davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
Babcock, F. l.. Jones and w. A. Rob

Babcock, F. l.. Jones and W. A. Rob-
erts.
The company is not incorporated
and business is carried on as q CO.
partnership.
The drilling of the Great Gusher
was forlorn hope. The company
had already drilled one we'll on its
lease of 155 acres and had found the
sand as dry as powder. Under the
lease a forfeit would have to be
paid if two wells were not sunk. The
forfeit would amount to about the
samo loss as the drilling of well.
With the slenderest Ishadow of a
hope-merely, in gambling parlance,
to "have run for their money"-the
partners decided in favor of the WELL
Iu selecting the bluff near the upper
end of the property they disregarded
the advice of experienced oil pros
pectors. To drill there was Pro-
nounced an act Of folly.
To emphasize the hopelessness OF
The case work was begun on Good
Friday, April ID. Any gambler woul d
have laid big odds against such an
unhappy combination.
For ten days the drill burrowed it:
way through varying strata. On Mon
day, April %. it gnawed slowly for al
hour through hard formation NOR,
than an eighth Of mile below thu
nprfacel
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

A few years ago famous actor was
asked what was tho most amusing
thing-not down on the bills-which
he had ever met with in his long theat-
rieal experience. He replied that once
in play in which he appeared, en- Ice
cream freezer, presumably filled with
cream, was among the properties dis
played to the audience. 1t was not
practicable to equip the freezer with
real ice cream, so its place was sup
piled by cotton. One of the actors had
occasion to cross the stage with fam
Ing torch, and a spark from the torch
must have fallen into the freezer. for,
to the Joy OF the audience, which
greeted the casualty with enthusiastic
applause, the ice cream was incon-
sistent enough to burn up then and
there, thus inflicting a serious blow
upon the realism" OF the performance
New York Mail and Express.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
and filed the tank with roaring and

and filed the tank with roaring and
a splashing that sang of millions.
sShe's struck oilp' was the shout;
and it echoed down the valley and be-
yond, till at every farmers door and
on into the cities were echoed the
magic words, "Struck DILL"
Every telegraph wire in the land
flashed the story of the Blossburg Oil.
Company's Great Gusher, and capital
lists began to speculate on the strange
Developments that might follow the
discovery of subterranean petroleum
lake east of the Alleghanies.
AS for the Great Gusher, it spouted
forth 1900 barrels the first day and
$500 the second day.
Before noon on the third day it had
repaid the partners their entire ex-
penses on the lease-the investment
had cost them only $500.
At the close of the fifth day they
were $4,000 richer for the mere
trouble of catching the oil.
Then the Great Gusher sobered
down to the cheerful song of $1,000 q
day. and this it continues to sing,
week days and Sundays, with no sign
of WEAKNESS.
1t is the greatest we'll known to the
northern oil fields since 1882, when
the Cherry Grove field, in Warren
County, Penn, made the world ring
with tales of sudden fortune.
Cherry Grove knocked the bottom
out of oil prices and ruined thousands
of men engaged in the oil business
elsewhere. Blossburg may do the
same thing if it proves to be over q
big lake of oil and not merely a small
pool. as was the case with Cherry
Grove, which exhausted itself in q
year.
This important question can be
settled only when test wells have been
sunk for miles around, and from the
way spectators are rushing into the
Pine Greek region doubts must soon
be dispelled.
The Blossburg property is being
honey-combed with drills. A we'll near
the Great Gusher is yielding $40 bar
rels day, and another is productive
in a smaller degree.
Just what kind of sand the oil comes
from no one knows. AS soon as the
tools pierced the she'll the we'll flowed
and no sand was bailed out. Whether
there is ten feet of it or fifty, whether
it is brown, white or gray, no one
knows as yet. The company has been
kept too busy caring for the oil tc
worry about the color or thickness OF
the sand in which it has been stored
up.
The little town of Gaines has &C.
ouired some of the character OF q
Western mining camp. The hotel has
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
DOOR OF OYSTERS SAVED HIM
It Reminded the d. Ing Reprobate OF
Home and Boy hood Days.


Homo and Doyhood Days.
The story was lold by railroad con-
tractor over the black coffee Of GER
tain Bohemian table d'hote in the old
quarter. II never fully appreciates
that proverb about finding a mans
heart through his stomach" he said,
until couple of years ago, when
was doing a bit Of construction worn
On the Texas and Pacific. out beyond
Alexandria. One day a Swapping big
fellow we all knew as Chicago Pete,
who was bossing a shovel gang, was
struck by falling derrick and had
half dozen ribs crushed in. He was
dying when they brought him to camp
preacher, who happened to be riding
by at the time the accident occurred.
l made the poc- fellow as comfortable
as could in my shanty and the par
son undertook to administer spiritual
consolation, but he soon found he had
a rather difficult Job. Chicago Pete
had been a pretty tough customer all
his life and had most Of the traits
that decent folks can get along with
out, but he entertained supreme con-
tempt for death-bed determinations and
told the preacher so with picturesque
establishment of profanity that made
the good mans hair bristle on his
head. Nevertheless he stuck to his
task and for upward Of an hour he
pleaded with the sufferer to repent be-
fore 1t was too late. Finally, when he
was about to give up in despair, my
cook. next door began to fry some
oysters which l had secured thai
morning as a special treat, and as
their faint odor drifted into the shanty
Pete suddenly opened his eyes. Then
oysters reminds me OF home, he SAID
When you were a boy?' asked the
minister, taking the cue as quick a:
lightning. Yes said Pete, my mother
used to fry oysters that smelt just lik'
them do Then think Of her now, m!
dear friend' the minister cut In
Think of your poor old gray-halre'
nlotherr and between the redoublet
odor of the oysters and the earnest
ness of his appeal Pete was actuall!
shedding tears in less than five min
utes. Will you join me in prayer
asked the preacher presently. Yes
said Pete, If you'll leave the doc
open so 1 can keep on smelling tneh
oysters, and a little later he passes
quietly away in the odor OF sanctit.
and hot grease That's a true story
boys, and wherever may Peter bs
7 trust that all is well with him. ii
was a good fellow at the bottom an
he died like a Christian and gentle
man."
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
BOYS WHOLACK GOOD MANNER

The Never Give Up Their Seat In Pub
lilo Conveyances to Ladies'.
Nine out of ten of the boys and young
men who travel up and down the ele-
waited roads of New York are absolute
ly void of good manners as are lot OF
wild Indians-probably more so. 1t
is so seldom that one of these will get
up and give lady seat that when
it does occur the event creates sur
prise. Scores, yes hundreds OF times,
have seen old and middle aged wom-
en- hang on to strap mile after mile,
while some unlocked whelp Of a boy has
sat in front of her In stolid indiffer-
ence. Nor were these always loafers
or boys going to their work-fully as
often the selfish fellow will be we'll
dressed schoolboy or one whose man
ners otherwise will show a decent
bringing up and good manners at
home They don't care. that's all. They
have been taught it by somebody.
Time and again l have seen mother
sit complacently with half grown boy
or girl beside her, while other women
stood up. Did she care? Did she sug-
gest to the boy that he should arise
and give his seat to some poor old
woman? Not bit of it. She had paid for
that seat and meant to keep 1t in the
family. In such cases I have always
hoped that she might be clinging to a
strap the rext time, while come other
mothers darling kicked his feet
against her dress and stared at her in
complacent selfshness. There is prob
ably not city In America that can
compare with New York for the num-
Der of street car hogs to the square
foot. This don't mean the boys only,
by long shot.-Oleveland Plain
Dealer.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

mountainside had been offered at auc-
ton before a drill had been sunk it
would not have fetched ten cents an
acre. Now there is not an acre that
would not sell for $1,000, with a mob
of bidders fighting for precedence.
Pine Creek, tie most famous trout
stream in Pennsylvania, is the centre
of this oil rush, which rivals the gold
rush of Cape Nome. The big we'll
there are many smaller ones arou nd
it, and more are being sunk every day
is three-quarters of mile south
east of Gaines, Tioga County. 1t
penetrates the rock for 654 feet near
the edge of bluff that rises 100 feet
from the bed of Pine Creek.
There was time when the hills for
miles in every direction were COW
cred with the finest pines in Pennsyl-
vania. But the creek has floated out
billions of feet of timber, and now the
region is desolate one Of stumps and
brambles, repellant alike to the agri-
culturist and the artist.
The story of the "Great Gusher,
rs it is known in the parlance of oil
men, is one of the romances of for
tune, deserving place beside the
bonanza tales of California and Ne
vada. Those for whom the well is
pouring forth its $1,000 day are coun-
try merchants and professional men,
formerly of moderate means, none OF
whom knew anything about the oil
business. They are former Senator
Walter Merrick, John Aylesworth,
Del. Aylesworth, William Aylesworth,
DR.. d. o. Merrick, George Clark, j.
d. Connors, w. S. Scott, Mark Davis,
W. H. McCarty, A. E. Botchford, H.
r. Whitaker, F. II. Stratton, W. G.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

heBlosSburg"Gus /
Greatest Oil Strike on Record.
PgNNsYLvANIAs NEW KLoNDIKE.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

X RIVER Of oil has created a
~ second Klondike in Penn
~ sylvania. 1t has made a
city of mountainside hith-
srto sacred to rattlesnakes.
1t has added millions to the real
estate values and made heiresses OF
poor farmers daughters for many a
nile around.
Most important of all, it has proved
that the biologists were wrong when
they decided, years ago, that oil
would never be tapped east OF the AL
eghany watershed, and it suggests
the possibility of the worlds oil mar
ket being flooded to such degree as
10 bring prices down to next to moth
ing that is, if Mr.. Rockefeller were
not here to keep them up and put the
difference in his pocket.
Such, in brief, are the facts concern
ir g the Blossburg Oil Company's well,
the source of river which is jealousy
caught and imprisoned as it gushes
from the earth, because every gallon
of it is worth money.
1t is pouring out wealth at the rate
Of 1855, 900 year-a thousand dollars
n day-and it represents only the be-
ginning of what may be expected OF q
region where land is ten thousand
times more valuable to-day than il
was before the oil discoveries.
This last is literal fact. Ii the
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

been overlooking for three weeks and
the proprietor has secured every vacant
room in town for his guests. The
telegraph and telephone have become
metropolitan in their activity. Keen
men with large bank accounts roam
everywhere, swapping up speculative
chances. Their talk is all of barrels
and dollars, leases and wells, drills
and Pipe lines.
The Standard Oil Company, alive to
the great possibilities of the new field,
is laying four-inch pipe line across
the mountain to connect with their
main pipe line twenty miles away.
On the lighter side of human ma
ture at the Pine Creek rush are
ranged the clairvoyants and hazel
twig magicians who infest new oil
fields. One of these ''oil smellers"
will sell out his occult gifts as pros
pector for from $40 10 $3.50, accord
ing to the means and credulity of his
| client
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

it, eat a vegetable diet, not eat late
suppers, go to bed early, not fret, not
90 where he'll get excited, and not
forget to take nap after dinner.
Though he is a doctor himself, he
threw all his medicine away years ago,
and he says he does not know what an
ache or pain is. He takes regular de-
light in his gifts to colleges, but will
not allow anyone to make hero OF
him, as he hates excitement. He
says a man must "keep cool" If he
wants to live hundred years. cts
the worst thing in the world" he
maintains, "to get angry or cross. "
He gets up at 6, eats light break
fast, works till noon, eats vegetable
and fruit dinner, without tea or cot
fee, takes it easy the rest of the day
and goes to bed at 8. He says he
does not want to die till he has given
away all his money.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
(,lanu Caughtt

In Paris there lives an eminent
painter who is economical and SEN
tentious. The other day one OF tho
students broke pane OF glass In the
studio window and replaced 1t tenn
porarily by passing sheet of paper
over the aperature. When the painter
came down next morning he thrust
his cane through the makeshift with
the remark, "He that breaks pays"
None of the class, however, took the
hint, and next morning another sheet
Of paper was pasted across the win
dow. 1t met with the same fate. And
10 on the next day, and so on the
fourth. On the fifth day, when the
artist came down, there was the pa
per as before. Fire flashed from his
eyes, and roaring, He that breaks
DAYS" and he drove his cane through
the paper-and through the pane be-
hind it that had been put in by the
students and then carefully pasted
over with a sheet of paper.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

1t is proposed to establish Chinese
commercial schools in England which
would be assisted by the government
and which would train young men Tor
sarvioe in the Chinese export tra1e
Singing is now recommended as
,uya for disease. There are diseases
and diseases. And, naturally, there
is some singing apd other singing
Astronomers are busily searching
Car another world. And yet this one
seems to be more than people can
readily handle.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

When Gen. Zachary Taylor was In
command at Fort Knox, near vincen-
mes, Ind, Jefferson Davis. afterward
president of the southern confederacy,
was a lieutenant in the army, and was
with his company at the fort. Tradi-
ton has 1t that Davis and Miss Tay-
lor, whom he afterward married. took
stroils upon the prairie near the fort,
and that they often seated themselves
upon a large stone which lay on a
knoll some distance away. 1t Is said
that while seated thus one day Davis
proposed marriage to Miss Taylor and
was accepted.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
Most Beautiful Woman in Cuba.

Senorita Silvia Alfonso y ALBANIA,
whose portrait is here shown, has
been voted the beauty queen of Cuba.
The election was recently held in
Havana preparatory to the carnival to
be shortly given there. over which
Senorita Alfonso will reign. Some
twenty well-known beauties of the
island were contestants for the honor.
Sonora Josefina Herrara de Pulido,
the daughter of Count Fernandina,
was the last Cuban senorita to. be
similarly honored.
Silvia Alfonso was born in Cuba,
but was educated in Paris. She lived
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

4 mere scientific laboratory proved
unequal to the task and this prelim-
mary part of the investigation had to
DO carried out in the works at Holz-
minden. The substance thus isolated
was thoroughly investigated and its
constitution established. In order to
indicate its origin and at the sans
time its constitution, he termed II
irone. His attempt to synthesize II
was not, from the point of view of the
pure chemist. successful, although for
the manufacturing chemist it was OF
the utmost value. Starting with
citral, obtained from oil OF
lemons or from lemon grass
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
no round some.

ST suppose there are several lines 10
tbe east?" he Queried at railroad
ticket office the other day. well.
yes" reluctantly replied the agent,
"but il you want the shortest and
ouickest line" THAT makes no
difference to me-" interrupted the call
or 81 want line controlled by moral
tnauences. Is the president OF your
rood religious mani" Il can't say as
to that, but I know that two OF our
switchmen and three fremen iateiy
io,ned the Salvation army and that
our hoard of directors discourages
noter and beer" That's moral lnnu-
frovnIor
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
soma ~ tina individual cases Of

Some Of the individual cases OF
sudden fortunes are full Of interest.
Joseph Bernauer was poor man
two years ago. His little farm on the
bank of Pine Creek yielded him liv-
ing and that was all. He peddled
milk every morning and evening to
the housewives of Gaines.
His farm proved to be right on the
oil belt and his income from royalties
is now over $500 month.
This discovery has made group
of country storekeepers aud small
farmers rich in trice. Men whose
total worldly possessions were worth
perhaps $500 have been offered $l25,-
900 for their rights in this gusher.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
Rich Gold Fields In Philippines.

American prospectors have searched
the province of Bengnet, In the Philip
pines, and have found many paying
gold fields. Igorrottes everywhere in
the interior on high elevations are
working good, small quartz veins, and
In some places in very primitive style.
Much territory belonging to the savage
head hunters was never explored by
the Spanish. Copper and gold, iron
and Ignite are sure to be developed by
the experts. Rich Igorrottes count
their wealth in hundreds Of ounces OF
gold.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

In the olden days, when the spear
was used as a weapon of war. men had
to be very careful how they carried
It. II they were in a strange country
and bore their spears with the point
forwards, 1t was supposed they were
bent on mischief, and was regarded as
a declaration of war. If, on the other
hand. they carried the spears on their
shoulders, with the point backwards.
their visit was taken as visit OF
friendship, and there was no disturb
opco IF the Deace
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
ARTIFICIAL PERFUMES.
riemann's WELL Known Paper, "On
Aroma of tho Violet"

riemann's WELL Known Paper, "On the
Aroma of tho Violet"
Tiemann, the German chemist who
lied the other day, published in 1893,
along with Kruger, his well-known
paper, "On the Aroma of the Violet"
says Nature. 1t was however, the
aroma rather of the iris root, or orris
root with which that Of the violet
may or may not be identicaD, that he
investigated. The quantity Of the
odoriferous principle contained In iris
root is so infinitesimal, and that Of the
root to be extracted consequently sc
large. that. as he states. the resources
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

DIR. D. X. Pearsons, of Hinsdale,
ILL.,, millionaire who is making it his
business to give away his money to
enterprising colleges in the West, re-
Gently made some very interesting
statements in explanation of his con-
dition of hearty and hopeful health at
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

"She's struck sandl" shouted the
driller.
1t was only that the drill had
dropped into a softer formation-and
the sand was likely to be as barren as
Coney Island's-but force OF habit
impelled this cautious man" to con-
meet the well with the storage tank
provided to save the first rush OF oil.
He was just in time. Before the
tools could be withdrawn from the
hole a yellow torrent gushed forth
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
neyoInt,on IN water Iraver.

Experiments have proven that vessels, n' s,
with nropelIers which initiate the nshs ma
deveIop a remarkable propelling power; II
will cause a revolution In water travel NJ
gradually learn that Natures ways are Iee.-
De ,.ause of the remarkable succt IS OF mos
letters stomach Bitters springs from the iact
that il is a harmless, natural medicine nao .
of Nature e most strengthening herbs: - :"
sure cure for constipation, inolses'on' "''
p,psfa bdlousuess or weak Kidneys.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
Making a Collar BUTTON.

In the first stage of the manufac-
ture of a single piece collar button
there's circular disc stamped out OF
a strip of metal. Being fed into sew
eral machines, it at length gets into
the.thir form, so like a grandfather's
hat.
Rapid blows, and many of them,
from powerful hammers bring it to
the fourth stage.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

the age of eighty
years. He says he
expects to live until
he is a hundred. and
his rules of life are
worth considering.
"Most men dig their
graves with their
teeth" he said. "My
stomach is my friend
and I'm happier than
any other man on
earth" lie says the
man who wants to live
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

in New York from time to time during
the past four years, during the pro-
gress of the recent instruction.
She will be the recipient of every
honor during festival week and will
remain supreme for two years until
the next festival is held.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

It is the only cure for Swollen, smarting,
Tired, Aching, Hot, Sweating Feet, Oorns
and Bunions Ask for Aliens Foot-Eas,
While Won walk. AT all druggists and shoe
Stores, Csc. Sample sent FREE. Address
Allen s. OImsted, Leroy, N. Y.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

.Tf 1 should fall out of the hammock
what would you do?" she asked. \
would catch you in my arms" ne an
swered promptly. ''Get ready, she
xa,d with feminine impulsiveness.-
Chicago Post.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

Diphtheria so affected st. Louis girl that
she is now earning handsome salary oy Ho.
ing deep baritone turn In vauueai ,n .o,na.
bOdy's Golfers,
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28
Gold Medal Prize Treatise, 25 Cts.

The Science Of Life, or Self Preservation,
365 pages. with engravings. Is cts.. paper
cover; cloth, full gilt, 81, by mail. book
for every man, young, middle aged or old.
million copies sold. Address the Peabody
Medical Institute, No. Bulflnch ST., Bos-
ton, Mass. the oldest and best institute ID
America. Prospectus Wade Mecum iree.
Six cts. for postage. Write today for these
books. They are the keys to health, vigor,
success and happiness.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

Then a machine turns up its edge
Still another rolls it over.
Then its head is put into shape.
Last comes the polishing.
How seldom do we stop to think OF
all the brains and energy that go into
every tiniest articlel