All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

290 All About Inventions stroyed, but another and more ambitious project was instantly carried into effect, while those interested in this phase of the problem, supported by the oil- well owners, did not hesitate to express their in- tentions should the line again suffer destruction. These reciprocatory threats had the desired effect. Surreptitious and guerilla efforts to interfere with the pipe line were made, but the teamsters recognised that they were waging a hopeless conflict, and ulti- mately withdrew from the scene, completely discom- fited, but buoyed up with the hopes of achieving further successes among the new oil-fields which were springing up, and in which they did remarkably well during the brief preliminary period between striking the oil and completing arrangements for its conveyance by pipe line. But many of those who were favoured by Dame Fortune in the first instance speedily recognised that oil is a fickle treasure. They prided themselves upon their success and the money they were making so easily. But their joy in many instances was short- lived. The successful well exuded its wealth in great volumes for a short while. Then it began to decrease, until it merely trickled, and at last ceased to flow altogether. The well had given out. Drake’s well continued to flow for a year before it contributed such little volume of oil as to become unprofitable. But many other wells only enjoyed a fleeting life of a few weeks—in some instances of days only. As the fickleness of the oil-wells became appre- ciated it was seen that striking oil was not always the profitable success it appeared at first. In some cases the well gave out before the lucky owner had