The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-05-25

I3S.OUO,OOO barrels OF OIL were pumpe1
from $4,000 wells. The field is now
practically abandoned by large opera
tors for the capacity of the Is, 900 wells
has dwindled to about IL 600 barrels .
day. ena bling only small operators to
make money by their operation. The
Neodesha wells are not so good as the
Bradford wells were, nor does the
crude Neodesha product produce as
much oil, but the wells are better than
the Lima, o., wells both in quantity
and quality, and that is saying great
deal.
There is condition in the early
leases of Guffey & Galley, covering
some 13, 1000 acres of land, that the firm
shall build a refinery at Neodesha or
forfeit a certain sum, said to be $50, 600,
to the city. Superintendent McGhee
does not care to say when this condi-
ton will be complied with, nor will he
give an estimate of the capacity of the
wells, .ne quality of the oil, or the
plans of the company he represents.
1t is plain, however, that Guffey 81
Galley believe there is big thing in
Neodesha oil for they continue to
spend money hand over fist and ara
getting all the leases they can.
Here is form of the lease in a gen
eral way, some slight changes having
been made in pen and ink, in some:
This lease. made between. ............p party OF
the first part and parties Of the Sec
ond part, witnesseth. that in consideration OF
one dollar. the receipt OF which is hereby ac-
knowledged. and the further consideration OF
drilling test wells in county kansas.
for oil and gas. party OF the first part
hereby agrees with the parties OF the second
part. that they shall have the exclusive right
for ten years from this date to enter upon and
operate for oil and gas all that certain tract OF
land in township. county,
Kansas. described as follows. to-wit:
.....Section. Town Range Acres --.-
...... Section. Town Range Acres
Containing acres. more or less, upon the fol-
lowing terms and conditions: Second party
shall deliver in tanks at the wells 70 the first
party without cost. one-tenth of all oil pro-
duced on these premises, and pay the market
price in cash for the same IL first party should
so desire and fifty dollars per year for each gas
well Of sufficient capacity to utilize when used
OF the premises. Said second party are to pay
all the damages OF any kind that may arise by
reason of their operations thereon. II oil o.
gas is found in paying quantities in any well
drilled. the privilege of operating shall con-
tinue as long oil and gas shall be produces
in paying quantities. and when abandoned for
such purposes the grant shall cease, and M
longer be binding either party. No wells to-
be located on cultivated land without the con-
sent of the party of the first part. II gas il
found on the above described land the party OF
the first part is to have the use of the same for
domestic purposes free. The second party re-
serves the right to remove all machinery and
fixtures placed thereon by them In case no
oil or gas well is sunk on these premises within
two years from this date. this lease shall be-
come absolutely null and void unless the sec
ond party shall elect from year to year 10 coil
tinue this lease by paying or depOsiting to the
credit of the first party each year in advances
dollars at bank. .......-..-
until well is completed on these premises
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
1t Is understood By and between the first aid
second parties of this agreement that all con-
ditions between the parties hereto shall extend
to their heirs, executors and assigns. We do
hereby acknowledge that we did sign the fore
going instrument and that 1t is our free act and
deed for the uses and purposes herein named
In witness OF which We hereunto set our hands
and seal the..........day of...........A. D. 1893
Witnesses: Seal
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. seal
If present promises are fulfilled In
another year one of the most pict-
uresque valleys in Kansas will be dis
figured by the black tops of hundreds
of greasy derricks, which have already
begun to stick their heads above the
foliage of the timber along the two
rivers. From Little Bear mound, the
highest land in Wilson county, near
Neodesha, one can see derricks here
and there in every direction marring
the beauty of a landscape unequaled-
There is tradition that Little Bear,
the brave chief of the Osages, went
into Neodesha one day twenty years
ago and ate of dried apples so greedily
that he swelled up and died when he
drank water afterward. At any rate
Little Bear died and his braves carried
him to the summit of the mound, placed
his body in sitting posture with his
face to the setting sun, and then piled
stones around it. Some men in Neo-
desha, who were then young, are said
to have Little Bears bones to-day. A
sumac bush grows on his grave and liz
ards and tarantulas crawl under tho
stones where his bones ought to be-