Evening star., 1937-08-29
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

Seventy eight years ago this Au-
gust COL Edwin L. Drake, by drilling
the flrst well for oil in the United
States, changed the manner Of living
in America and well-nigh throughout
the world.
Today oil Is used not only for the
clamps of China" but for the lubri-
cation OF her armored fighting tanks
and war planes, as well as for those
Of her friends and foes among the
nations. Likewise, in all modern
transportation, be 1t by motor car,
ship or plane, oil Is the modern mir
acle that motivates the turning Of the
wheels OF peace and war.
During the years that have inter-
vened since 1889, oil has not only dis
placed steam as the monarch OF our
industrial age, but become the magic
genii Of many Of the worlds most
fabulous fortunes and ut the present
time commitments for oil burners In
homes and industrial plants alone are
causing additional development Of oil
lands all over the United States.
A current movie gives its interpre-
tation Of that seemingly insignificant
oil-well drilling on brakes part in
peaceful little Pennsylvania valley a
little over IS years ago, which over
night revealed to q countryside its
Midas store
Boulder Marks History.
A native boulder now marks the
spot where with energy, foresight and
persistence Drake drilled to the depth
OF SO feet and inaugurated the petro-
leum industry. This, with It's bronze
entablature, delineating the essential
facts, was placed there by the local
Canadohta Chapter Of the Daughters
OF the American Revolution. Its In
spiration and motivation were largely
due to the enthusiasm and leadership
OF Mrs. Roger Sherman of Titusville,
Pa, wife OF an eminent lawyer of the
town whose forbear, Roger Sherman,
American statesmen OF our early Colo
nial period, had prominent part in
the drafting the Declaration of In
dependence and of the Articles of the
Confederation, and in the ratification
OF the Federal Constitution. Their
daughter is Mrs. Thomas w. Phillips,
wife OF the former Representative in
Congress from Butler, Pa, whose home,
2l08 Sixteenth street, is still main
tanned here in Washington.
Across the green from the memo
rial boulder Is the Drake Museum,
which contains many Interesting relics
Of the days when this mountain-en-
compassed little valley on the banks
Of narrow Oil Creek witnessed a rush
to its midst that rivaled the gold
trek TO California in 40, or Nevada,
Colorado and the Klondike in the
0Os.
Original Acre a Shrine.
Another monument, smaller than
that to Drake. together with the orig
1nal acre OF land surrounding brakes
famous derrick, are the gift of Susan
Emery in memory Of her husband,
Daniel Emery, who was one Of the
early pioneers Of the oil industry
which sprang into existence upon the
heels of brakes success.
To this acre Of remembrance as well
as to the nearby town of Titusville.
which IN the roaring s0s boasted no
less than 20 naillionaires, who. as pow-
erful independents, made this region
the center Of the opposition to the
Standard Oh combination, an increas-
ing number of Summer tourists are
yearly finding their way.
Back in 1895. Samuel Kerr and JON
athan Titus, grandson Of Peter Titus,
German immigrant. who settled upon
Staten Island in 1856, obtained 300
acres and settled on the site Of the
present town Of Titusville. The cabin
Of Titus. pioneer surveyor, and man
OF heroic build even among his back
wood neighbors, became famous for
its owners simple. jovial hospitality.
1t was but natural. therefore, as
neighbors began to cluster about his
clearing that the name Of Titusville
should be given to the settlement
which pursued its uneventful way
until that August day in 1859 when
Drake drilled the first Oil we'll for oil
IN the United States.
Titpsville Goes Wild.
Overnight the little village OF
T1tusville went wild with excitement.
The news spread like wildnre. Men
left their farms, their blacksmith
shops and their crossroads stores to
gallop on horseback down Oil Creeks
valley to secure land for drilling pur-
poses. To the local frenzy and ex-
pectation was added that from near
and far as spectators rushed madly
in to lease or buy adjacent farm lands
Has Slen