The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-05
JACOB LONG, OIL WIZARD.
Forked Stick Predictions said to BE In-
variably Accurate.

jefferson City Corr Chicago Chronicle.
A familiar figure on the streets of this
city is that of an old, gray-haired man,
with a once powerful frame. now bent
with age, and which shows the effects
of unceasng toll. He is none other than
Jacob Long. the Indiana oil wizard
whose phenomenal predictions have at
tracted the attention of those who were
the first to ridicule his theory Twenty
years ago, when vet in his prime. Long
was sought after far and near. He was
known as a water witch and whenever
a sawmill or place of residence was Sc
lected it was then that Long was called
upon to see if nature had made a pro-
vision for water BY means OF a forked
stick, one prong of which he held in
each hand, and the single prong point
| ing upward, Long would begin his
search for the vein of water. AS he
passed over the vein the forked stick
would turn in his hands and point
downward.
So unerringly did Long perform his
work that no thought of putting down
well in his vicinity unless the water
witch was consulted.
Once about 20 years ago, while Long
was searching for water his fOrked
peach limb performed such antics that
even the diyiner was amazed. When
seeking to locate water the stick always
turned outward from him and 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 phenomena was more than Long
could comprehend. He studied about
it several weeks and finally Went to
J. II. Dowell, who is now, as he was
then, one of the most prominent citi-
zens here. and inquired what else could
be found in the earth. Dowell, after in
numerating many natural products,
stated that in some parts of the coun-
try oil and gas were also found. Long
then announced to his rural neighbOrs
| that under their farms lay vast reser-
voirs of gas and oil. So absurd did this
seem that he was laughed at and sus-
picons east upon his sanity. He tried
to induce some of his acquaintance to
aid in proving his assertions but with
! out success. BY hard work he had Sc
/ cured d little farm and when confronted
by financial difficulties he decided it To
| a brother. who subsequently refused to
| deed it back.
Long naturally 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, lhio.
Dili liS Ills SldN IGIttt TIE county tA-
/ 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
4 his own, he gave his services for little
! or nothing. He worked hard to accu-
/ mulate money to put down a well for
4 himself, but fortune was reluctant to
smile upon him. He claims now to pos
/ sess the secret of a pool of oil three
4 miles wide and a little over mile long
/ in the Ohio field. which he hopes some
1 time to test and Of which he has told
no one the location
4 While in Ohio he learned that his pre-
diction made to a neighbor in this
county 20 years ago had been verified
and he returned here. His predictions
since then have been accurate and pre-
else and he IS now beginning to enjoy
the local fame he has so long sought.
Al the Kamer well, drilled on the Sam
Gadburg lease a mile east of this city.
the grizzled old oil wizard said there
would be no oil, and he was right not :
Withstanding two small oil producing
wells in the'immediate vicinity and oil
men confidently predicted that this par
| ticular well would be gusher.
On the Harry Carroll farm, a mile
and a half west of this city, the wizard
located a well for the Manhattan Oil
company. although there was not an oil
well in a radius of several miles from
there, and it was situated in wildcat ter
ritory Long not only said it would be a
good well. but stated the exact depth
that oil would be encountered, and
within a few inches the thickness of the
oil bearing rock or sand. He positively
states that this we'll is ON the edge Of
a great oil pool. which is a little to the
southeast. This wildcat we'll located is
now making $50 barrels a day and the
/ same company is putting two more
I wells adjoining h1t
| companies are being attracted TO the
! field. which. it is believed is destined
/ to outrival the famous Peru field All
this comes about through the efforts Of
! the oil wizard. who was jeered at and
! considered a lunatic 20 years ago for
predicting that there was oil within the
boundaries of the state. The faith
Longs farmer friends now have i'm him
is shown by their eagerness to drill an
abandoned we'll 200 feet deeper. as di-
rected by the wizard.
The Manhattan Oil company drilled
well on the Knox farm. four miles
north of town, near the wizards home.
He predicted that its production would
be greater than any well in the state.
| The company experienced great diff
Guilty in putting down the well and
! finally abandoned it after reaching the
regulation 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 well
200 feet deeper, as Long strenuously
. contends and his followers believe it
/ will result as he predicts. On many
other wells he has gratuitously volun-
teered his predictions with great accu-
racy.
Long is so years old and a bachelor.
Although he was born in this country.
I he can speak English only brokenly
| and prefers German. He admits that
aside from being able To locate OH wells
he is the most ignorant man in the
country. being unable 10 read or write
| and knowing very little of the outside
world