Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 19, Number 47, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 18 May 1889 — Page 1

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19.—No. 47.

THE MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

fO\\ and Otherwise.

Never before in the history of Torre Haute hn there been such interest and «uch activity among the citizens than been occasioned by the discovery of oil. There is no end of speculation in regaril to the effect upon the business interests. The opinion seem* to be general that the city is entering upon a period of prosperity, and that the oil will rapidly advance its commercial prestige. Such confidence is had in Ae value of the oil that business men are q-tiiokly taking advantage of the dls--covery and are investing their snrphis /cash in companies to develop the field. /In

every

quarter nothing else is talked

than oil. One may pass along Main •street and see groups of men considering some phase of the situation. If a paper is discovered it is a sure indication of the formation of some new company. Merchants who have heretofore been seen on the street only while going to or from business may now be discovered holding curbstone consultations or rushing here and there furthering some oil project. About the hotels, business houses—where men congregate-every-whero oil monopolises the conversation. Everything else is insignificant when oil is spoken of. There has been for the past week or more one grand rush to take oil stock. Men of means are making heavy investments, whiieclerksand those on salaries are as deeply interested and hold a few shares each. It bas'boen a matter of considerable surprise how easily capital can be secured to invest in oil. There are fully twenty-five companies already organized and many moro are forming. It will be but a short time un^ll over fifty companies will be incorporated to bore for oil or gas. The capital stack of the majority of companies is $3,000, although many of these have f5,000 and $10,000 subscribed. Inanumber of instances companies, after the entire amount of stock had been subscribed, havo had downs of applications for Ktock and efforts made to buy Shares from those who had anbscribed. The wWatfTAfcUl be bowrtl awf. frulto i» 'largfl,. territory. Sovofal companies will put down holes on Ottor creek and Ellsworth north of the city. Others will bore south of the city. Notwithstanding ,the excitement there Is good judgment bciug useit Torre Haute 1* not a city to bocome unreasonably OJicitod over such a disoovery. This is one of the very best features of the situation.

Every day since the discovery of oil there havo been oil men arriving. The hotels have been thronged with individuals from all parts of the country. Most of thorn come tn quietly and look over the territory. Many options have been takoo on" land and Vouso* of large tracts havo been secured. Capitalist* and oil speculators from a distance do not intend to bore. They are securing territory and are waiting for "the other fellows" to do the boring. In tha ©vent other wells strike oil and the field proves to be a large one then they will IKS in readiness to commence operations. All they desire for the present is to secure ami hold ground for boring shonM it be deemed advisable. They are not excited over the prospects and can be soon resting about the hotels keeping as cool as possible notwithstanding the warm weather. Hundred* of acres are now held by lease or option by outside capitalists. However, T»rre Haute capitalists have not been asleep. They too hold large tracts of land upon which wells can be bored.

The Wall well, for this has generally, been accepted as the name of the gusher near the Union depot, is holding out. The flow continues as strong as ever when the oil is permitted to escape.! Most of the time, however, it is shut off. The capacity of the well is estimated at abou1 1,000 liarrels per day. The oil that is sold for lubricating purposes brings $1 per barrel.

During

a

Vandalia.

the week several

tattle line oars have been filled. One of th«in was sold to the E. T. H. railroad company. Many barrels of the oil are in in the manufacturing establishments of the city as a lubricator. The specific gravity of the oil has been found to be about 81.

That

of the finest grades

of lubricating oil Is about 28 or SM. By a quick process of refining the lighter oils can be driven off and the specific gravity reduced to 29 at least and perhaps lower. There is now no further question of the value of the oil. It is worth at least a dollar

barrel and perhaps more, de­

pending somewhat on the extent of the field and the shipping facilities. The pipe ordered by the company arrived the first of the week and a large force of men were immediately put at work laying It to the gmvel pit east or the city on the

plan for asoert&ininK the extent of the oii territory. He argues that the expenditure of so much capital is unnecessary, and suggests that a pool be formed among all the companies. The plan seems plausable and might result in the saving of expenditures which might otherwise prove needless. If the companies already organized should consolidate the plan would be to select the best locations for drilling in order to ascertain the field. Once the field is determined the other companies could progress with the drilling. There is no particular advantage to be gained by drilling first. Some are of the opinion that the fiwrt wells are the most successful, but this is a mistaken idea. If there is a large field there is plenty of time in which to develop it. Often the last wells drilled prove of greater value than the 'first.

There fisa

growing belief that natural

gas will be found in the vicinity of Terre Haute. This opinion is becoming constantly stronger. It is said that gas cannot be found except In coal territory. There is an abundance of coal under this city. The bluffs In all directions are underlaid with rich deposits. Oil has been struck and why not gas? If gas is not found there will be considerable disappointment. Scientists who have examined the situation say that gas is certainly in this region. The only question is, where to find it. With oil and gas the city would be placed on a plane above competition by other cities which are so fortunate as now to possess it.

Real estate has been dull ever since the discovery of oil. Pieces of land which could, a short time ago, be purchased are not now offered for sale. Inquiry at the recorder's office revealed the fact that there has been quiet trading iu real estate. A few leases have been filed for record. The disposition seems to be to hold property until the extent of the oil field is determined. Should It be found to be large the probable effect would be to Increase the price of realty. Man}' holders prefer to retain their property await developments in the hope of iring better prices when the boom comes, if it does come. The liasty disposal of property is not advisable, but if high prices are offered it may be considered best policy to sell.

Superintendent Dlall, of the gusher, is a ma:li sought after man. He Is called upon daily by strangers for bottles of tn&olt. H« teflftr amtwrnrf listener who proposed to buy up everything in sight and out of sight for that matter. ''Are you Mr. Diall?" he asked of the superintendent in his down East dialect. "I represent large Eastern capitalists," he continued. "We propose to come here and buy up the oil wells. Can this one be bought?" The superintendent thought the young uaan a good subject for a little fun. Ho replied that they wero all poor men in the company except himself,, and that he would not sell at any price. The bland young man replied: "O, that will be all right, Mr. Diall. Yon can retain your interest and superintend the well, Mr. Diall. We will fix that all right, Mr. Diall." After a short time he asked who the other stockholders might be. "Well," said Mr. Diall, "onestockholder Is a man by tho name of McKeeu." "Who is he?" "Why," said Dlall, "he is tho presidont of tho Vandalia railroad. Perhaps you havo heard of the line." "Ah ha!"said the young man. "Then there is a fellow they call •Ranks' for short. His name is Fairbanks and he is president of a company that owns the largest distillery In the world." "Ah ha!" ejaculated the representative of the eastern syndicate. Another was named when the young man said: "Mr. Dlall, it rather strikes me you've been guying me." Negotiations for the sale of the well were tben unceremoniously broken off.-

A number of contract® have been let •for drilling and within a woek or ten tdays a number of derricks will be In position and work will be pushed. Drilling comes rather high. Several contracts have boon let for wells at 12 per foot which includes all expenses such as casing, etc. Inasmuch as the depth of the oil stratum ia 1,000 the cost of such wells will be over $3,000. In some instances the companies purpose purchasing thelrown engine and machinery and paying less for the drilling. By working night and day It will require about 90 days to reach the oil bearing stratum, provided no serious obstacles are encountered.

MM.

The work will he com­

pleted in a few days and the huge tanks will be ready to receive the oil. As soon as the line ia completed the oil will be turned Into itand permitted to run to its fullest capacity.

A gentleman who has stock in a number of companies suggests an excellent

Sarah Hemlnway died suddenly

on Tuesday night. She had been ill for several weeks. About a week previous she was considered in a very critical condition. However, ahe improved, and to within several hours of her death was considered much better. Mrs. Hemingway was aMiss Bobbins, and was born in Connecticut. She and her husband removed to this city In I860. Mr. Hemlnway was a cousin of the late Chauncey Rose and assisted the latter in his business. Miss Sue Hemlnway, an only child, survives. The deceased waa known for her charity. She gave large amonnta to worthy cauaea, and many did not know of her extensive charity. The funeral uoenred thia morning at 10:90 o'clock.

V*/

Bab's Babble.

A YOUNG WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE IN NEW YORK BOARDING HOUSES.

ARK WOT SO BAD AS THBt AHE FAINTED— HOW TO LTVB COMFORTABLY AJ*I HAPPILY—BOABDEB8 WHO WANT DEL2IONICO

REPASTS FORCHEAP PRICE8—A LECTURE FOB WOMEN

ONLY—WHAT

IT BROUGHT

OUT—FtTN NY EXPERIENCES OF BOARD-INO-HOU8K Lini—THE WAYS OF THE

TRAINED NtTRH*. [Special Correspondence.] NEW YORK, May 14.

One Of the fads of to-day is to write about the evil influence of the boardinghouse. To announce that it creates lazy women, gossipy women, separates husbands and wives, and takes away from, a woman the instinct to make a home Now, this is an all around tarradiddle The woman who talks scandal, would be quite as spiteful if she had a house of her own as when she lives in a boardinghouse, and the husbands and wives who do not care for each other in a second story back are not in the least likely to grow devoted when they rule from attic to basement. Nor will women who cannot make a home wherever she is create one in nlwe rooms any better than she can in one.

HOW TO IJTVE IN A BOARDING HOUSE. The "comfortable living in a boarding tmise depends entirely on the policy which you follow. You can make a comfortable home and a private one in the second story back you need have nothing but pleasant acquaintances with tho people you are thrown among, and there is not the slightest necessity In the world for your finding your friends in that neighborhood to which the newspaper has directed you. So-called sociable women, who incline to trip into your rotm, can be snubbed then they are not likely to come again. Unless yon are petty enough to crave an interest in other people's affairs, there is no reason in the world why you should get into squabbles, and if you are wise in your generation you will keep vou business affairs entirely to yourself. Do I mean that yon should be disagreeable and rude? Certainly not. But I do that you should remember that familiarity will breed contempt, and that it is much better not to get to knov^oo well theiwplo* wfcq *hr6vn daily.

HOARDERS WHO WANT TOO MUCH. I grow very weary of the newspaper squibs, and of the many complaints of the boarding house table for people, I havo found, who make tho most complaints are usually the ones who, in their lives, have had the least and when it is expected that a Delmonico repast shall be furnished at a boarding house price, it is forgotten that the housekeeper is malting a business and not a pleasure of this. Generalizing, the New York boarding house tables are good, plain and served neatly. We talk about ideal boarding houses—we will deserve them when we become ideal people and not till then. There is a good bit of fun here and there in the boarding house—a deal of kindness shown", and occasionally, very occasionally, a friendship formed.

A LITERARY BOARDINO SET. Many years ago I sought the seclusion of a hall room in a new honse, and before I irot up to it I was asked if I was literary. I promptly replied that I was not. Between you and me, if I have ever met the literary set I either did not know them or they did not fancy me, or else 1 had only been inocu'ated with the fever as far as broad and butter was concerned and they failed to find me a genius. In this house there were three literary ladles and gentlemen.' One lady wrote poetry for an evening paper she had a funny little face like a parrot's, wore eyeglasses and her voice was just like a hoy's when changing. Sometimes when she wo«ld ask for more custard, she would begin at high and go down to the lowest sort of bass in a way that was particularly fetching. The other was a meek, quiet, well-bred little lady who wrote fashion articles and who was interested In knowing everybody's genealogy and the amount of bine blood that permeated through their vains. But the third! She was large, she wss massive and she had written a number of books at which she had made money. She was inclined to he sociable and she would talk from one end of the table to the other in a full, deep voice with an accent peculiar to herself about how her hooka were selling. The literary gentleman might have been a mute, for be never said a word, but he used to glare at me so that I was afraid to touch the cucumbers, and I have known him to have three plates of ice cream and devour them as if they were the souia of bloated bondholders. It la whispered that he was an Anarchist, but be afterward turned out to be a very kindbearted man who taught French in a boy's scnool and he waa not literary enough to hurt, inasmuch aa he only tranalated for some cheap publishing house.

A UKIOU FOR WOMEN ONLY. Just before I left, the literary circle waa increased by a contingent from had written hook on

p- y*.

co-operation—I don't exactly know what It waa, but I think it was that everybody waa to live together and she was to boss the lot, except that every now and then some woman was to give a suggestion about the desert. This would have been desperately hard on me, for I do not like deserts and haven't an idea about them. Immediately after her arrival, it was anttounoed that she was going to lecture on the immorality of the private life of men In public office to ladies only. This souhded like a very wicked subject. She hired Cooper Union and the audience was very select. All the board inghoutea went. There were three small girl children, ten women unknown to the boarding house, and the door-keeper, who, although he wore trousers, was evidently counted as sexless. She began by ffjeing that it was a delicate subject to lake up. We all applauded immensely. This frightened one of the children, and die hid her head in her mother's lap and cried. The lecturer then stepped a little further to the front of the platform and npiutedly addressed that mother as to hofv she should train a nervous child. Aftwffifteen minutes of this she returned to her subject by remarking that as mothers and wives we were interested in the moral character of the men occupying political positions. In a body we afi cried "Hear! hear!" and then she drifted right straight off on the advantages, to be gotten and the money to be save& by a lot of people living together and letting her manage their salaries. SheVound up with a flourish in which she .paid that she trusted that she had not Jfaid a word that would shock the mon sensitive, and we all said, "Certainly not.!' She has become more practical lately and now keeps a.boarding house.

1

AN UNTIDY BOARDER.

$tferybody who boards with this woman l&es her and likes the house. The only man I ever knew to be dissatisfied wait one who was rather an untidy sort of a fellow who liked to put his things where he knew be could find thom, and found the floor or the top drawer of the bureau to be the most desirable. He would go out loaving Dickens thrown on the floor by his bedside and his clean handkerchiefs in the top drawer he would come home and find Dickens stittty placed up on the table, his clean shixts occupying the top drawer, his handkerchiefs in the mouchoir that his bffifrjgirl had given him, and bis ties scjjfwrhy placed in a. long eon box. The lady with the co-operative feeling was looking after his belongings, but even she was worried by his great desire to do as he pleased. One day he found a note pinned on his cushion which said, "Dear Mr. Charles: I beg that when I arrange th intra you will

not.

displace

them I put them where they belong properly, and this finding cuffs in the bottom drawer, shirts in the middle one is at once annoying and occupies time that is really more than money." It is needless to say that after this the young man co-operated, let her run his clothes until he eventually went back to Scotland..*• j. SYMPATHY' IN BOARDING HOUSE

The people who have houses of their own ?nd preach against the boarding say with a moan it is so terrible to be sick there. In my lifetime I have managed to have almost everything except the small-pox and I onoe thought I had that, but it was only the result of a vaccination taking too well. A number of these illnesses have been in boarding houses and I find there isas much human nature in the heart of the woman who keeps the house as there is in any other woman, and she will be just as kind and considerate to you when you are sick as is any good woman. It is true your next door neighbor may not kpow about It, but that is to her advantage and to yours. Be certain of one thing, that Katie in the kitchen of a boarding house will just as quickly piake some beof tea for you, Maria will bring in tbe iced milk, and that Mary will keep the hot water bag full, just as willingly as Francois, the French chef, William, the butler, or Angeline, the lady's maid, won Id In a private house.

The

boarding bouse Is an

outcome of a crowded century and against it there ia much said that is unjust, which, regarding it as the under dog, is why I take up the cudgel in defence of it.

THE WAYS OF TRAINED NURSEHW Now I am going to have my hit at the upper dog, and that Is the trained nurse. She is like the woman doctor it is not so remarkable that she dances well aa that ahe dances at all. Voicing the opinion of a great many women, I may say that one does not want a nurse to know too much. Itis neoesaary that she should know enough to be obedient and obey the instructions given her by the doctor. She should not let yonr feet freeae, or

your

bed get musay, nor yonr

hair tangled, but ahe should give yon your medicine at the proper hours-and ahe ahould learn what a bleaaed thing It is for a woman not only to have a tongue, but to hold it, and to wear soft slippers and frocks that do not awiah. But who, in the name of tbe goddess of medicine, wants a nurae who la feeling about yon every half hour with a thermometer to ne what yonr temperature la? Who alts In a chair and looks and telle you of

the cases she has had until you feel as if you were a case too? As if you had no individuality, as if even your pains were not your own, but belonged in some way to the hospital from which she was graduated?

HERE ARE THREE EXPERIENCES

with trained nurses: The first left an old lady in such a state that she could not have gotten well even if she had not been stricken with death, and the woman who was supposed to care for had hoped to_conceal her laziness from the doctor by covering the bed with an immaculate white spread. Another who knew an old lady was going to die and who disliked to be kept awake at night, gave her a little laudanum one night and too much the next after that neither she nor the poor old lady was disturbed In their sleep. The third, nursing a case of acute rheumatism when the patient could only. lie still and suffer, was anxious to improve herself in Gern^an, and took the hours of the night for this purpose. She would say her verbs over by the hour she would speak German with an accent that could be compared to nothing above or below the Rhine, and at all times the poor invalid had to lie still because the nurse, who was being paid twenty-five dollars a week, did not wish to be disturbed while she was improving her mind. I mention for the protection of the public at large that one of the most Insolent, inquisitive, impertinent and bad-tempered maids I have ever come across has just announced her intention of studying to be a trained nurse, and from her may all sufferers be delivered is the prayer of yours for health. BAB.

Notes and Comment.

Wo have oil, why not gas?

tGlve us gas and we will then want no more of the earth.

Terie Haute already has an oil monopoly—on oil talk.

There is no wonder that oil talk is so easy it is a smooth article.

Boom the oil discovery. It will advertise the city and attract capital.

This is the day we long have sought. We must now make tho most of It.

Pour a little more oil on the axles and watch the wheels of prosperity go round.

.'NoW is thrt t»nuj^J$om the qlfcv, and it is gratifying ro note that' it Is beiiitf done. XU. I

r£'

The French blank cartridge system of assassination is superior to all others In many respects.

New Jersey has been gerrymandered by the Democrats. Will it result as it did in Indiana?

Many wells are being drilled lii the air, but the East side promises to be punctured like a sieve

The

Italian

•gj

government refuses to give

up two murderers. Why not close our ports against such immigrants

Amelio Rives Chanler is attracting attention in Paris. Her works quite suited to French literary tastes

The recent splendid rains throughout the country have started a crop boom— the best kind of a boom there is.

About as far as most of the New York monument schemes go, Is the appointment of a committee to receive funds.

Illuminating gas men have been in session in Cincinnati. Now, then, let us have some more light on tbe subject.

A Chicago man April fooled his wife by running away. The wife now sues for divorce and alimony and will get both. ______

The Indiana Medical society this week reported that It was In a healthy condition. Nothing was said about the patients.

Benzine Bill la doing temperance work in the West. He is probably one of those orators spoken of as of pyrotechnic brilliancy.

|gg

Tbe supreme court has decided that John Chinaman if he goes must remain away. Restrictions should be placed on emigration from other countries.

A critic from one of the neighboring towns says of Campanlni that he "sang well, but showed the wear of time in more than one note in hie songs."'

Some think the Dominion extradition law retroactive. Should it prove true now la the time for sheriff* to make preparations to make a summer trip to Canada. ______

A farmers mam meeting over at Vandalia solemnly asseverated that they would not purchase any binding twine at trust prioea. This settles it, tbe combine la "basted."

The yonng man whio bad the courage to confess to the president that he waa engaged and that his marriage depended on an appointment deserves a fat ofBoe. Caillng'upon the president be said bold* ly: "Some time ago I made an application for an appointment. 1 want It awfully bad

the fact Is, Mr. Presidont," and here the young man blushed to the tips of htshair, "I am engaged to be married. Unless I get this appointment tbe engagement won't stand. There, you have it,, now you know why I am so anxious.'^

A returning emigrant from Oklahomar said that the dust was as bad there as in St. Louis. Another mud-slinging campaign has been inaugurated by the St. Louis and Chicago press. ,4,

A Cincinnati paper repllying to an Inquirer asking for the population of Terre Haute says that they nevei heard of such a place. Place a pin on the map and watch the growth of the alreadyprosperous city.

Baby McKee will yet receive an appointment. Democrats need not fearthat the president will not remember his own family. He has remembered hisfriends, and the charge of nepotism jlsnot to be the president's discredit.

The Law and Order league in Cincinnati closed over half tho saloons lu that city last Sunday, and the others will beclosed in the fnture. And thus the Paris of America has lost one of her chief claims to fame. ______

Tho Chicago police are covering themselves all over with glory in the Cronin mystery. They have more theories and clues for the solution of mysterious affairs than any force in the country, and never solve any of them or catch the criminals.

Extremists always make fools of them selves. The Law and Order league of Pittsburg attempted to prevent a sacred concert being given on Sunday evening by

an

Opera company. Warrants could not be served until after midnight, ther^fconcert was given, and the troupe fled. on a special train to avoid arrest.

Ex-Mayor Hewitt always makes strong statements. At a London banquet he told the Englishmen that the South in a few years would be tho hardware center' of the world, which has been the boast of England for generations. He it waa who made the statement which created such widespread comment: "America for Americans." Hi.

Journalism in Now York has resulted In an effort by each daily to bring out the biggest bundle of paper on Sunday. The warfare has developed some start-

ling assertions. One is that supplements. containing only advertisements are not.. delivered by the newsdealers,^ mt aoj^i as jun!."**~X"rioth$'i« li whe has boasted much of great sales, inking preparing a set of subscription hooks to show a fictitious circulation.

We should like to know the kind of atr administration that would suit the Democrats. Some of the officials work sixteen hours per day and the Democrats complain that they move too slowly. On the contrary, they object because such men as Clarkson are too rapid in their work. They might as well understand now as at any other time, that they will not be'consulted by the present adminijtratlon.

Washington Irving Bishop, the wellknown mind reader, died suddenly in New York on Monday. Although but 32 years old, Mr. Bishop had been thrice, married. Tho highly nervous temperament which he inherited from a mother infatuated with spiritualism wa*doubtless responsible for many of his freaked and probably caused his prematuresdeath. Such beings are interesting when considered as psychological phenomena but it is just aa well that there are not too many of them.

THE MAIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE A half dozen more oil wells flowing at tbe rate of 1,000 barrela per day.

A substantial boom In Terre Haute. The races the first week in June a big: success.

A first claas ball team and a large attendance at tbe games. The Columbia club build a club house..

Fences torn down In the residence portion of tbe city. The practice of loitering on church, steps broken up by the police.

WHY\

17ot Impose a tax on the telephoned oompany for tbe use of the streets unless tbe city instruments are furnished. free of charge?

Can not tbe street car oompany sprinkle tbe Collett park line on Sunday and avoid the dreadfully annoying dust?

Not form a pool of the home oil companies and ascertain the extent of tbe field without indiscriminate drilling?

Was not the new artesian bath house located on top of the bill? Did a certain Indianapolis paper refuse to notice our oil well?

Have not the rumored marriages taken place? We can not be favored with.more rain?

Can not anew uniform rank, K. of P., be establiabed in this city? The ice oompanies put up tbe price?

Is there opposition to tbe enforcement of thecow ordinance? Not put forth greater eflbrfs than ever" to induce manufactories to locate here?*

Tbe Interior of the National hotel, waa#

I don't care for It myself, but repainted and decorated this week.*

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