OIL 150: More follow-up on The Era’s coverage of the Oil 150
celebration of the past week or so.
Cy Anderson of Kane writes, “I very much enjoyed the article
about Dave Hill’s hobby that appeared in last Thursday’s Era. I can
relate to his love for the days of drilling with cable tools.”
“I knew Dave practically from the day he was born. His dad and
mother were my dearest friends in Kane up until they passed away.
During a time in the late ’40s, I worked with his dad and for his
grandfather. Dave’s dad was a few years younger than me but had
grown up around drilling rigs. He was the driller and I, the tool
dresser. We drilled with National Machines back then.
“A lot of water has gone over the dam but I can remember a few
of our experiences.
“One December we were drilling a few miles outside of DuBois. We
were working 12 hour towers. It was bitter cold and the well was
making some gas so we couldn’t have a fire to stay warm. We had to
hang a blanket between the hole and the forge when we dressed the
bits. One night the well ignited and Dick snuffed it out by
dropping the bailer down the hole.
“Another time we were working atop a hill above Custer City. We
were spudding in and the cracker broke up on top of the crown
pulley and came down on top of me. Luckily, it hit me on the
shoulder and not on the head. There were no hard hats in those
days.
“I think the fondest of my memories was when we would ‘hang it
on the wrench’ and head for the bar in the Reavely Hotel.”
COMICS ’46: Pat Roff dropped off a color comics section of the
Philadelphia Inquirer from Sept. 1, 1946, and it sure reflects the
change such newspaper features have undergone in the last 60-plus
years.
Among the strips are Dick Tracy, Little Orphan Annie, Jungle
Jim, Flash Gordon, Our Bill, Penny, Terry and the Pirates, Smilin
Jack, Moon Mullins, Smitty, Gasoline Alley and Smokey Stover.
Not even the oldest of our current strips – such as Blondie,
Andy Capp or even Beetle Bailey – are among the offerings. And it’s
very hard to imagine any comics page without Snoopy and his
cohorts.
