Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1911-01-26


over-work and although everything
possible was done to restore his
health, all Efforts were unavailable.
Mr.. Dresser enjoyed his usual drive
yesterday afternoon and passed the
night as usual. The end came sudden
ly and painlessly this morning.
Mr.. Dresser was one of Bradford's
prominent and influential citizens. A
man of whom the city felt proud and
his loss will be generally regretted in
the community.
Mr.. Dresser was born in Litchfield,
Hillsdale county, Mich, Feb. l, 1912.
He received common school educa-
tion, and attended Hillsdale college;
he conducted the Dresser farm with
his father until 1865, when the oil
development of West Virginia began
to attract attention and companies
were formed for oil operations. In
one of these he took stock and soon
became its manager and continued in
that capacity until 1872, when he came
to Pennsylvania to engage in the pro-
duction of oil and gas. Here he gain
ed the practical experience which,
combined with his inventive genius,
placed his name foremost among the
men of brains whose business energy
invented and developed the machinery
il, I,n oil
industry. Among his inventions are
a packer for oil and gas wells which
has taken the lead from the first day it
was placed on the market; a rubber
pipe coupling, which by providing for
contraction and expansion makes a
perfectly tight joint; and insulated pipe
coupling which prevents the destruc.
ton of water and gas pines by elect
rolysis. He was a large employer of
labor and never had strike or trouble
with his employees. He was elected
to the 5Sth congress and reelected to
the 59th congress, receiving 1S,2S1
votes to 1869 for @. w. Shaffer, demo-
crat; ,, 407 for S. O. Watts, prohibition
ist and 433 for j. d. Blair, socialist.
Mr.. Dresser after becoming an oil
producer in the Butler county field
came to Bradford in 1873. The Nc
Kean county field at that time offered
excellent advantages to men of his ac-
tive calibre and he soon acquired pro-
duction. In 1880 he invented packer
for oil and gas wells that at once be-
came an indispensable article, in the
completion of flowing oil wells. He
began its manufacture in shop in Pat
ent alley and speedily built up lu-
crative business. At that time there
was crying need of a coupling for gas
linesIwhich would allow expansion and
contraction of large sized pipe and al
SO withstand high pressure. Immense
possibilities were seen in the business
of producing and marketing gas, pro
vided lines could be laid of sufficient
size and resisting power. MIR. Dresser
conceived the idea of an expansion
coupling and after several years of
diligent effort and exhaustive expert
ment, he placed on the maket a coup
ling which has since been used in all
of the gas producing fields of the Uni
ted States and Canada. Large ship
ments Of the couplings have also been
exported 10 other countries and the
namo of Dresser had become noted
throughout the oil aud gas producing
regions
As his business continued % increase
Mr. Dresser saw the necessity Of en.
largIng hia facilities for the manuiac
ture OF packers, couplings aud other
oil well supplies aud arranged for eu-
larRed quarters. He built q large brick