Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-05-18
WIZARD OIL FINDER,
JACOB LONG OF INDIANA LOCATES
THE FLUID.

JACOB LONG OF INDIANA LOCATES
THE FLUID.
Recent Discoveries With His Forked Stick
Have Added to His Reputation-Lone
Before the Oil Fever Became Epidemic
He Was Known AZ the Water Wizard.
Down at Jefferson, Ind, lives a man
who has been famous because Of his IN.
erring prediction as to the location Of
oil streams in the bowels of the earth.
His name is Jacob Long. He does the
trick with a forked stick.
Twenty years ago, when yet in his
prime, Long was sought after far and
near. He was known as a water witch,
and whenever a sawmill or place Of res
idence was selected it was then that
Long was called upon t. see if nature
had made provision for water. By means
Of a forked stick, one prong Of which
he held in each hand, with the single
prong pointing upward, Long would be.
gin his search for the vein Of water. As
he passed over the vein the forked stick
would turn in his hands and point
downward.
Once, about 20 years ago, while Long
was searching for water his forked
peach limb performed such antics that
even the diviner was amazed. When
seeking to locate WE
ways turned outward I.uu4 ni.u n
pointed down, but only when standing
directly over the vein Of water and
losing the strange power when it was
crossed. But on this occasion the peach
limb turned both inward and outward
and on any place within a several acre
tract.
This phenomenon was more than Long
could comprehend. He studied about it
several weeks and finally went to J. H.
Dowell, a man Of learning, and inquir-
ed what else could be found in the earth.
Dowell, after enumerating many natu-
raj products, stated that in some parts
Of the country oil and gas were also
found. Long then announced to his ru-
raj neighbors that under their farms lay
vast reservoirs Of gas and oil. So absurd
did this seem that he was laughed at
and suspicious cast upon his sanity. He
tried to induce some Of his aoquaint-
ances to aid in proving his assertions,
but without success. BY hard work he
had secured a little farm, and when
confronted by financial difficulties he
decided it to a brother, who subsequent
ly refused to deed it back. Long natu-
rally resented this injustice, and after
a stormy interview with his brother he
decided to try his fortunes in another
state. He went to Crawford county, O.
During his stay there the county ex.
perienced an oil boom, in which Jake
and his forked stick cut quite a figure.
Finding few who would believe in his
strange power and having no money Of
his own, he gave his services for little
OF nothing. He worked hard to count.
late money to put down a we'll for him.
self, but fortune was reluctant to smile
upon him. He claims now to possess the
secret of q pool of oil three miles wide
and a little over a mile long in the Ohio
field, which he hopes some time to test
and Of which he has told no one the 10.
cation.
While in Ohio he learned that his
prediction made to q neighbor in Clin- |
ton county 20 years ago had been veri-
fed, and be returned to Jefferson. His
predictions since then have been aoou-
rate and precise, and he is now begin
ming to enjoy the local fame he has so
long sought.
At the Kamer we'll, drilled on the
Sam Gadbury lease, a mile east Of Jeffer-
son, the grizzled old oil wizard said there
would be no oil, and he was right, not
withstanding two small oil producing
wells in tho immediate vicinity, and oil
men confidently predicted that this par
we'll would be q gusher.
On the Harry Carroll farm, a mile
and a half west, the wizard located a
we'll for the Manhattan Oil company,
although there was not an oil we'll in a
Of several miles from there, and
it was situated in wildcat territory.
Long not only said 1t would be a good
we'll, but stated the exact depth that
oil would be encountered and within a
few inches the thickness Of the oil bear
rock y sand. He positively states
that this well is Oh the edge Of a great
Dil pool, which is q little to the south.
hast.
This wildcat we'll located is now
$50 barrels a day, and the same
company is putting two more wells on
adjoining leases, and other companies
are being attracted to the field, which,
1t is believed, is destined to outrival
he famous Peru field. The faith Longs
farmer friends now have in him is
'hown by their eagerness to drill an
abandoned we'll 400 feet deeper, as di-
:ected by the wizard.
The Manhattan Oil company drilled q
we'll N the Knox farm, four miles north
II Jefferson, near the wizards home.
He predicted that its production would
70 greater than any we'll in the state.
The company experienced great difficult
y in putting down the we'll and finally
it after reaching the regula.
lion depth, when it was a strong gasser.
Drilling stopped 200 feet short Of the
wizards required limit, and now a
movement is on foot to drill the we'll
200 feet deeper, as Long strenuously
contends and his followers believe it
will result as he predicts. On many
,ther wells he has gratuitously volun-
;eered his predictions with great aocu.
Long is 60 years old and q bachelor.
Although be was born in Indiana, be