davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23
THOS. W. ROBERTS.

Seven years ago last January the firm
of Peil ~ Roberts commenced active
business in Florence, their line being
blacksmthing and carriage work. BY
close attention to business and doing the
most thorough work they built up a
very considerable trade. In April 1901
Mr.. Roberts bought out Mr.. Peil, and
the business now is conducted entirely
by him under the style of Thos. w.
Roberts. At the urgent request of some
of the largest oil companies Mr.. Roberts
secured the agency of that most excel
lent line of oil well supplies and tools
made by David Phillips Il Co., of Brad
ford. Penn. Anyone who knows any
thing about the oil fields knows that ex-
pert drillers demand the best machinery
the agency for the Phillips tools and
supplies Mr. Roberts had in view the
future expansion of this field, and also
the fact that he could at any time fur
nish oil men with any needed tool or
piece of machinery at short notice, and
that it would be Just as ordered, and no
substitute lust as good" And it is
owing to this that he has built up such
a large trade in the face of the compet-
tion of older dealers. To be ready for
all emergencies, Mr. Roberts equipped
his shop for all kinds of heavy welding
connected with the oil well business, and
laid in complete line of fishing tools.
A feature of the business is the fine
line of farm implements and machinery
carried. Such lines as the Mccormick
reapers and binders, Deere sulky plows
and other implements of that famous
make, Moline and Balm farm wagons,
driving wagons, buggies, phaetons, sui
kes and any sort of carriage wanted, are
either in stock or can be ordered direct
from the manufactures on short notice.
Carriage repairing, carriage and wagon
building blacksmithing, iron work in
fact, anything and everything that per
tains to the conduct of a first class shop
receives the personal attention of Mr..
Roberts himself BY honest dealings,
doing all work Just as it should be done,
and courteous treatment of customers, he
has built up the largest business in his
several lines in this county. His shop
is on Main street, Just east of Petroleum
Ave, in fine brick building fitted up
for his needs. Estimates made for com
plete well rigs or any portion of same.
Mr.. Roberts employs nothing but first
class mechanics.
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

Morton S. Bailey, Judge of the
1lth judicial district of the state
of Colorado, president; Samuel 5.
Lendholm, vice president; Hon. III
h. lnsley, secretary and treasurer.
The board of directors comprises
the above named gentlemen, to-
gether with Fred w. Bailey and
Lee Champion. Mr.. Champion is
a long time resident of Florence
and personally selected the lands
for this company, procuring 20
year leases thereon; he is now per-
sonally directing the affairs of the
company at Florence.
The company is drilling on one
of its tracts south of Florence, the
location being about 300 feet east
of the well which the keystone
company bought in about two
weeks since, and one-fourth of a
mile south of well No. 270 of the
United Oil company, which latter
well is the biggest in the Florence
field today. The well will be fin
ished, barring accidents, in 30 days
from this date, and the element of
doubt as to getting oil is reduced
to the minimum. All the oil men in
the field say that they are sure to
get oil in this we'll
On another tract of land held by
this company under lease, is To-
Gated the Eynon well. which the
company acquired by purchase.
This well has pumped for years and
is now producing about 10 barrels
daily. 1t is the proposition of this
company, as we are advised by Mr..
Champion, to drill this well down
to the third streak of oil, an ad-
ditional depth of 500 to 500 feet.
This will make it a good producer.
The company has erected der
rick about 300 feet from the Eynon
well, and the boiler and drilling
apparatus are on the ground ready
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

rooms and laundry. The interior finish
of the first story is hardwood. The
rooms are all airy and handsomely
lighted by large windows. There are
six coppered windows of beautiful de
sign and costly work. The house was
built entirely by day labor. Mr.. Burton
was born and raised in Cleveland. Ohio
He has been IA retiner of petroleum pro
ducts since 1853. In that year his first
oil was distilled from camel coal, which
was broken into small Jumps placed in
small still and the oil "stewed out
with steam This oil was heavy, some
what like lard oil, and was sold at $3.50
to $3.50 gallon. 1t was used for head
lights on river and lake vessels. In 1860
petroleum was found in the Ohio field
and Mr.. Burton, who owned the Sun
light Oil Refinery of Cleveland, con
tracted the refined product of that insti-
tuition at sl.O5 a gallon. That oil was
practically similar to the refined oil of
today except that the retiners got 80 per
cent. illuminant, this being because
there was no government requirement
as to fire test and gravity. There was a
federal tax of 20 cents per gallon, or
500 per barrel, of 10 gallons during the
Civil war, and Mr. Burton paid from
$4,000 to $4,000 tax each month. At
this time Mark Hanna was senior mem
Der of the firm of Hanna, Chaplin * Go.
ii L. NJ
Burton sold out his refining business
and devoted his attention to marketing
lubricants. 1885 the Arkansas Valley
Oil IL Land Co, which was owned in
Cleveland, wanted refinery built at
Florence Five carloads of machinery,
stills, boilers etc had arrived here on
Sept 10, and the work of construction
did not progress at all. The largest
owners of the company were Dan p.
Eels "A banker, Henry Clahin. and Chas.
Otis of the Otis Steel Co, Mai John
Coon was manager. They contracted
with Mr.. Burton to construct the re-
tinery, and he came here in November
of 1885, and built it, there were four
cheesebox stills of about % barrels capac-
ity each. At that time the company had
one four barrel well and one 62l5 gallon
well. Mr., Burton says he had to make
daily reports of the output of those wells,
and these figures are correct. The oil
had been stored for years previous to
building the refinery, out on the prairie
in wooden barrels, bung up, some only
half full. One of the early improvements
made by Mr.. Burton was the erection of
"A 1000 barrel iron tank now situated
near the Rocky Mountain Oil Cos office
in the field. This tank was built by
Pittsburg parties, and when Mr.. Burton
decided to test it, the men who built it
objected fearing that someone would
shoot OIL a gun, the concussion from
which they feared would collapse the
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

Dorcas carry no more than 60 cents
ton, which can be reduced TO 25
cents. The daily run at the Dor
cas-, however, is something like l25
tons, and it is not practicable to
extract to less value than 80 cents
for the reason that the daily out
put would be delayed which would
cost the mill more than the loss of
the 80 cents.
The first stage of treatment at
the Dorcas is the crushing of the
ore, this being done by steel rolls
in similar manner to the milling
of wheat. Sampling is done au-
tomatically, the final sample being
reduced to two pounds in the ton.
This goes to the sampling room
where pulp is made ready for the
assay office, on the test of which
the settlement for the shipment is
made.
From the crushing rolls the ore
is passed through dryer so the
final crushing may be effected with
out caking, and then the product
is passed through cylindrical selves
of 24-mesh, that portion which
does not fall through the mesh
going back to the crushers for
further pulverizing. The finely
crushed ore is elevated by a belt
and bucket elevator, into storage
bins, to be drawn on when settle
ment for the ore is made. From
the bins the ore goes into the
roaster where it is heated to almost
incandescence by blasts of flame
made from the residuum of the
petroleum from this oil field. Dur
ing this process the ore is kept in
constant motion by "A system of
plows, finally being pushed into a
trough where it is mixed with n
definite amount of lime and then
carried by AN elevator to a steel
storage bin. The roasting removes
the sulphur in the ore. The next
operation is filling the 125 ton
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

This company, unless all signs fail.
will be a quick producer and "a
long time factor in the develop
ment of the Florence oil field; it
is conservatively handled and man
aged, lives within its means, and is
sure TO be profit making PROPOSE
ton for all who are fortunate
enough to interested therein.
The parties who organized the
company are too well known in the
state of Colorado to require any
comment. 1t is sufficient to say
that their connection with any
concern means that it will be
handled in a business way; that
they honestly believe in it, and
that it is not a stock selling device
to profit at the expense of investors
The holdings of the Florence
Consolidated are located as follows:
Wasmuth tract 100 acres Sec. II.
township 20, range 50 w: Will
liams tract, 100 acres Sec. 4, Town
ship 20, Range 80 west; and IL
acres OH the west side of Florence,
known as the Walter tract.
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

smaller tanks. In the two first
compartments about So per cent of
all value is precipitated. The gold
precipitate is termed slime" and
is of IA dirty black color. "A little
sitter than vaseline and Shiny to
feel. After the slime has been
washed from the portion of the
zinc shavings which remain. it is
put i'll an oven and roasted until it
is of brownish color. Then it is
ready for melting, which is done
by placing in large crucibles. huxed
with boraX, glass and other mater
ials which are then put into brick
furnace and heated to about 1000
degrees Fair. The mass is poured
into conical shaped moulds, and al
lowed to harden, the gold separat-
ing. On the point of each loaf of
what appears to be Stag, is found
button of bright gold. These but
tons are now put into another
crucible and the gold melted and
poured into AN iron mould, casting
the gold into brick weighing
about 800 ounces. The express
company takes this brick, and
delivers it to tire mint for the ac-
count of the Dorcas Milling com
pany.
The practical method by which
the 1000 per cent additional oxygen
is introduced into the solution of
cyanide was originated at the Dor
cas- mill, and the first plant was in
stalled there 1t is not only a
theoretical success, but it is prac-
tical, simple and fully as effective
as is claimed for it, reducing the
time of extraction to few hours.
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

ceed 300 yards from this tract.
The company is almost sure to get
oil in its location on this tract.
We would say sure" but for the
fact that occasionally dry hole is
found in the Florence field as well
as in every other oil field. Sur
roundings considered, the location
on the ten acre tract is removed to
farthest extent from uncertainty.
The company's property on the
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

third tract of land, comprising 100
acres, consists of complete drill
ing outfit, with derrick already
built, on the ground. The COM
pany pulled the well that was
already drilled on this ground prior
to its acquiring title thereto, and
upon SO doing found 1865 feet of
oil standing in the hole. The der
rick will be moved about % feet
and another hole will be drilled at
once; they are as certain to get oil
III this well as they are to drill the
well The reason the old well was
abandoned was because of the fact
that it stood for more than a year
before the company acquired it,
with 300 feet of naked wall, and
those who know best in this field
say that the matter could not be
managed without great hazard,
and the best thing to do was to
drill a new we'll
One of the very best indications
of the standing of the Consolidated
company, and the value of its hold
ings, is that practical oil men,
working in the field in and about
Florence, are purchasers, owners
and holders of stock in the COM
pany; and those who know best
or at least should know best
about the value of lands for oil
purposes in the Florence field,
evidence the favor of their good
opinions of these holdings, by in
vesting in the stock of the com
pany.
The company has now in the
neighborhood of $4,000 worth of
tools, machinery, cordage and oil
well equipment; has money in its
treasury to drill as many wells as
its leases require for the next two
years; has no salaried officers and
no expense to eat up its treasury
reserve; and when the company
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

tank. The test was entirely satisfactory,
however. Mr.. Burton built pipeline
from the refinery through which water
was pumped to the field, and through
which the crude oil was brought to the
refinery. After remaining with the Ar
kansas Valley Oil q Land Co. about IL
months, Mr.. Burton contracted to build
the Florence Oil 4 Refining Co.'S refinery
and purchased the material in Cleveland.
He has been the superintendent of
this company continuously since that
time.
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

for work at this point; the contract
is let for the drilling. AS soon as
the drillers are through where they
now are they will move to this
tract. This tract comprises
about ten acres; lies in the very
centre of the oil field and adjoins
the corporate limits of the city of
Florence. 1t has producing wells
all around it, and one of the very
best wells in the field isn't to ex-
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23
B. B. BURTON.

This handsome residence is owned by
b. b. Burton of Florence. and is located
on East 4th street and Robinson avenue,
facing north and commanding a fine
view of the famous Pixies Peak, 30
miles distant. 1t is built of rough
dressed lava taken from the quarries tof
Kerr IL Co. of Denver at Howard, this
side of Salida. The residence contains
eight large rooms, besides bath, dressing
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23

was organized more than half of
its stock was placed in the treas
ury and more than one-third of it
is now i'll the treasury. 1t is IA
close corporation, the bulk of its
stock being held by the people
who organized it. The company
has no debts, pays cash for what it
purchases and is in position so to
do until its ground has been,-in "A
measure, tested and developed.
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23
THE FLORENCE CON-
SOLIDATED OIL co.

This is a comparatively new com
pany, organized under the laws of
Wyoming about six months ago,
with capital stock of 100000.
1t has been operating ever since
its organization, and has acquired
$50 acres of proven oil land, in the
Florence field. Its officers are
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23
First Oil Lease.

The first oil lease of record in the
United States is that between j. ID. An
gier and Brewer Watson x Co, in Cher
rytree township, Penn, dated in 1853.
The Florence daily tribune., 1902-05-23
Has Produced $4.O0O.OOO.

In 1863 well was drilled on
stony ground on the east side of
Oil Creek, Pennsylvania, This
well has produced crude oil to
the value of more than $4,000
900.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-08
GARRETT PARK NEWS.
Town Council Stirred Up Over Ordi-
nance Against Chickens.

The regular meeting of the Garrett Park
town council was held last evening in the
chapel building. All members of the coun-
ell were present and Mayor Brady in the
chair. An appropriation of $40 was made
for labor to set 100 trees along the streets
of the town. The resignation of Council
man Dorset was accepted and upon motion
resolution was adopted thanking MIR. Dor
sett for his valuable services while mem
Der of the board and citizen of the park
Mr.. Dorset has accepted a position in
Santa Ana. Cal, and left for his new home
Saturday last.
The principal interest of the evening CEN
tered in 4 petition presented to the coun-
Gil which prayed that the ordinance known
number 10, and which provided for a
fine of s. for each chicken found straying
in the town, be repealed.
This ordinance. which was passed at the
last meeting of the board, has caused con-
siderable friction. While numerous verbal
complaints had been made at one time or
another as to the large amount>of damage
done by chickens to flower beds and grow
ing vegetation, no written complaint had
ever been made until the March meeting of
the board. The opportunity. therefore, of
passing an ordinance against chickens was
favorable and the board acted upon the
complaint hence the trouble.
AS soon as the ordinance was posted the
chicken owners banded together drew up
petition and demanded the repeal of the
ing of citizens at times lively and in
teresting. 1t was urged by one chicken
owner that a law against chickens
unnecessary hardship on the residents, in
view of the fact that fences are not desir-
able and that the only way in which to
keep chickens on the grounds of the owner
would be to surround the whole lot with a
chicken fence 1t also argued that
horses and dogs were more destructive to
gardens and flowers than the chickens, and
that if law was passed to include fowls
it should also include horses dogs and
cats.
Another citizen argued that the arrest of
the owner of a fowl should be made only
on complaint of a neighbor who might feel
damaged, and he thought that such an
amendment of the ordinance would be sat
isfactory to all concerned. AS against this
it was argued that to leave the matter in
that shape would be placing a weapon in
the hands of a mans enemy, who under
the ordinance could swear out a complaint
against his neighbor on the right whom he
disliked and permit the chickens of his
neighbor the left to run all over his
grounds.
After further discussion, which included
among other things, the suggestion that all
dogs be licensed the mayor announced that
the council would take the matter under
advisement. The meeting then adjourned.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-08
Awarded a Life-Saver's Medal.

Johnny" Good of Westminster, Pa. a
Pennsylvania railroad brakeman, has been
awarded a life-savers medal by The Treas
ury Department. Representative Butler of
Pennsylvania laid the facts of Goods hero
ism before the. department. Good was too
modest to do so himself.
The act for which the medal was awarded
was performed July 4, 1900 Good was
cruising about in Delaware bay in little
naphtha launch when a sudden squall
sprang up and a sailing party of eleven
was capsized. Two were drowned. The
rest chung to- the overturned boat.
Goods launch was so small that he feared
it would be swamped by the people in the
water climbing aboard if he ventured too
near. Good made the party speech.
He said he could take only three per-
sons in his launch. He got the weakest
three aboard and then told the others that
if they would cling to the boat without at
tempting to Chamber in he would tow tham
to shore. They did so. and all We're saved.
Superintendent Kimball, in commenting
upon the heroism of Good, said:
ut all the more courageous when 1t
is considered that Mr.. Good could not swim
a stroke. He literally took his life in his
hands,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-08
BALL AND GYMNASTICS.
Entertainment Under Auspices of Co.
1umbia Turn Verein.

There was a large audience at Odd Eel
lows Hall last night to witness the gym
nastic exhibition and ball given by the Co
iumbfa Turn Verein. The program met
with the hearty approval Of the audience.
and consisted of calesthenics, running high
jump and pyramids by class Of boys rang
ing from eight to thirteen years of age
wand drill and other athletic exercises by
the members of the association, and a ring
drill and tug of war by class of young
ladies' An interesting feature of the even
lngs performance was a fencing bout be-
tween Messrs. C. Duehring and E. Bank
mann A mems chorus of twenty-four
voices, under direction of Emilio Christiana,
sang several selections and were generously
applauded. The gymnastics were in charge
of Messrs. Duehring and Bankmann.
AT the conclusion of the program the
dancing commenced and continued until
late hour. The committee on arrangements
was Max Schmidt DR.. s. A. Cara Otto
Herberger John H. Munder and Julius
Duehrng.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-08
MAJ. VALLEYS coURT-MARTIAL.
Gen. Smith Explains His Orders to the
Marine Officer.

A dispatch from Manila yesterday says:
Gen. Jacob II. Smith, commanding the
American forces in the Island of Samar
was the only witness today at the trial by
court martial Of Maj. Waller of the Marine
Corps.
Gen. Smith denied that he ever gave Mai
Waller power of life and death exceeding
general order No. 100. He said he received
the first news of the killings at Basey
where Maj. Waller and Lieut.. Day of the
Marine Corps charged with having
killed three natives, from Gen. Chaffee
Gen. Smith explained that his order to
Maj. Waller about not being burdened with
prisoners meant to disarm and release those
prisoners who were not charged with seri-
Gus offenses. He said he had not under
stood the meaning of Maj. Walters tele-
gram about "expending eleven prisoners"
The official report of Lieut.. STROLLER of
the Philippine scouts on the capture of the
insurgent Gen. Lukban has been published
and Endorsed by Gen. Smith, who considers
the report concise and graphic.
1t is impossible for any one not acQuaint-
ed with the Island of Samar. says Gen.
Smith. to realize the difficulties and hard
ships of the expedition. Strebler's COM
mand is entitled to the highest praise for
one of the most important captures ever
made in the Philippines Gen. Smith strong
ly recommends that Stroller be given
commission first lieutenant in the regu-
lars, and that Sergt Lora be made second
lieutenant of the native scouts. These rec
concentrations have been Endorsed by Gen.
Wade and approved by Gen. Chaffee. Gen.
Chaffee thinks, however, that congressional
action may be required in order to obtain
the desired commission for Second Lieut..
Stroller. He has already given Sergt. Lora
a commission as second lieutenant in the
scouts.
Gems. Chaffee and Sanger left here today
on board the United States gunboat Prince
ton on a tour of inspection of the Zambo-
anga district of the Island of Mindanao and
the Island of Samar. They will probably
be absent until after April Is. upon which
date Guevarra, Lukban's successor in Sa-
mar, will surrender.
A total of 1s5 cases and 137 deaths from
cholera were reported up to noon to-day.
The natives are making great efforts to
break the quarantine established here and
in so doing one native has been killed
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-08
Gave Him Six Months.

L think man who would do what wit
nesses have testified that you did should
get term of six months in jail, and that's
what you will GET Judge Kimbal told
Gilbert Chapman colored, who was charged
with the larceny of % cents in the Police
Court today. George T. Lee, the COM
plainant, recited that Chapman came to
him February last, and represented that
he and his wife had been set out of their
home for non-payment of rent and asked
for sum of money. The police had re-
ceived numerous complaints previously of
a man who was begging money on the
plea that he had been evicted from his
home Detectives 0Brien and Boyd. who
were detailed on tile case. arrested Chap
man yesterday. Chapman told the court
that he was not married and denied that
he had ever seen Mr.. Lee before. The
court, however, had no doubt to his
guilt. s--,-.