The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-13
PITHOLE's RISE AND FALL.
Farm Lands Now Where stood the
Third City of Pennsylvania.
Pittsburg Dispatch.

I1LtSDuTS OlSpatCn.
Who has not heard of Pithole? Every oil
man of the country pricks up his ears at
the sound; at instant later a shade of
recollection of blighted hopes, fearful
cumulated, grand possessions suddenly
swept away, sweeps over his face Every
oil man has heard of Pithole.
Pithole's rise, birth or origin. was Jan
/, 1864. Upon a farm in Nenango county
some enterprising ''wildcatters" struck oil
Twas the famous Well No. 4 T. S.. and
1t was a gusher Within two months Pit
hole was a borough of six thousand souls,
and by the middle of the summer it was
city of fully twenty thousand.
When the 6reeS commenced to shed their
golden and yellow leaves the great city
then the third in population probably in
Pennsylvania had reached the zenith Of it's
growth. There were dozen good hotels
three churches, and even two theaters
Each one of these institutions was thriv-
ing, too. Two railroads were built to the
city and several others. had been pro-
jected. All of the accessories to big rich
city were provided in Pithole There was
nothing lacking which men of money de-
manded.
Land. Why. the land around Pithole at
that time could only be bought by heaping
for the more ordinary and h&mble looking
stun which was supposed TO cover the
precious petroleum which then lowered
around 80 per barrel in price. Farming, of
course, was given up. The tiller of the
soil gave way to the driller into the rock
Farmers sold their farms for fabulous
widest dreams. Yet some of them. as is the
case with all men, held back. One old man
owned farm of over two hundred acres.
Copeland was mis- name. He refused an Of
fer of 100000 for his place maintaining
that if he sold out he would have nowhere
to go to- Another agriculturst of that
neighborhood refused to dispose of $50 acres
for $4,000. He demanded 100000 and
wouldn't take cent less. He never got u
cent for his land, as it afterward turned
out, for his land upon being tested yielded
no oil, and he was left to scratch the sur
face of the land for the poor living he
could get from his scanty crops.
Pithole was a great business place while
in its glory. 1t had its stores and banks,
and the postoffice was reckoned one of the
most important in the country. A tremen-
dous amount of trade was done there. The
demand for supplies upon the rest of the
country gave it great commercial impor-
lance. While it had all the places of amuse-
ment that could be desired, it was a work
a-day place The whole country for miles
al ound was honeycombed by the indefati-
gable drillers Millions of dollars were
made in and around Pithole and millions of
dollars sunk into the earth or squandered
in the town itself. The life of but too many
was of that come easy, go easy" sort.
But Pithole is Pithole no more. 1t reached
its top notch in one short year and came
down almost quickly as il Sprang up.
The great fire there FASTENED its downfall.
There was nothing of the phoenix about
this place. To get into the city now YOU
must either climb a fence or let down the
bars. The whole site of the place, public
buildings and all. were. but three or four
by a farmer for only $1,000. Since then he
has farmed there, and most of the place is
used 10 grow grains or as pasture for
cattle.
business in the State was done, is now the
home OF barn swallows and other birds.
while in it's shade the peaceful cattle love
to repose on hot August afternoon. Grass