I Out west a third Hardison brother had made a sizeable fortune supplying cross ties for the new trans-continential railroads under construction at that time. When he returned to the east looking for some promising business in which he could invest his money, he stopped in Titusville to look things over there. His brothers had written him about the kindness and generosity shown them by their good friend Lyman Stewart. Wallace Hardison made it his business to call on Mr. Stewart personally. He was so favorably impressed with him personally and with the prospects for investment in the oil busi- ness that he proposed they purchase some properties for the development of the oil business. Being somewhat financially embarassed at the time, Mr. Stewart explained the state of his affairs, and expressed his regrets that he could not join in such a venture because of lack of funds. Mr. Hardison brushed aside his protests and said, "You know the oil business and I don'·t. have funds and you don't. We'll be partners. I'll put up the money and you put up the experience." On this basis, and with only a hand shake to seal the agreement, Wallace Hardison and Lyman Stewart formed a partner- ship that was to continue for the remainder of theit lives. For quite some time Mr. Stewart had been intrigued by the reports from California on the oil potential of the Golden State. He had made up his mind to investigate this potential first hand. A former Titusville friend, Mr. I. E. Blake, offered him all the land he cared to drill on if he would come out west. Mr. Stewart proposed to Mr. Hardison that they sell their business and go to California. Hardison was not interested in the prospects, 24 befriended a number of men in the /.. oil business. Among then were the brothers James and Harvey Hardison, experts in fishing for lost tools in oil wells. On occasions when they were short of funds he had drawn from his personal bank account to help them. At no time had he profited financially from the help he had provided these men. However, in the long run, he had gained what proved later to be life-long friends.
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