CELEBRITY SIGHTING: According to the Well Done Foundation, their new ambassador paid a visit to our area this fall. In a post to social media Oct. 11, officials announced that Jason Priestley appreciates the mission of the foundation and the straightforward way they are getting the work done.
It stated he feels so strongly about the work Well Done is doing that he came to NW Pennsylvania to see things first-hand.
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GO DEVIL: An Era reader wrote in regarding an article written by Bradford Historical Society Curator Sally Costik and printed Oct. 9 to share that John Franklin Bassett, a skilled machinist, is credited with inventing the “Go Devil,” — the 10-12 inch cast iron rod sent into a hole to detonate the torpedo.
This is according to the Pioneer Oil Museum in Bolivar, NY’s newsletter, dated Spring 2012 (Vol. II, Issue I).
The reader also let us know that the first successful well shoot occurred on Jan. 21, 1865 on the “Ladies Well,” located in French Creek/Titusville, depth 465 feet.
The “torpedo” (cylinder device) was an invention of Colonel E.A.L. Roberts, a veteran of both the Mexican and Civil Wars. By 1867, nitroglycerin had become the prime element in oil well shooting, with Robert’s company manufacturing 25 tons a year. Roberts died in 1881, according to the book, PA OIL INDUSTRY, 1974 (page 33-35).
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TODAY: Today is National Cappuccino Day. With the cooler temperatures, it makes for a great day to grab a frothy, hot cup of joe. This popular beverage got its name from the color of the hoods worn by Capuchin friars.
