The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-31

~ one OF the prominent NOTES Oh
u w. n few days since, saw pass
~ me throns of visitors and guests at
i a,s,. ,1 PERIODS. four men who have at
u,,, .,ons times, figured prominently in
,sa historical records of the oil indus
~, srst TO draw attention was Uncle
.par. Tripper. the others were p C.
,nsIa George Torrey and "sl' Hughes.
o.. CSa presence Of these men recalled to
~ the time in the early eighties
chem oil speculation was at Its height
" wa hundreds of thigh rollers and
, a,,n Of smaller spectators anx-
,ans,y awaited the decisions and opln-
TONS Of the oil scouts, as to the showing
=, y,rlls which were liable to influence
~. trend OF values for oil certificates
and credit balances.
In those days no corporation had
80, acquired the power to arbitrarily
A. The price, and new well in new
,arritory weldea mighty influence in
ltlAAN"'s
speculation.
The men whose names we have mem
,,oned were among the most prominent
NJ oil scouts, but there were many
others whose Judgment on wells was
equally good
Among these may be named ]. c. Nc
NuiIsn, who died some years ago while
engaged in the publication of monthly
petroleum periodical, issued from Brad
ford McAtullen was probably the most
reliable statisticinn of any Of the men
who followed the vocation Of an oil
scout.
Other we'll known scouts were Jerry"
E,Eermau, Joe" Cappeau, Jim"
Termant pan" Heron, BILLY" BoJe,
"BIlly'' Edwards and Frank Taylor.
The decadence Of oil speculation wit
messed the passing of the oil scout. but
there are many interesting reminI-
scenes AMI cxperiences,incident to those
exciting times Of wild and fevered spec
uh,ion, which would make very inter-
esting reading, could they be collected
and put in proper form.
Nearly all the men who were engaged
as oil scouts, are now prosperous and
well settled in business careers. Pat"
Boyle is editor and proprietor of the
OIL City Derrick, paper published in
the interest Of oil. "Ben" Tripper is
engaged In the production OF OIL. and
negotiating purchases and sales of pro-
duclng properties, for which he receives
handsome commissions. "sf' Hughes
Is engaged quite extensively in the pro-
tuction OF oil, and is well known as a
shrewd leaser of productive territory.
George Torrey is secretary and mana
ger OF the Producers and Reaners OIL
Company, position he has occupied
since its organization some eight years
ago. Torrpy is also associated with
Frank Taylor and Mike Murphy in some
valuable production in venango county.
Joe" cappeau, in company with Joseph
Craig, opered up some valuable terri
tory near Kane, Mexican county, about
fourteen years ago, and the busting
town OF "Jo-Jo" was named from the
two Joes, Cappeau and Craig. Cappeau
got caught in land speculation at New
KensiHgton, a town about twenty miles
up the Allegheny river from Pittsburgh,
and then lost his wealth previously &C.
Cumplated from his oil speculatlons.
Jerry HefIerman is now valued en-
ploye Of the Standard OIL Company,
looking after the establishment OF its
fueToil plants. Billy" Edwards is the
has;Iing and popular superintendent OF
the South Penn OIL Company. in divi-
sion Of its West Virginia holdings.
Some Of the experiences OF the oil
scouts have been related at various
times to the writer, and as they are ex-
citing and interesting, Will bear repeat
Ing Probably the most hazardous and
exciting experience fraught with more
real danger than any others. was that
OF Jim" Termaut. In the Thorn Greek
field, in Butler county
One Of the large sushers Of that field
had been drilled into the top OF the oil
sand and at once commenced to flow at
tremendous rate; Termant, in order
to secure an accurate gauge of It's pro-
ductlon, had assembled to the top OF one
OF the large wooden tanks and was
standing on the decking. By an over
sight or carelcssness or the part OF
some OF the employees, a stray match
mad been left on the tank decking and
remnants foot struck 1t and iguited It..
with great presence OF mind in the
realization OF his extreme danger he
Kept his foot on the burning match I'm
III Its flame had been entirely smother
CO. thereby, preventing an awful ex-
p''slon Of gas. and the burning Of the
tank and its contents Of oil: which
could not have resulted otherwise than
IN the loss Of his life. After the mo-
'''NHt1l allblH Ni5 OVER came
he collapse, and Jim was only re.
NVed By the use OF some oil scouts
Sh'Ee-bi;e cure, remedy with which
'nsy were always equipped. 1t was
noeed n miraculous escape. and one
which will never be forgotten by Ter
mani or his fellow scouts who witness-
ed bis DAGGER
Boyle rermant and Torrey. had tbs
advantage Ok transmitting their Infor-
nation from wells, to their principles
over the pipe line wires from the vari-
''' pumping stations, while the other
Non's had to depend on the nearest
OHIO Of the Western Union or Postal
'''s|ph Companies; in consequence,