The age-herald., 1901-10-12
GOOD PROSPECTS FOR ALABAMA O|L Much Excitement at HartseIle
 and New Decatur OIL FOUND IN AN OLD WELL New OH Companies at New Decatur. Cannon Received There From
 Spanish Ship Sunk
 By Dewey.
OIL FOUND IN AN OLD WELL

New Decatur, Oct 11.-(Special. )-As the development work progresses the interest and confidence in the ultimate success of finding oil in this section increases.
 There are now three companies at work actively drilling, with prospects bright for fourth company to begin shortly.
 The New Decatur Company, the Ala bama Oil and Gas Company is going ahead steadily. its we'll No. l. having now reached a depth of 300 feet, most of this distance having passed through a solid fiinty rock of light color. This com pany's first well Is being bored at a point near Trinity Mountain, about five miles from the city. Several days ago work had to be temporarily suspended on ac- count of the overpowering fumes of gas issuing at the surface The pocket was not strong enough however, to burn. The work Is proceeding under day and night shift. This company has now only a limited amount of treasury stock on the market about 5000, and 1t Is being held at par. It Is not proposed to sell much more treasury stock at present. Preparations are now being made to put in a second outfit and begin boring well No. 9 The company has in its em- ploy an old and experienced drillcr and corps of assistants. The chief drillsr has had an experience of thirty years in the oil fields of several States. notably h. diana, Ohio, California ani Pennsy!ra- mia.
 Several days after the organization cf bn MAlI ~ of IJar sell the companys agent, Jas. NJ. Simp- son soil several scores of ac:us of land In the companys tract, which they have named ''Oil Acres " at s51 to $i5 and acre. Subsequently the plug was pulled cut of Gne of the old wells bored n number of years ago, and good oil rose In tic well. So much excitement was creare'l that Mir. Simpson offered to bsy bacls all the lots s,ld. at an increase of 9 per cent b,t found very few purchasers who wtr, willing tc sell again. tie 's now visiting sl number of Soushern s,tt.,s nota..ly Mo- lille, Birmingham Monts rn."v. Atlanta, Nashville and Louisville. and rc;.Mts good sales in every place.
 Falkville has also come in for its share of the oil excitement. It Is currently reported and believed there that well No. 1 of the North Alabama Standard oil and Gas Company at depth of HOO feet is all but ready to come in a gusher. Owners of stock in the latter com pany are holding 1t at stiff prices, owing to their manager and expert oil men, Messrs. O. P. Davis and D. H.. Smith, having advised the stockholders not tc sell their holdings at all.
 After having suddenly and mysteriously left his position and family several weeks ago, Charles H. Todd. cashier for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad here returned home in very enfeeb1d con- dtion. showing signs of extreme priva. tions and in a very low state physically and mentally. He had no remembrance of where he had gone in his wanderings having been evidently unbalanced. He is very i'll at his home, being tended by his devoted wife.
 A little sensation was created at ths | Union Station when the night police re | ceived a telegram from Dr. B. F. Gray a prominent physician of Vinemont, Ala
 authorizing the detention of his wife an6 two children. The lady was held ant later Dr. Gray arrived and took them fl charge. Dr. Gray stated that his wifi,
 was subject to fits of temporary insanity and had wandered away in one of these | attacks.
 Through the constant efforts the pas I two years of Thomas s. Roberts, aided
 recently by Mayor Turner, the city ha.
 received a large Spanish cannon from tn,
 War Department 1t being shipped iron | the New York navy yard. The gur | formed one in the armament of one O.
 the ships sunk May 1. 1898, by Admira | Dewey in Manila Bay. The cannon is O.
 very anticipated pattern, fully 100 year, | old. It Is of steel or bronze, weighs abou 1 5000 pounds, Is ten or twelve feet long
 with a base of 47 It is unmounted. Ap
 propriate patriotic ceremonies are bein,
 arranged for mounting the gun in tn, 1 canter of the city at the intersection o