The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-30
(Pittsburg Gazette-Timcs)

Quietly working out his destiny on
a farm near here. John w. Steele,
known throughout the world as Coal
Oil JOHNNY the man to whom riches
proved to be a bane. is regaining his
self respect after a hard fight. and
has become u credit to himself and
his family.
After several decades of patient la
Dor, the one-time oil king. now nearly
70 years old. reviews his past with
regret, tinged with Il certain quaint
philosophy Of life that somehow les
sens the enormity Of his offenses
against himself and society.
In the estimation of the world.
Coal Oil Johnny" stands as the rep
| rescntativc type of the spendthrift
and oil region prodigal. Coming in
to an immense fortune before his
judgment had matured and without
anyone to advise him. he set out to
sec the world. abandoning his wife
and child II friends; and he say it.
He saw it as few have seen it before
or since.
This young oil Croesus. who had
more thousands than he knew any
thing Of. went a pace that set the
whole world agog with stories of his
extravaganza. When he had finished
with the world Steele went back to
the soil. not as an oil producer, but
l 10 LII u6 - tS bS 81 nav
he has received more pleasure WELD
ing the hoe than he obtained in
squandering his fortune. So
Johnny was born of poo parents
near Sheakleyville, Mercer county,
Pennsylvania. At an early age he and
his little sister went to Vcnango
ty to live with an uncle and aunt, Mr..
and Mrs. McCiintock. 1ho had a
large farm on Oil creek. When john
ny was IL years old his foster uncle
died. A few years afterward oil was
discovered and Widow McClintock.
along with other landowners in Oil
creek valley. found that she was en-
camped above an independent for
tune. She soon found herself a. rich
woman. One: day, while attempting
to hasten q fire by means of oil.
Mrs. McClintock was burned to death
the first victim of the treacherous
oil can. which, in subsequent years.
came to number its dead by the thou
sands. With her death Johnny came
into all her possessions. his little sis
ter having died some years before.
Mrs. McClintock had boarded her
wealth in a safe. which was opened
after her death. The amount of cash
found has been placed as high as
100000, but Johnny claims that it
was less. At this time Steele was just
Of age. Wealth continued to roll in
on the nOC anu Weit.DendVou
young man and he soon lost all track
Of how. much money he had. q.
But, like all youths who sudden
ly acquire great wealth. he had adj
visers by the score. They, told him to
"save his money that he would need
It some day" The retort was that.
since there seemed to be a disposition
or the part Of everybody to get it
away from him, he guessed he would
spend 1t before 1t was stolen.
Johnny started for Philadelphia,
leaving behind his wife, whom he
had married In 1862. and a baby son.
He took with him Seth Slocum. the
man at whose door Steele lays the
greatest blame for his undoing.
Upon his arrival in Philadelphia
Steele was met by w. II. Wickham Of
New York who offered him $1,000. 900
for the McClintock farm. Johnny ac-
cepted and received 100000 to bind
the bargain. With more than @t.000..
900 dangling before his eyes Steele
and his friend slocurn. to whom
Steele had given the power. Of attor.
neyI. started out to paint the town.
! They did it-Al at steels's expense.