504. 1865 PITHOLEPENNSYLVANIA OIL LETTER A rare early post-war Pennsylvania oil-relatedletter, 3pp. 8vo., by Pithole, Pa., July 23, 1865 concerning his experiences inthe Oil City region of Pennsylvania while opening a hotel there. In part:"...We left Great Valley about one o'clock...arrived at Jamestown about 4p.m. stopped in Jamestown that night...we took the cars for Cory at 8 a.m...arrived in Titusville about 8 p.m...we stopped in Titusville over night. Itis quite a smart place for this country...I am glad you did not come for theroads are awful. How anybody gets in or out I can't see...there are thousands ofbarrels of oil drawn from here everyday. Our House is not quite ready, but wehave to take what we can. We could have five hundred [guests] if we could keepthem [and] get from ten to twelve dollars...a week for board...Sam and Gid willdo well if they stick to it. Horace is here now...he said he got thrown out ofthe stage three or four times before he got here. I can see more than fiftyderricks from here. I went down...to see the Island Well. It flows all of thetime. I wish you could see it. It is a sight and if I stay here this winter Iwill send for you and you shall see what there is in Old Dom...". Very good.Along with an interesting Pennsylvania oil region riot letter, 3pp. 8vo.,written by the wife of Doctor Jason R. Arter, Oil City, Pa., June 4, 1867concerning the brutal attack on her husband by an Irish mob. During the war,Arter was surgeon of the 31st Ohio who did faithful service in Sherman's Atlantacampaign. Unfortunately, for him he died sometime after his attack since the USpension files show that she applied for help in 1873. Two pieces. $300- 400