The sun., 1908-06-02
THEY TRADE OIL FOR HAMS
q tRGO or WRECKED RICKMERS
LEGAL TENDER IN FREEPORT.


salvage From the Beach--But Salvage
corps Don't Seem to Make Light OF II.
william Henry Stdgers. the well kn own
blacksmith and dealer In candies, nuts
and newspapers Of Freeport. l.. l.. went
into Moores saloon down near the daypo
Yesterday afternoon and offered TO sell
short on good case oil at 10 cents gallon.
All the other other members OF the Freeport
oil ring we're there-Cyrus Rlaokie, the clam
merchant Horatio T. (for Tolliver) Sat-
teree Simpson, Freeport's respected ex-
constable James Jorgensen. who used to
run an eel boat to New York in the early
',Os, and Oliver Smith of the Smiths OF
Amityville. When Billhenry made his
offer there was distinct pause In the con-
yersation. Then up spake Horatio T.:
William Henry said he, go West
Now that Just shows how futile any at
tempt might be to bull oil from the skysail
clipper Peter Rckmers, which piled up In
Zachs Inlet on April 30 and viii oh now lies
broken backed of Joness Beach, leaking
nice waterproof oil from every seam OF
her scorched and SCARED hull. No more
chance in Freeport to sell Rckmers oil at
= such exorbitant prices than there was to
sell Cyrus Blaokie's hens eggs last summer
after his Leghorn rooster Roger got bitten
bv dog believed to have hydrophobia
and no doubts had ever been cast before
upon the quality Of Cyrus Blaokie's hens'
eggs.
As things 60 now there is "a movement
ON foot to change the name of Freeport
TO Oil Centre. and when heavy weather
comes along again and the waves begin to
pound UP the remnants Of the Rickmers's
hull the most humble resident OF Freeport
and adjacent villages can afford 70 have
oil on his mush in the morning. They say
there was 900 worth Of oil in ten gallon
cans on the Rickmers: even counting what
the Merritt-Chapman wreokers got of in
lighters what was burned up in the fire
and what has already come ashore, the
wide awake citizens Of Freeport calculate
that there's oil enough down in the lower
hold of the old German clipper for every
man, woman and child in the town to burn
over Chautauqua summer courses for ten
"eafs to come.
The breaking up OF the Rickmers has
had marked effect upon the social life Of
many OF Freeports citizens. When 1t Is
said that Grandpa Walters appeared ut the
post office the other day with the first pair
If new pants he has worn since the Cen
tennial in Philadelphia enough has been
indicated Grandpa got two wagonloads
of oilcans from the beach a week ago yes
terday. and after paving on the score he
had heeG carrying with Carmine and Jen-
kins the grocers and dealers in lawnmowers
and mosquito netting, since his first grand
child was born Freeports respected oldest
inhabitant still had enough money left to
invest in those pants. =
As soon as the Rickmers began to break
rp about two weeks ago and the oil cases
were coming ashore in tens and dozens
with nobody to stop them. the prosperity Of
ireeport took rise. as it were. Most OF
lie well known clam prospectors quit their
Jobs and began to collect oil, a great many
OF the boys in town found that they could
make comfortable snack on the side by
hiring wagons and raking the beach at
light after the whistle on the clam Gamer
l,wat O'Clock. and even the members
~ the Veteran Firemen's Association recog-
zed the fact that there was more In oil
han in benefit sociables at the First Baptist
huroh every Christ mas time.
Although the fire on board the Rickmers
consumed much of the cargo and burned
the edges Of the rest of the cases washed
shore, it was discovered that inside the
cans that came to the beach in twin sets
The kerosene was perfectly good. The
cans might be warped and blaokened by
the flames, but the stun that the Standard
Oil Company had consigned to the heather
OF Burma was as perfect through wreck
and fire as 1t would have been landed on
the docks Of Rangoon.
OF course when about thirty ofthe citizens
OF Freeport, to say. nothing OF others from
Amityvile and adjacent parts, began to
peddle first class oil around from house
to house at about half Of what the retail
rate has been all winter Carmine 4 Jenkins,
ha otp hoA 10 A<xn m fhoir
price, and kerosene was offered at the
spring clearing sale this week along with
the out price knit socks and the slightly
damaged salmon belly.
Messrs Carmipe and Jenkins recognised,
however, that they could not compete
with the Riokmers oil from the beach,
80 they began taking the sea stock in trade
only few days ago. Billy tine butcher
has followed in their example, and 1t is
even anticipated that an D U for case
oil will be accepted in the collection for
Foreign Missions to be taken up at several
Of the churches next Sunday.
After a conference between several OF
the leading produce, hay and feed and
general store keepers yesterday afternoon
,he following schedule OF exchange for
Rickmers oil was posted:
One good chuck steak. three pounds, for
two cases Of oil; last year 8 gleanings Of dill
pickles at two gallons per quart Of pickles;
twelve aunne pills for one case: mosquito
netting at three cases per twenty yards:
spring broilers, drawn at two cases per broiler.
one and a half cases undressed: Favorite
Spring Remedy for ague and chilbains at
one-haif case per pint; horseshoes on the hoof
and gold crown work done at the rate Of i've
cases per hoof or crown.
With all this prosperity staring Free
port In the face there are signs that the
boom may collapse In a few days unless
strenuous action in the matter Of control
= taken by the oil ring at Moore's saloon
Billhenry Sddgers's offer to sell has been
Interpreted by some as an indication that
he has oorpered the oil market thereabouts
by come clever manipulation and that he
intends to do little plungng after he has
brought the market price up TO his figure.
1t IS known definitely at least that Bill
henry got three hams for six cases OF oil
down at the general store yesterday,
whereas all other holders Of case oil had
only been able to get two hams and side
of Saphank bacon, kiln dried. Besides
mas the report came in from Amityville
Yesterday afternoon that Billhenry had
been down there laying in a stock Of milk
cans; hs said there That he intended shortly
10 start a house to house delivery OF Rick
msrs oil at 8 o'clock every morning.
Inc only thing that seems TO he able to I,
Stop Billhenry In his effort TO become a
Trust IL that the IlIatin Salyage ComDanv