GAS OR OIL

Post card image of abandoned oil derrick (left of rock mass) at Rock City near Olean, N. Y.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, June 2, 1897.

GAS OR OIL.

PROJECT TO SINK A WELL IN THE VICINITY OF CORTLAND.

Subscription List of Stock in Circulation—Experienced and Practical Men from Pennsylvania Pushing the Matter—Baldwinsville and Rome Have Gas, Why not Cortland?

   Within recent months natural gas in paying quantities has been found in Baldwinsville and in Rome. The Standard Oil Co. has been sending its experts through this section of the country and is reported to have become assured that oil is to he found in the neighborhood of Otisco lake. At any rate it is said that this company is leasing large tracts of land in the vicinity of Borodino, and proposes to begin drilling.

   Some practical drillers from Potter county, Pennsylvania, have been in Cortland looking over the field. They have studied the geology of the place and of the surrounding hills. They have consulted the state geologist and report that he concurs with them in their belief that underneath that section of country is found the Trenton rock which has proved so fruitful of oil and gas. They have enlisted the energies of some local parties and have started out with the following subscription list:

   We, the undersigned, agree to take and pay for the number of shares of $25 each set opposite our respective names in an association for the purpose of putting down a test well for oil, gas, mineral water, etc., consisting of one hundred shares of $25 each.

   The test well is to be located in or near Cortland, and payments are to be made to a treasurer (who shall be an officer of one of the Cortland banks) as follows: Twenty-five per cent when a depth of 500 feet is reached, 25 per cent when 1,000 feet is reached, 25 percent when 1,500 feet is reached, and the balance of 25 per cent when 2,000 feet is reached, unless gas, oil or other valuable products are struck at a less depth than 2.000 feet in paying quantities, in which case the full $25 shall be due and payable.

   In case gas, oil or other valuable substances are found the subscribers are to have first rights in proportion to their subscriptions herein, to subscribe in a company to be formed for the purpose of developing and disposing of such products, which right is to be transferable.

   No contract, leases or other liabilities shall be incurred by any one except by a board of managers who shall be elected by a majority of the shares subscribed at a meeting called in writing and served on each subscriber, of which at least five days' notice shall be given of time and place of such meeting.

   This subscription to be void unless work is commenced on or before Oct. 1, 1897, and the full number of shares taken.

   A STANDARD man this morning interviewed one of the Pennsylvania experts on the subject. The subscription list then contained the signatures of four firms and business men of Cortland, each of whom represents a different line of trade and each of whom had subscribed for one share of $25.

   What do you expect to find if you drill, asked The STANDARD man. Gas and oil, was the answer. What about mineral water, you seem to have that in your paper? Well, I don't know much about that, said the Pennsylvanian. We may or may not find that, but I am confident of gas and oil. The reporter inquired why he felt so sure of these substances, and was told that Cortland lies in the belt, and every well drilled in the belt has proved successful. This belt comes from Allegany county to Cortland along to the north of us.

   The reporter inquired where he would begin work or where locate the well if he should be successful in getting the requisite number of subscribers. That would be for the subscribers to say, was the reply. But when asked further if he had not a choice or a preference where to begin, as it was likely that all the local subscribers would be wholly unacquainted with the practical parts of such an undertaking, he said that he had thought of s spot on the hill east of the valley between Cortland and Homer. You wonder, continued the contractor, at my going upon a higher elevation to sink a well, but we want to strike rock as soon as possible.  We have no difficulty in rock, but if we drill in ground such as we find all along this bottom land we shall be in constant trouble from the dirt caving in. What we want is rock. I thought of that hill because we could strike rock there as soon as any other place.

   The subscription paper is in circulation, and the result of it will be watched with interest by all.

RACE WAR BREAKS OUT.

Negro Stripped and Whipped to Death.

WHITES ATTACKED BY NEGROES.

Arkansas Town Greatly Excited Over the Outbreak—Sheriff's Posse on the Scene and Further Trouble

 Is Looked For at Any Time.

   ATKINS, Ark., June 2.—A race war is in progress in Lee township, Pope county, five miles south of Atkinson, in which two or three men have already been killed or fatally wounded, and the community is in a state of great excitement, with a more serious outbreak liable to occur at any moment.

   The killed or fatally injured, so far as can at present be ascertained, are:

   Will Gaylord, negro, whipped to death by a mob of whites.

   Jesse Nickels, terribly cut with knives by negroes; will probably die.

   White man, name unknown, fatally shot by gang of negroes.

   Reason Egg, white, shot by deputy constable; extent of injuries not known.

   Constable C. E. Edge, badly cut.

   The troubles began Sunday night, when a party of three or four negroes attacked two white men, Jesse Nickels and J. R. Hodges. Nickels was cut by the negroes.

   Warrants had been issued for the negroes on Monday, but they declared that they would not be arrested.

   Reason Egg, white, helped them resist arrest, and when officers went to the scene Egg attacked Constable Edge with a knife and inflicted a dangerous injury. The constable succeeded in arresting Egg after shooting him in the arm.

   Monday night one of the negroes, William Gaylord, who had participated in the riots, was taken from his home by a mob, supposed to be composed of white men, and after being stripped was tied to a post and beaten into insensibility. He was alive, but was unconscious, when found and has since died. The whole country is stirred up and further outbreaks are looked for at any moment.

   A posse of citizens from this place, including Deputy Prosecuting Attorney

Thomas D. Brooks, have gone to the scene of the trouble and further developments are being anxiously awaited.

The Murderer Captured.

   WASHINGTON, June 2.—Agent Stouck telegraphs from Forgue River that he has captured Stanley, the Indian murderer of Hoover.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Memorial Day.

   It is good that as time goes on the day chosen for commemorating the services of soldiers of the civil war and of decking with flowers the graves of those who have joined the invisible army should be more and more observed. It can happily be said with truth that there is now no more bitterness between north and south.  Confederate soldiers' graves in the north, Union soldiers' graves in the south alike receive each year duly "roses to crown the blue, lilies to deck the grey." May the gentle, kindly custom survive so long as the Union flag floats, so long as there is a son of this republic left to defend her!

    The annual reunion of the G. A. R. will be in Buffalo, Aug. 23 to 28. There are 350,000 of the old boys—not so many by 50,000 as there were when the order was at its highest notch. Still, there are left enough surviving Union soldiers to increase the membership of the G. A. R. to 1,000,000. A statistician who has studied insurance tables finds that according to these there will be left alive in the year 1940 340 Union soldiers.

   At the dedication of the Grant tomb, April 27, 1897, far the most impressive and really picturesque sight was the procession of Grand Army veterans. There were spruce, erect young cadets; there were governors with their gorgeously caparisoned staffs; there were millionaire regiments of national guards, with the creases of newness yet in their costly uniforms, but none appealed to the American citizen like the bent, gray bearded old boys who gave up for their country all the best promise of their lives 35 years ago. These, with the torn, powder stained old flags they bore, touched the heart and moistened the eyes as none other in that procession of 50,000 men could do.

   It was little to the credit of those who had that procession in charge that they placed the only citizen soldiers who had seen actual fight at the rear end, the very fact of all in the great pageant. The Union soldiers who survive should with one accord unite with the G. A. R. and swell its ranks to such influential numbers that none will ever again venture to offer them an indignity like this.

Funeral of Dr. Pomeroy.

   The funeral of Dr. T. C. Pomeroy was held at 1 o'clock this afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna C. Shumway, in Homer, and was largely attended. The services were conducted by Rev. F. A. S. Storer, pastor of the Congregational church at Homer, assisted by Rev. John T. Stone, pastor of the Presbyterian church of Cortland, of which the deceased was formerly a member.

   Mr. Storer in his remarks expressed the regret that the late pastor of Dr. Pomeroy, Rev. L. M. Clark of the Park Presbyterian church of Syracuse, could not be present, but he was prevented by another funeral in Syracuse this afternoon.

   The casket was adorned by many beautiful floral tributes, consisting chiefly of roses, lilies of the valley and ferns. A quartet consisting of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Graham, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Greenman and Mr. A. D. Blodgett of Cortland sang "There is a Holy City," and "Rest, Weary Heart." Mr. Stone read appropriate selections of Scripture, and Mr. Storer made very excellent remarks in which he dwelt upon the earnest Christian character and consistent life of the deceased.

   The bearers were the three sons and a nephew: Messrs. T. Edgar Pomeroy, Lewis B. Pomeroy, Harry D. Pomeroy and Byron Pomeroy. The burial was in the family lot in the Cortland Rural cemetery. At the grave the burial service was read by Mr. Storer, prayer was offered by Mr. Stone and the quartet sang the chant "Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled."

   Many friends were in attendance upon the funeral from Cortland as well as from Homer, and the following relatives and friends from out of town: Mr. T. Edgar Pomeroy and son Edgar of Syracuse, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis B. Pomeroy of Phoenix, Mr. and Mrs. Harry D. Pomeroy Canastota, Mr. F. L. Pomeroy of Buffalo, Mr. Byron Pomeroy and son Hugh of Otisco, Mrs. Edward P. Pomeroy of Savannah, N. Y., Mrs. F. N. Dickinson and son Robert of Syracuse and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Dorwin of Syracuse.

On Memorial Day.

   While the veterans were decorating the graves of their fellow comrades on Monday, the Woman's Relief corps were also busy in strewing flowers over the final resting place of those of their number who have died since their organization ten years ago. They are Mrs. Julia Fairbanks, Mrs. Mary Seacord, Mrs. Jennie C. Myers, Mrs. Emily Wheeler, Mrs. Harriet Grady and Mrs. Linda D. Miller. Three others are buried out of town. The graves of two army nurses, Frances and Caroline Merrick, were also decorated.

BREVITIES.

   —The West End Brownies defeated the South Ends Tuesday afternoon by a score of 35 to 10.

   —The Cortland county Pomona grange holds a meeting to-morrow at 10 o'clock at Good Templars' hall.

   —Unless rain prevents the second of the series of road races over the Little York course under the auspices of the C. A. A., [the race] will be run Friday night.

   —Secretary A. C. Kinney of the C. A. A. this morning received the entry of Bay McDonald of New York City in the open professional events at the C. A. A. races June 17.

   —Teachers examinations for second and third grade certificates will be held to-morrow and Friday at Marathon in the First Commissioner district and at Truxton in the Second Commissioner district.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp Local Happenings at the Corset City.

   Stephen F. Brownell of McGrawville died Monday at Stipplersville, Pa., at the home of his son Charles, where he had been spending the winter. His age was 85 years. The remains will be brought to McGrawville on Thursday and the burial will be in South Otselic, where Mrs. Brownell is buried.

   Mrs. N. H. Gillette is visiting friends in Brooklyn.

  The Men's League Wheel club will meet Thursday morning at 5:15 for a run.

   Major and Mrs. Aaron Sager are in town to-day.

   The M. E. church is making elaborate preparations for the celebration of Children's day at the morning service on Sunday, June 13.