The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-05
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Beaumont. Tex, Nov 4.-During the early
days of the development of the Beaumont
oil field the news that a gusher had come
in" set the people wild. \ general fush
was made for the livery stables. and within
ten minutes every available rig in the town
would be on the road to Spindle Top
Heights. including nearly all of the private
vehicles. Those who could not get carriages
or buggies went horseback df they could
secure horses. and as much of the towns
population as could secure means OF trans
portation started in double-Guick time for
the magic hill four miles south of town.
Eigbty-Five Wells in the Field.
All this is changed now. and the bringing
in Of new well is attended with no more
excitement than the completion Of brick
building. This is not due to any waning
of interest in the field. but to the fact that
gushers are now brought in on proved ter
ritory with much more certainty than
farmer may plant a crop and reap har-
vest. Up to the end Of October eighty-hve
spouting wells had been brought in on
Spindle Top Each Of these wells had been
spouted at least once. and some of them
many times, and the novelty has therefore
worn off.
Since the bringing in of the Lucas well on
January 10 of this year the Beaumont oil
field has furnished more novel and spectac-
ular sights than any oil field on earth, but
1t may be truthfully said that the most pc
culiar thing In connection with the field Is
the fact that people who have not seen IL
with their own eyes refuse to believe that
which they read. or even that which their
friends tell them about.
Greatest Oil Field on Earth.
But the correspondent who writes OF the
wonders of this field has the satisfaction OF
knowing that while his statements may be
doubted by many at this time, the world
will ultimately have to accept the fact that
the greatest oil field on earth is here, ana
that IT is destined to work revolution IN
the Industrial arts. TO what extent it Will
do this is not yet apparent. but the think
ing man who knows something Of the Won
derful production of this field must see
that the influence Of this new and vast
storehouse OF fuel is to play most impor-
tant part in the worlds commerce and IN
dustries during the present century.
Wonderful output.
Before the Beaumont oil field shall stand
, before the people as 1t really Is, some
changes must come about. First, paradox
cal as it may seem, even the most con-
servative statements made about the field
of a Beaumont gusher is so far in excess
of anything previously known in this coun-
try, that the most conservative statement
of what a well will Go is looked upon as
an exaggeration by most men, who have
not seen one of these wells spout, yet II
has been demonstrated by actual tests that
there are wells in this field which will flow
10000 barrels OF oil within twenJy-four
hours, but when one of the Standard Oil
Company's most experienced representatives,
went TO his superiors with story of that
kind he was believed to have gone WHO
along with the rest Of Beaumont popula-
ton But il now appears that he was in his
right mind, his statement having been YER
flied by tests that leave no room for doubt.
Much Work Already Accomplished.
Since the excitement OF the boom Gays
passed away and the newspapers OUTSIDE
of Texas ceased TO print from one to three
columns daily about the Beaumont oil field
people of other States have no doubt, won
dered what is being done here. In fact.
hundreds Of them have written to the To-
cal papers, TO the Beaumont on Exchange
and to friends for information about the
work being done in the field. 1t is hardiy
possible to answer such questions satstac-
torily, for so rapid has been the develop
ment that no one man can sum it up How
ever the following resume of the develop
ment is In no particular overdrawn:
Since January 10. 1876 wells have been
begun in this immediate locality- Eighty
five of these wells are now producers, twen-
ty-seven have bsen abandoned and eighty
three are yet uncompleted.
Twenty-Five miles OF eight-inch pipe. six
ty-two miles of six-inch, twenty-eight miles
of five-inch and seventeen miles of four-inch
pipe line has been laid. making total or
129 miles of pipe line.
Tanks having a combined storage capacity
of 100000 barrels have been constructed,
and tankage to the amount of 1,l4I,W0 bar
rels is now under construction, which will
give the field a storage capacity of 2,6iI,Wo
barrels when the tanks now under way
shall have been completed.
shipment of 100000 Barrels.
The total shipments of oil to date, accord
ing to the best information obtainable. is
12OoO 900 barrels. and 10000 barrels of oil is
now held by the storage tanks of the var!-
Gus companies.
Guiding those of the Union Tank Line and
being used for the transportation of Beau
mont oil.
Since the beginning of development in this
field the number of men employed in the
drilling of wells. the laying of pipe lines
and the construction of tanks has averaged
not less than 61G. The average wages paid
these men is s. per day, many of them re-
ceiving much as $3.50 per month Thus it
appears that more than $4,000 for labor
alone has been paid out in the development
of this field.
The pipe used in the drilling of the wells
would, If placed end to end, extend for a
distance OF ninety miles 1t cost not less