Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1875 — Early Mention of Petroleum. [ARTICLE]

Early Mention of Petroleum.

A full century ago the existence of oil springs in Western Pennsylvania was a published and well-established fact. In the Massachusetts Magazine , published in 1789, we find the following in relation to them; “ In the northern part of Pennsylvania there is a creek called Oil Creek, which empties into the Allegheny River. It issues trom a spring, on the top of which floats an oil, similar to that called Barbadoes tar, and from which one may gather several gallons a day. The troops sent to guard the Western posts halted at the same spring, collected some of the oil and bathed their joints with it. This gave them great relief from the rheumatism, with which they were afflicted. The water, of which the troops drank freely, operated as a gentle purge.” There is still earlier evidence of the existence of the oil springs than this. It is found in an old book, published in 1772, entitled “ Travelers in North Amer-. ica,” by Peter Kahm. On a map in this volume the exact location ofthe oil springs is given.". We take this from an exchange; but it is still far behind. As early as 1629, almost a century and a half before KahAi’s book appeared, a French missionary, Joseph de la Roche d’Allion, who crossed the Niagara River into what is now New York State, wrote a letter, in which he mentions the oil springs, and gives the Indian name of the place, which he explained to mean “ There is plenty there.” His letter wasprinted inSagard’s “ Ristoure du Canada,” in 1632, and subsequently in Le Cherq. —National Oil Journal.

Mr. Hardy, of Portlandville, who was in the Quartermaster’s Department at Sioux City in 1862, tells a story of wonderful endurance of a cow belonging to Mr. Hagy. The cow had been missing for eight days when found at the bottom erf a well forty feet deep. When discovered she was standing on her feet, with head bent around to her rump, and evidently had been in that position for eight days without food or water. The funny part of the story is that when drawn out iihe continued for several days to walk in a circle and could not be made to walk in a titraigkt line, and it was only by letting her' move off in a constantly-enlarging circ.V, until it took in the farm-yard of the ownc-T, that she could be driven to her home from the place where she became so set in tier way. — Sioux City{lova) Journal f- No YOAtSG lady is so honest that she will refuse to hook a dress. 7A mas wh.o is alwayß in a stew generally goes to po<t