The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-05
LEAGUE FEELS SURE
That There Is a Big Vein of
Coal Under His Farm.
NEIGHBORS ARE DOUBTFUL
Reported That Widows Will
Put Down a Shaft
NEIGHBORS ARE DOUBTFUL

The reported discovery OF coal on the
farm of W. r. League, fourteen miles
east of Wichita, on Central avenue, is ex-
citing considerable interest and a great
deal of dispute one way and another.
Perhaps fifty people from Wichita, Au-
gusta, FL Dorado and other points, have
visited the place to satisfy themselves in
the matter. Nobody ever finds anything
to warrant the conclusion that there is
a vein Of coal or that there dsn't. There
are no pieces Of coal in the dirt that has
been thrown out, so far as a representa-
tive of the Eagle could investigate with
a hoe and by clawfng around in the
stun with his fingers. The well in which
the coal was said to have been found
furnishes a world of clear water which,
after standing for a few hours on the
dirt that has been thrown out, accumu-
lates a thin, oily looking scum 1t has
no peculiar smell and is not so bad in
taste that the cattle wont drink II. The
well was sixty feet deep before Mr.. Wild
dows bored for gas. 1t had been well
for several years and had never ven
tured any peculiar antics except once,
when, according to Mr.. League, the water
dubbed and boiled and the hole emitted
a fat odor that might come from slight
copperas solution or from crude oil
seepage Mr.. League some times spoke
about this to his neighbors and trey as
often told him there was coal or gas or
oil there. but he put the hole to no use
except to water the cattle.
Three weeks ago Mr.. Harry widows
of Augusta, went to Mr.. Leagues farm
and asked him TO be allowed 10 nut the
we'll down further. Mr.. League gave his
consent and w II. Hilton of Ell Dorado.
was employed to do the drilling. The
well was already sixty-two feet deep. At
a depth of seventy feet the drill pounded
into a layer of slate rocks. After TIN ee
or four feet of slate there was evidence
Mr.. League said. of coal and crude 81.
Mr.. League thinks it would have leen
impossible for any one to have put the
stuff into the we'll, on the produ,tion Of
which he bases his conclusion That there
Is coal there. For three or four days
Mr.. League says, there was coperas
rock oily substance and goal gravel
taken from the well. Mr.. League is sure
there is a vein Of coal of from tw1 to
four feet thick.
Mr.. Chace, who keeps the postofice at
Lorena, one-half mile east CT Leagues,
IS also Of the opinion that the disco' cry
of coal is genuine. Mr.. Dill. who lives
one mile east of Leagues. tanks there
is no coal there, and he says the gen.
eral opinion of the neighborhpod is that
both Mr.. widows and Mr.. League are
mistaken. Mr.. Fuller, another neishbor,
says he is doubtful of the statement
that there is any coal in hat vicinity. A
number of wells al over that part of the
country. he says have been put down
deeper than the one of Mr.. Leagues and
no coal was ever found before.
Most Of the men on adjoining farms are
and good many of them say
fatty that there is no coal on leagues
farm. though quite a number profess to
believe that the coal is there Just as
by widows and League. |
Probably the warmest supporter Wild |
dOws and League have is Mr.. Chace Of |
the postofFice at Lorena. Ever body in |
the community express the hope that the |
discovery will pan out, for they believe |
If there is coal on Leagues farm there |
is a field of the fuel underlying all that |
which is a reas Enable cC7tIu- |
sion. That part of the coul.ry while !
not rugged. breaks into preclpitous /
knobs, the general lay falling rapidly to /
the Walnut river at Augusta
Mr.. League stated TO the Eagle two !
weeks ago Sunday that ne had leased 4
., 200 acres of land in the neighbornood. |
II was stated to the representative of /
the Eagle at Mr.. Leagues that Wild lows /
had leased twenty feet square about the /
well. This he had contracted TO control /
for twenty years. agreeing II sive Mr. |
League a percentage of the coal output, |
or proportion of the profits On what |
ever he found. The League family saif !
they had heard that Widdows had leased /
quite good deal OF other land. bot they /
didn't know where. The other families /
questioned said they had also heard OF 4
the leases made by widows Ilt one 1
knew where the tracts were lorated. The .
general sentiment Of the neighhbrhDoi is 1
that the discovery of coal or Learue's |
farm IS mistake. II i eNuected that
Mr.. Widows viii begin putting down an
aight-foot shaft there next week