The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-01-12
THE BIG OIL WELL.
Said that the Capacity Of 1t Is the
Greatest In the World.
SIXTEEN THOUSAND BARRELS
Daily Is the Estimate Made by Captain
W. A. Fletcher.
FLOW CONTINUALLY GROWS STRONGER.
Lake Constructed 10 Caleb the Petroleum
has Been ENLARGED.
THE SPECULATION IN LAND HAS BEGUN
Drilling Rigs Now En- Route VIII He
Put into Operation MS Soon
as Possible.
THE SPECULATION IN LAND HAS BEGUN
Drilling Rigs Now I'm Route viii He
Put into Operation ms Soon
as Possible.

Beaumont, Texas. January 1.-THE
phenomenal oil we'll struck by Captain
A. F. Lucas three miles south of Beau
mont yesterday morning is still the ALL
abb crblng topic OF conversation. driz-
zling rain and chilly norther prevented
many visitors from going out to the well
during the day. but in the hotel fobbles.
stores, offices and street corners nothing
was discussed except oil and the remark
able WE'LL the capacity OF which is be-
heved to be greater than that of any
''gusher" in the world.
Captain W. A. Fletcher, president OF
the Texas Tram and Lumber company,
is acknowledged one OF she most con-
ssrvatlve as we'll as practical men in
Texas. Captain Fletcher visited the
spoutipg oil we'll this morning and spent
on hour in endeavoring to gauge the
capacity or flow from the pipe. He made
several conclusive tests and when he re-
turned to the city he said he would be
satisfied Ii he owned what the well flowed
in excess of 10000 barrels per day. The
Pos. correspondent. will not attempt TO
give the method by which Captain Fletch-
err reached his conclusion, but people
who know his genius, ability, conserTa-
tlsm and responsibility viii not hesitate
to accept his statement as facts, even
though he amount of oil flowing from
the well every twenty-four hours is
placed so high as to seem Incredible.
Captain Fletcher says he has never read
of nor either aas he ever heard OF an
oil well that could DE placed in the same
category with the Lucas Geyser.
Charlie Ingals arrived in the city this
afternoon from the well and reports
that the flow much stronger than 1t
was yesterday. Shortly before noon to-
dsy the we'll seemed to grow stronger
and Mr.. ingalls, says that the solid
stream of oil is shooting far above the
top OF the sixty-foot derrick. The reser-
voir. which was made by throwing UP
levees at the lower end of the rayine
began to overflow with oil last night
men and teams hid been moved several
hundred yards further down to make
new lovees. The oil is spreading over
the whole prairie In the vicinity OF the
we'll and is flowing in a large stream
down ttrsards the East Texas traek while
the men are doing all they can to head
1t Off Captain Lucas was. in the city
this afternoon. but had nothing to say
OF additional interest He has not been
Al the well today. In the meantime the
spouter presents slight TOO grand for
intelligent description, and that hun
dreds of strangers viii begin arriving
within the next few days to see it is
a sight OF a lifetime.
Late this afternoon report comes
from the well that the stream coatinues
TO grow stronger and that pieces Of iint
rock about the size II hen egg are now
beng thrown several hundred feet into
the ais.
captain ~ f. Lucas, the Supremacy
h&ppy owner Of the c4l Well, came to
Beaumont over two years ago from his
ZONE in Washing .en, y. c, tie quietly
CC.ained sevelsl .ease5 here at that time.
Aop1ble among these leases was one 10
phe G.dlys CITY oil property. lie M
several wells on this properly, put ali
were Unsuccessful. he abandoned .nis
tract last fall and began the preseni wsn
which has been so successful. THIS Is in
brief a his.cgs of Captain Lucas opera
iioEs in this city when he came hire
he said, in an interview with The Pcs
Correspondent, that II he struck oil tae
people of Jehg.gon county would reap a
RIGA reward, tui II ne was unHu -csssfli
he would be the only loser aud the city
ana county would have been enriched b.
the amount Of money spent In the inv>s-
legations.
Captain Lucas Hives with his interesting
wife and little son in delightful home
in tine Iowa colony, about one mile from
the geyser. He is a well informed aad
we'll ciucaied gentleman, and in his ~
b,ary tae eollesti-n OF mineras and
eurlosities watch is both interesting AMI
vslualble. II Is unaerztood he Is operai-
ing fer himself. but it is probable that
he las ether parties Interested with him.
He has been persistent Ia his 1--we -tiEa-
tons and TO his porsls.ency alonc & due
The suocoss which has rewafdsd hlJ Ell
forts. Others have made feeble a.teIpas
TO develp this oil, but none have nd
the fifth cf Captain Lucas, nor the en-
ergy 10 continue work in the face OF re-
peated failures.
Mr.. J A Paulsamua, who is drilling
for oil in the southern part OF the coitn-
ty. returned last nlght from visit 10 his
rigs snd learned for the first time Of the
find made by Captain Lucas. Mr.. Pull
hamuS is perhaps one OF the nosl exert
oil men In this COUNTY, He has had ss-
fensiye and actual cxserieDce In tne