[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 25, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H2683-H2684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING THE OIL CITY DERRICK

  (Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania was recognized to address the House for 
5 minutes.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
The Oil City Derrick, which published the final print edition of The 
Derrick and The News-Herald on March 20.
  The Derrick opened at 1871 under its prior name of the Daily Derrick 
by C.E. Bishop & Company. The publication covered the latest stories in 
Oil City.

[[Page H2684]]

  When Edwin Drake struck oil in western Pennsylvania, The Derrick 
quickly became a national news outlet, and it was best known for its 
coverage of oil prices.
  The newspaper was a key source of information for journalists like 
Ida Tarbell, who reported the oil wars of the 1870s.
  Patrick C. Boyle, a prominent figure in the oil industry, bought The 
Derrick in 1885. Patrick helped to establish other newspapers, 
including the Bradford Era and the Oil and Gas Journal.
  The newspaper was owned by the Boyle family for four generations. 
Patrick Boyle passed away in 1920, and ownership of the newspaper was 
passed on to his son, Edward Boyle, who served as a publisher until his 
death in 1938.

  For more than 100 years, the Boyle family was influential in the 
newspaper's success. From Patrick Boyle's purchase of the outlet in 
1885, the family's stewardship ensured that for 154 years The Derrick 
never once missed a day of publication--an incredible accomplishment.
  The pages of The Derrick served as the record for the region's 
history. Major events included President Ulysses S. Grant's visit to 
the area and the Great Fire and Flood of 1892.
  The Derrick didn't just witness change. It lived through it. Through 
every win and loss of the oil boom to the dawn of the industrial 
revolution to the emergence of the digital age, this newspaper adapted 
and prevailed.
  The Derrick stood as a constant for 154 years, capturing the 
evolution of our community and the very way that we share the news.
  Mr. Speaker, it is never easy when we see our local institutions 
close, especially those that have played such an important role in our 
communities like The Derrick has for more than a century.
  My heartfelt thanks go out to the staff who have worked diligently 
over the years to deliver the news to the people of Pennsylvania's 15th 
Congressional District.
  For 154 years, The Derrick has been there, and we are all grateful 
for that.

                          ____________________