OIL 150: Virginia Johnson of Bradford is among our readers who
enjoyed The Era’s coverage of the Oil 150 celebration, and the well
shoot.

She writes, “Growing up in the ’40s and ’50s in Derrick City,
they brought back many memories, good and bad alike. The picture in
the Aug. 24 edition of the well shoot from a wooden standard rig
took me back to the day around 1952 when they shot a well on the
hill behind our house on what is now Treeline Road. Being in the
backyard, I heard what sounded like a soft roar. Looking up, I saw
the gray-black gusher as it shot toward the sky, exactly as it
showed in the picture.”

“There are so many other memories of those days living in a
valley full of oil. As I sat on the porch with my grandmother, the
nitroglycerine trucks traveled up and down the road, driven by
brave men that we knew, and we often spoke of our hope they would
get their loads delivered safely, as it was such a dangerous
job.

“Grandma spoke of the days when they carried the nitro by horse
and wagon and about later years when a nitro truck blew up in the
Marshburg area, injuring and killing the people in the car
following it.

“There was a lease owned by Quaker State all across that hill
behind our house. The pressure plant was to the right, and there
was a well and jack beside our house on the left. The rod line
connecting the two ran through our backyard. When the well was
pumping, I used to hang upside down on the rod line as it moved
back and forth and listened to the ‘squeak, squawk’ as it rubbed on
the wooden support pole beside me.

“My dad often put grease on it to cut down on the noise, and my
mother planted flowers around it to make it look more attractive.
Of course, there was also the familiar chugg-putt-putt of the big
engine in the powerhouse. After a while, it almost became
soothing.

“Anyone who lived in the valley has to remember the taste and
smell of the well water laced with oil. I was so happy to find out
that city water was coming to Derrick City.”

TODAY’S QUOTE: “The people never give up their liberties but
under some delusion,” said Edmund Burke, British statesman, writer,
1784.