, 1884-10-12
STRIKES A SPOUTER.
The First Flowing Oil Well in
Wyoming.
The Denver Company the Lucky
Owners of the Find.
Some Interesting Facts in Regard
to the District.

- AA@' AA111~tL
THE LEADER of the progress made by
the oil companies in the Sweetwatei
country and the fiattering prospects which
were attending their labors. 1t now has
the qualification of announcing that their
efforts have been successful and that there
is no longer any doubt that Wyoming has
developed another field for the invest
ment of capital. That the Territory is
rich in minerals has long been known,
but it is now demonstrated that Wyoming
is 10 be the Pennsylvania Of the West,
from which the supply of oil is to be OBJ
tanned.
Some time ago some gentlemen of Den
yer and this city organized a stock CON
pany and determined to see whether a
flowing well could be obtained in this dis
trict. They went quietly TO work and
located their claims and then commenced
operations. Progress was necessarily
slow as all the machinery had to OBJ
tanned in Denver and shipped to Rawlins
by rail. From the latter place it was con-
veyed by wagons to the district, a distance
of about twenty miles.
Early in September last the engines
were set up and the drilling Immediately
commenced. The work progressed as
rapidly as could be expected. When a
depth of 400 feet was reached oil was OBJ
tanned, but not in sufficient quantities to
force the water from the drill hole. At
the depth of 800 feet it became evident
that a flowing well would be reached
sooner than the experts had predicted.
On Friday a courier arrived at Rawlins,
bringing tn. news hat the Company had
realized their hopes. A flowing well had
been struck at a depth of $50 feet. Be
yOnd this he had little or no information,
except that the flow wa described as
being remarkable, both as to quality and
quantity. The well belongs to what is
known as the Denver Company, but a
good share of the capital is represented in
this city.
The claims are located on the northeast
fork of Poison Spider Greek, and are at
Oil City, a town about two miles north
east of Dodge City, and about twenty
miles north of Rawlins. 1t is known by
the namc of the Rattlesnake Mining dis
trict and is about twenty five miles wide
and about one hundred miles in length.
and contains every indication that there
is an abundance of oil in hat locality. IL
has been but little ~prospected and there
are at present comparatively few loca-
tons.
Among the claims in the district may
be mentioned those of the Boutwell,
syndicate and those of Graf Rogers, of
Omaha. These are the principal ones,
although there are quite a number belong
ing to individuals. The severity of Winter
will prevent much prospecting being done
before Spring, as the snow fall is very
heavy. Those located during the present
Fall will be by those living in the immed-
late vicinity.
This oil must not be ~confounded with
the petroleum of Pennsylvania, as it isnot
suitable for Illuminating purposes. 1t is
simply u lubricant, and is perfectly free
from grit and dirt. Experts from New
York, Philadelphia and England have
made frequent examinations and pro-
nounced it to be one of the finest lubri-
cants in the world. Besides, it has been
used to some extent by the Union Pacific
Railway company and has received from
them the most fattering concentrations.
The prospects of the Denver Company
were not as good as those of some other
claims in the district. Many have oil
springs on their locations, but the flow
was too small to be of practical value.
Active operations have been made to sink
quite a number of wells the coming
Spring and the success of the Denver
Company will only serve as an impetus to
the enterprise. The machinery of the
Boutwell, party is now at Rawlins and
will probably be transported to Oil City
during the present month. The oil fields
of Wyoming are not confined to this dis
trict. The same indications are found in
the northeastern part ofthe Territory as
well, and the district is as large, if not
larger than that of the Sweetwater. In
this section there has been more pros
pecting, but as yet no wells have been
sunk, though the oil obtained from the
springs has been used for some time by
the Stage companies as q lubricant.
The profits realized by capitalists and the
remuneration paid to labor by the oil in
dustries of Pennsylvania promise very
good results to Wyoming. The fact that
oil can be obtained here in flowing guam
titles is established, and it will not be
long ere capital will seek these fields for
investment.
MAXEY COBB.