Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-02-06


/ Chicago abont the Big Gusher in This
/ County.
The following interesting story con-
corning the Battelle Oil Company and
their big well in this county has been
sent us from Chicago:
This is story of two men, a wom-
an. woman's faith in oecnltism and
] 800, 600. Moreover, it is absolutely
true. One of the men is a large mer-
chant in Chicago, who, by dint OF en-
ergy and brains, has attained posi-
tion of wealth and influence in the
important trade in which he is en-
gagged. The other, who is resident
OF Ohio. is equally prominent there,
and, besides, is widely known here.
Both are about as hard-headed BUSH
ness men as can be found in days
/ walk.
Two years ago, together with d
third man, resident of Chicago, they
became interested in West Virginia
lands supposed to be oil-bearing.
! Nothing was done to develop the
I
Virginia oil company claimed title to
it under plea of some sort, and an
nounced its purpose TO sink well.
/ The third man before mentioned was
absent in the West at the time, but
on news of the seizure reaching him
/ he telegraphed his wife, who is an ex-
eeptionally bright woman, to repre-
sent him at a conference with the
other two men.
] 1t took the three only few mo-
ments to decide to transfer the dis
pute to the courts. They Jointly
paid large fee to West Virginia law
i yers and began suit for the recovery
! of the property and for damages.
Their lawyers Informed them there
was no question that their rights
would be restored and at the prelimi-
nary hearing the rulings of the court
indicated their view was correct. The
other parties in the litigation appear
ed to think likewise for inside of
thirty days after action was begun
they made proposals for settlement,
which were declined
Meantime the oil company which
had Jumped" the ground had begun
drilling well. The well ''came in"
dry as bone. A second well, started
little later than the first, reached
the sand thirty days later and also
proved dry. The location of the
wells was such that, by every rule of
experience and geological reasoning.
the whole property in dispute was con-
demned as worthless, excepting one
small chance The two men at once
concluded to abandon the suit since it
appeared there was nothing worth
fighting over. The woman, however,
objected and the ground of her objec-
tion was that she had had a message
from "a source that never failed her,
to the effect that the property was Of
great value"
When asked who it was that could
discern what was invisible to old ex-
perienced oil operators, she replied,
"Spiritualism. The two business
men smiled politely and at once offer
ed to transfer their respective interests
to her as gift If she desired TO con-
tinue the litigation for the possession
OF few hundred acres OF barren
mountain land. She refused the gift
and by dint of much persuasion in
duced them to defer abandoning the
property until after she had visited it,
saying another well on an adjoining
farm was being started which would
prove the value Of their property
She made a hurried trip to West
| Virginia and discovered that bold
''wild-catter" had actually begun the
well and that it amounted to COM
plete test of the very doubtful posi-
| bility that slender extension of the
known pool ran into the property in
dispute. The wild CATER was laughed
at by all operators, including the COM
pany which had jumped the property.
/ That company, indeed, had Informed
! the Chicago men they could have the
I property il they would abandon the
suit. The woman didn't laugh. She
returned to Chicago, consulted the
medium again and reiterated to her
associates the well would prove sue
eessful. Each one Of the two men
called the other fool for standing by
deal which meant throwing good
money after bad, but they agreed to
hold on a month longer, and then dis
missed the subject from their mind.
Last week the wild-catter's well
( reached the sand and it responded
with flow Of oil at the rate of 100
barrels day. The value OF the prop
erty in litigation was Instantly con-
vertrd from nothing into 500, 600 at a
conservative estimate.
The two business men are not yet
believers in Spiritualism, but they are
to be in West Virginia this week TO
push the suit harder than ever.
Their contestants have already made
offers TO settle.
The story as given above is correct
but for some minor inaccuracies.
Mrs. Henrietta b. Howells is the
woman in the case. William Carr Of
n - - A. ~ ~ .