New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-27
JOHN MOOSMAN. "SNELLEK. -
HE GREW RICH LOCATING OIL WELLS BY
Ills SENSITIVE. NOSE

one or the best-knoNu and thoroughly unique
personages i'm the Nest Virginia oil fields WAS
Killed 10y railroad this city yesterday
evening says story from l'arkershuIg. W. Va, in
The Pittsburg Dispatch
lie John Moosman. sixty-three years old.
and a native Of Switzerland. Till 1889 lie lived
on small farm back of St. Marys. and had
neither wealth nor prominence. When he died he
was known personally every oil man in the
State. and was worth 100000
lie was what known a "smeller.' He
possessed the gift. believed by oil men to be
supernatural OF locating oil by merely passing over
the surface of the ground. without any Of the
vitchery of hazel switches peach-tree forks. or
other devices. supposed years ago 10 accompany
such efforts to locate water wells That ne pos
sessed this faculty no one doubts. for there
hundreds of material proofs Of his work
When the oil excitement first struck the vicinity
81 Belmont. this STATE. about ten years Moos-
man tried 10 induce some of the prospectors pay
him a fee TO select locations for wells. His
proposition that he could lind oil. ii 1t existed
huS he'd at by some, but when wells drilled
where he said there OIL. and
found. more credence Was placed in his word.
Later. he secured Wilson Hurley for a client. and
located live producing wells for him in d space o
ten acres. This feat made Moosman's Ieputa tion.
FROM that t1lne ON ms services were almost in
sts,nt demand. and hundreds VI susheIs nave been
drilled Oh spots which se4ected. while many
projects have been abandOI! because he declared
there Vas no oii under the spots selected by tins
projectors OF OIL prises.
Among me most noted Of his locations
famous LubecA Oil Company susher. near Cairo
which has made al I.enGeIs the OrIsin,I
company wealthy. and which leo the deve4op-
W st Virginia
FABULOUS SUNS PAID HIM.
-'~ the last few years he ~ Com
nAnd fabulous sums for locating wells ana as ne
xieW more wealthy he cared for his case li.An
Tie oilers OF clients. I4,tey he mad operated I'm
~ himself. and, with MS wondeTfu faculty his
sA'ooss was phenomenal Wealthy oil concerns
A1nsnS them the local corporations OF Sian4s-
Ard. Kept detectives constantly employed 10 watch
~ oosman whenever ne went from home with In
slr uodons TO buy or lease and any price in the
vscAnity of places where he located wells for him
s-iE by Ills plan many persons have shared las
- osperity
-is Leaves a family ..nd o.e u his sous was SUI
posed possess his fathers faculty. but expert
mcnts made by AoosInan himself proved fal
lacy OF this belief. The old would take boy |
With him on his expeditions but III no instance did
The younger Moo5man show any ability detect
vLat appeared open book father.
low the old man read the geography OF Inc OIL
pools located frequently from 10 three thou
sAnd feet beow the surface. is a my stery which he
never volunteered TO clear up. and which offers OF
cash would induce him TO ex pain lie was
stone deaf. and had not spoken a for NOR,
chan twenty years
His communications all by finger signs ne
being poorly educated. and not capable of ma king
himself ineligible by written characters Even tn.
deaf and dumb alphabet was OF little to him.
and hs conducted nearly all his business through
a d
OF whom could understand his every motion
I possibly this inability express himself |
70 Others and the knowledge that his children did
his faculty. that prevented reve,, ir
his method. but certain IL IS that knows
what sensations. If any. produced upon nm
BY the presence OF oil beneath him
Persons OF a scientific turn have attempted TO
get from him some statement whether he read the
presence OF oil by II nervous Impressions
whether the sensations produced akin cleo
triCal phenomena. whether the knowledge came
to him revelation from some supernatural
force. but these efforts all proved futile. though
his children, who are educated and Interested in |
scientific side OF the case. made every effort 10
Aid.
stated above. Moosman stone deaf ano
that what led to his death. His children had |
s<ten warned him of the danger walking on |
railroads but he paid no attention to them. on
Bevera. previous occasions had escapes
from being down 10y trains. His death wax
tantaneous and painless. there being but a small
scar his forehead to show where the locomotive