. Then
he asked me, ii he paid me good wages, II I
would go back to Titusville with him. and
bore well for him there.
Now, had contract with Mr.. Peterson
at the time to clean these salt wells out, and
L could not have broken it If would
therefore declined Mr.. brakes offer, but
said that all our tools for the wells were
made by blacksmith just below Tarentum,
named William Smith, and that he might
get him to make the tools for him, and posi-.
bly, logo with him to Titusville to drill the
well which be proposed putting down. He
went TO Smith, and fin the following year
Tarentum, taking them with him to the
upper country, and boring brakes well for
him in the summer and fall of 1859
More Testimony as to Drake.
WILLIAM KENNEDr-I was in charge of
some department. of Kier's salt works at Ia
rentum along about 1858 or 1859, when this
man Drake, *ho is enormously given the
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
THE RIGHTS OF WID0WA
Some Legal Points of Present Interest Dis.
cussed by q Female Lawyer.

Some Legal Points of Present Interest Dis
cussed by Female Lawyer.
A widow Is just as free to engage in busi-
ness and to bind herself by legal obliga-
tions as a man, says Mary A. Greene in
the Cha,aauqsan. But her right to share
in the property of her deceased husband is
q right arising out of the previous marriage
relation and is affected by the ancient laws
concerning that relation.
At her husbands death she is entitled to
the use and income for her life of one-third
of his real estate, and this 'dower" is hers
whether she ever had any children or not.
The rest of the real estate goes to the hus-
bands heirs
The widows share of personal property
varies in each State. Asa rule she has one
third of it and the children two-thirds. If
no children are living, or their descendants,
she has a larger share. one-halt in some
States, the whole in others
AS the widow is legally competent to
transact business she can be appointed ad-
ministratrix of her husbands estate and
guardian of the children.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07

notice or 1t would be dire offence. Suppose
we say the beginning of next week."
every well; I shall be qnite ready"
smiled Miriam.
They then talked over their plans, and
spoke of the house they meant to take at
Halstone as long as Sir James regiment
was quartered there, and Sir James
spirits rose at the idea of change. His
mother had depressed and worried him and
he was glad to go away from her. He was
yery cheerful at dinner in spite of the sour
looks which Lady MacKennon continually
directed at Miriam, and Miriam sang and
played to him during the evening, and Sir
James felt quite happy as he hung over the
piano and turned the pages of her mvsc
Lady MacKennon sat reading in her easy
chair, and presently Sir James went up to
her and told her that they intended to leave
Kintore on the following week. The
'dowager's thin blue lips quivered as she re-
ceived this communication, but for a
moment or two she made no comment.
'I suppose it's not gay enough for you
here" she said, bitterly.
'Oh, it's not that, mother, but have to
60 on duty"
81 thought you had two months leave,
James,. replied Lady MacKennon.
"At all events We are going next
week." said Sir James, who was not unwil-
ling to show his mother how deeply she had
annoyed him about his wife, and Lady Mac
Kennon made no further remark on their
leaving.
But the next morning at breakfast when
Sir James was as usual opening the letter.
bag and drawing out the letters, he thought
lessly gave little exclamation of surprise,
as be lifted one in his hand and looked st
the address. He had at the moment for
gotten what his mother had said the morn
| ing before, or he probably have made no re-
mark.
"Why, Miriam, here's another letter, {"
he said, 'sfor that maid of yours, in the
same handwriting as the one she got yester-
day, and-yes, actually it has been posted
| at Strathloe. Her young man must have
followed her here"
Al be said this he looked at his wife, and
he saw that Miriam had suddenly grown
very pale, and in an instant his mothers
inEnuations recurred to him. He glanced
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07

side, and put her hand timidly on his arm,
after first putting the letter addressed to
Ford in the pocket of her dress, an action
which the dowager's keen eyes duly noted.
"What are you going to do, James?"
said Miriam. He turned round and looked
at her.
Anything you like, DEAR" he answered.
'It's not very fine is it?" continued Mi
RAM, now in her turn looking vaguely at
the Ioch.
mo, it's not; look at the mist stealing
dewn from the hills, but it may clear up
later" said Sir James.
"Perhaps after luncheon; If you want me
to 60 out shall be upstairs-goodby for
the present then," said Miriam with .
somewhat forced smile, and she was turning
to leave her husbands side, when he put
his arm through hers.
'I will go with you as far as the hall, he
said; "then I'll go and look at the horses, I
think"
He was determined, In fact, not to be left
with his mother, and Lady NMacKennon
quite understood this, and soJtS and bitter
smile distorted her gray-tinted Ase a. the
young pair disappeared together fSpm the
room. -
"She is playing with fire." she thought
''and some day James will know it, for
they who have sown the wind shall reap the
whlrwInd.
In the meanwhile Miriam and Sir james
were standing for moment together at the
foot of the broad staircase.
'Will you come out for little while II
come for you in half an hour?" he said
"Yes, shall be very pleased" answ
Miriam; 81 shall be ready in half an
He stopped down and kissed her
feeling of protecting love for
heart.
"fPoor littls woman" he g.
turned away. He lit Gig
among the horses and do
feel very happy. He
from Kintore, and f.
hated the memoir
MacKennon's ev
Ford's letter,
| from himself
mistaksbly az
Something
| be?" he asked
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
PLAYING WITH FIRE.

PLAYING WITH FIRE
'You will see," replied Lady AIacKen-
non, grimly, and naturally Sir james felt
exceedingly annoyed.
But he tried not to show this to Miriam.
They had planned to pay a visit to the wife
of one of the neighboring lairds in the after
noon, and now he asked her to go out with
him to inspect the kennels, and the horses.
Miriam was fond of animals, and she there
fore went at once to put on her hat, and
went with him, and Sir James never limited
to her how his mother had disturbed him.
He felt, however, so angry with the dowager
that he determined to stay no longer at
Kintore.
IT think we have had about enough of
this little one," he said in the afternoon as
they drove by loch and brae, and mists crept
round them; ''the truth is November is not
the season for the Highlands, and think
we would be jollier at Halstone with the
regiment?"
"When do you think of going then,
James?" answered Miriam.
"Wel1, we must give the old lady some
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07

credit generally Of discovering petroleum.
came down there to see how the work OF
boring and pumping oil wells was per-
blacksmith here, to make tools for him and
60 up to Titusville to bore test well for
him. Smith made our saltpans as well as
tools FOR the wells, and we liked him as n a
but the offer he received from Drake was SO
much of an inducements that We could not
keep him, and he went up the river, By
and by Smith sent us reports about oil up
there that seemed fabulous.
Ex-MAYoR LOUIS PETERSON, JR--This man,
E L, Drake. I could not have bored s his .h f.. .
aid ne got from Allegheny county. was
managing my fathers salt works, besides
producing oil myself there. when. in 1858,
Drake drove up to our works in sleigh. He
had driven clear down from Oil creek. He
said he had tried to sink well up there in
search of oil, but the hole caved in on him,
and he did not know what to do. He want
visionary and put him off. He looked
around among the wells at Tareutum, and
finally made Smith, our blacksmith, an offer
to make tools like he made for our wells,
and go back with him to venango and Craw-
ford counties: Smith promised to consider
the matter. Now, this man Smith was in
some litigation at the time, and told him
from this part Of the country and get rid OF
his trouble. He said he Thought so, too, and
that he believed he would accept brakes
OFFER
They Found oceans Of OIL.
Along toward spring of 1859 Drake drove
back to Tarentum in q sleigh and got
Smiths promise to go up to Oil creek. Now,
Smith was an ingenious fellsw, a jaok-of-all-
trades, and prided himself on his workman
ship, and when he told me he was making
the tools for brakes venture I never felt
anything else than sanguine Of success up
there. But some months after they got
down to work on the first Drake we'll, / got q
a letter one day from smith-late in 1859
which opened with these words, "For Gods
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
THE GENIUS OF WEBSTER.
Similar Traits Of Character to Frances
Famous Victor Hugo.

Similar Traits Of Character to Frances
Famous Victor Hugo.
'There is something in Webster that re-
minds me of Victor Hugo" says James
Russell Lowell in Ha,per's Magazine 'There
is the same confusion at times OF what is big
with what is great, the same fondness for
the merely spectacular, the same insensibil-
ity to repulsive details, the same indiffer-
ence to the probable or even to the natural,
the same leaning toward the grotesque, the
same love of effect at whatever cost; and
there is also the same impressiveness of
result
sWhatever other effect Webster may pro-
duce upon Us, he never leaves us indiffer-
ent. We may blame, We may criticise, a.
much - We will; We may say that all this
ghastliness is only trick of theatrical blue
light; We shudder, and admire nevertheless
We may say he is q melodramatic, that his
figures are magic-lsntern pictures that
waver and change shape with the curtain
on which they are thrown; 1t matters not,
he stirs us with an emotion deeper than any
mere arti6ce could STIR
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
BY DORA RUSSELL,
Author of footprints the Snow "The Broken Sea The
Track of the Storm" "a Fatal Past Etc
SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH


asnoe the
eses S Dr. Reed her
in
should
about Ihs Colonel begins RS6e Joan
the
The letter
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
COPYRIGHT, 1892 BY DORA RUssELLl


quickly and uneasily at the dowager, and
she looked at him in return, and then at
Miriam's agitated face. There was sort Of
grim triumph in her expression, and her
looks said very plainly-T told you so. I"
Sir James, however, ignored his mothers
glance. He rose quieay and with q certain
dignity of manner a moment later, went to
where his wife was sitting at the breakfast
table, carrying the letter addressed to Ford
with him.
"Here's your maids letter, Miriam" he
said, and he laid it on the table beside her.
'rThank you," she answered, II shall
give it to her." and she put out trembling
hand, and turned the letter with the di-
rection downward.
A great restraint fell on the little party
after this An uneasiness he could not
subdue was in Sir James heart; fear and
anxiety in Miriam's; and bitter satisfaction
| in Lady MacKennon's But strained mo-
ments pass like pleasant ones, and pres
emily Sir James, having finished his break
fast without his usual appetite, rose and
went to the window, and stood gazing
vaguely out on the blue-green waters of the
loch. His attitude, somehow, was unlike
| himself, and Miriam glanced at him un-
easily. Then she rose and went to his
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
Inhablrants Of the Deem.

Many of the dwellers of the deep seas
have no eyes, and are, therefore, unaffected
by the total absence of light, which is one
Of the characteristics Of great ocean depths.
Others, besides having from to 1U0 eyes.
carry torches Of phosphorescent light, which
nature has kindly provided for the denizens
Of the deep.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
Some Facts About Toes.

Some authorities insist that the great toe
ought to project farthest, others that it
should not project quite SO far as the second
toe; while others, again, maintain that the
two should be of equal length. 1t is we'll
known that in antique statues the second
toe is usually the longer of the two, while
the first is longer in living men.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
PART III.

o doubt it was the
marketing of petroleum
as a medicine that sepa-
rated Hon. B. f. Jones,
the prom i ne n t iron
manufacturer, and S. NJ.
hier. in a business way.
They had 10 ng been
associated. Th e first
e m pl o y m ent B. F.
Jones ever had was OBJ
tanned in the Pittsburg
office of the Mechanics
Line of canal boats be-
tween this city and
Philadelphia, with a
branch line to tidewater
Of Hevre do Grace Md
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
FIRST OIL REFINERY.
Sam Kier Got the Idea of
Clarifying His Petroleum
in the Year 1858.
A PHILADELPHIA CHEMIST
Advised Him and Re Constructed a
Single Barrel Affair.
THIS WAS AFTERWARD STOLEN.
Colonel Drake Got His Pointers From the
Allegheny Salt Wells
A PHILADELPHIA CHEMIST
THIS WAS AFTERWARD STOLEN.
Colonel Drake Got His Pointers From the
Allegheny Salt Wells.
TUNNEnNG FOR THE GOLDEN GREASE

Below is the second installment of the
story of the discovery of petroleum from
the pen of the late L. E Stofel. As stated
a week ago this was the last newspaper
work he did.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07

Nerve Restofer. No ats AFTER Afst days use. Mar
yelous curss Treatise and y 90 TRIAL bottle free 70
Fit cases. DE-. Kline sN Arch ST.. Phila.. Pa. ~
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-03-10
A MARKED DIFFERENCE.

Blaine's Letter of Withdrawal Four Year,
Ago and Now.
1t Is worth while to recall as a matter
of historic interest, if for no other pur.
pose, the fact that Mr.. Blaine on the
25th of January, 1888, wrote letter to
the then chairman of the republican
national committee stating that bis
n anne would not be presented to the
convention which had been called for
the following June. It may be worth
while, also, to recall that in the letter
referred to he gave the reasons which
seemed to him sufficient to Justify his
course; and that he discussed at length
the political situation and congratu.
lated the party on the brightness of its
outlook as indicated by the events OF
the preceding four years.
Bearing these facts in mind it /.
notewor thy that in his recent with.
drawal Mr.. Blaine does not give pub
LEFTY to the reasons which have i'm
PEELED him to withdraw. Neither does
he congratulate his party on the out
look or refer with pride to recent po-
itica1 events as indicative of probabl
success. He lays stress on the impor-
lance of the issues-just as he did in
1883; but in his letter of the lat
ter year he declared that ION the
result of such an issue Chat of the
tariff fairly presented to the popular
judgment there is no room for doubt |"
In his recent letter he declares that
'the popular decision on these issues
mot specified except in the vague state
ment that the industrial and financial
policies of the government are at stake)
is of great moment;'' but he studiously
refrains from expressing the opinion
that there is no doubt as to the result.
The contrast is significant. In view
of it the country may also recall with
profit that the 1883 letter, though so
much fuller and more emphatic than the
recent letter, was not accepted as final
and that he was compelled to supple
ment it with a dispatch in June asking
his friends to refrain from voting for
h i'm in the convention. And they do
say that all of his friends with the ex-
ception of his fool friend Boutelle-
understood him to mean that they
were only to refrain from voting for
him in case it became apparent that he
could not be nominated, and that he
has never forgiven Boutelle for taking
him at his wOrd-DetrOit Free Press
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-03-10
MEHER MAULED.

The Prize Fight at New Orleans Ends in a
Victory For FItzsImmons-
NEW ORLEANS, March 3.-Peter Ma
her of Ireland. aspirant for heavy
weight honors, and Robert Fitzsim-
mons the New Zealander. who is mid
dleweight champion of the world, met
last night before the Olympic club Of
this city, for a purse of $4,000, OF
which the loser gets a 81, 600.
The Olympic had an arena which
seated nearly 5000 people By the ad-
dition of galleries, the utilization OF
corners and economy of space in every
possible way, the capacity was in
creased to 6, 900, and it was fully tested
last night
The betting was heavy and seemed
to run in favor Of Maher from the start
When time was called, Fitzsimmons
opened the ball by feinting. Maher
made two leads for the face and Fitz
countered on the eye Maher made
another lead and missed. Both men
missed let's and Fitz jabbed his left
glove into Makers nose Eitz knocked
Maher down with a right under the
Jaw and landed on Makers nose When
Maher got up Fitz staggered him with
another left and repeated 1t a moment
later with the right Maher bled
freely from the mouth and nose and
knocked Fitz down as time was called.
This was a terrible round and both
men were carried to their corners The
fight continued until the twelfth round
in which Maher gave up the fight and
Fitzsimmons was declared the victor.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-03-10
BATTLING FOR BREAD.

Such Was the Case i'm yIenna-Twelve
thousand Men and Women Assembled.
VIENNA, March o--The distribution
of free bread to the poor at the Offices
of the socialist paper, Volks Presse,
was attended with great deal of dis
order. Eight thousand loaves were pro-
vided, but fully u, 900 men and women
Assem- bled in front of the offices with the
hope of receiving a share When il be-
came known that the supplies had been
exhausted many of those who received
nothing assalled others more fortunate
and fought with maniacal fury for tho
food they coveted. posSessors of which
fiercely defended their rights against
their ravenous opponents In the crush
ten women were injured The efforts
of stroug force were finally successful
in checking the rioting.
The list of subscribers to the burgo-
masters fund for the relief of the un-
employed IS headed by the emperor with
contri button of 8, 500 The Springer
Bros gave S.. 600.
The inhabitants ofArva- the northern
most country of Hungary, are suffer
ing from an epidemic of typhus and
other deadly diseases in addition to
the famine which prevails there
The people are reduced TO such
straits for food that they are compelled
to eat the barks of trees and pine cones
The president of the lower house of the
Austrian diet has announced that he
has made arrangements for sending re-
lief to the suffering people