The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-26
HEIRS CLAIM OIL LANDS
CAPT. Fl. c. REYNOLDS INTER
 ESTED IN A SUIT.
Has Been to Beaumont, Texas, and Talked Interestingly of the Scenes About the Famous
 Petroleum Fields.


 Capt. H. c. Reynolds and his son, W. B. Reynolds. of Montevaiio. passed through the city yesterday en route home from Beaumont, Tex. Captain Reynolds talks entertainly of what he saw and heard in a place that has attracted the attention of the world. The object of their visit to Beaumont was to look after the inter- ests of certain heirs of the Humphries estate, who are now claiming title to a very valuable tract of land near Beau mont.
 The history of the claim. Captain Rey- holds said, was as follows: Many years ago one Pelham Humphries left Alabama for the West. It seems that he settled just across the Sabine River. about four miles from where Beaumont is now To- cated. In 1885 he secured a grant of a league 4.42s acres) of land from the Mexi- can Government. A patent to the land was issued to him. The patent was writ ten In Spanish and Is so transcribed on the records in Beaumont.
 The traditions of the country. accord ing to Captain Reynolds. give Humphries a bad name. He was said to have been a bandit, an outlaw and a horse thief and many other hard things are handed down about him. At any rate, he secured the league of land, had his papers recorded, but in a marauding expedition, was soon afterwards killed. He left no direct heirs. having never married. For many years the land was unclaimed, being considered worthless. A few years ago part of 1t was put in the cultivation of rice.
 A short while ago the celebrated Lucas gusher was brought in just across the line of the eastern boundary of this prop erty and before the titles were properlly investigated, fourteen more gushers were promptly brought in and then Spindle Top Hill. of which half Is taken in by this old grant, became famous.
 Suit has been filed by the Humphries heirs. some of whom live in Georgia and Alabama, in the United States District Court. for the property and conversion of the oil taken therefrom. Several acres had already been sold at s5O.OOO per acre. At present no sales are made on this survey, awaiting the results of the suit. Steps are being taken looking to a com- promise and 1t was for that purpose Cap tain Reynolds and his sop visited Beau mont They represent two-thirds of one half interest of the claimants.
 There is no estimating the value of the property" said Captain Reynolds. If | the titles were perfected. it would readily | bring a million dollars now. As to its l future value, the success of Beaumont oil alone will determine"
 Speaking of the oil situation. Captain Reynolds said:
 We had the pleasure of seeing two | gushers brought in while there. In com pany with c. F. Woods. formerly of Hale County, Alabama, now General Manager
 of the Mississippi-Texas oil Company we visited Spindle Top Hill Just we were approaching, we saw a black cloud en-
 veloping one of the derricks, and we knew
 at once a gusher had been struck. It was
 an eight-inch stream and shot 80 to 90 | feet straight up in the air. The hiss and
 roar of the escaping gas and oil could be
 heard for half a mile. One gentleman | having approached too near was seen to | fall. He was overcome with gas, the | nauseating, intolerable effects of which
 is indescribable. He was promptly moved | tc fresh air and soon revived. In an | hours time another gusher was brought | in.
 There are now about eighty that are | pronounced successful. As far as the eye
 can reach around Spindle Top Hill are | seen abandoned derricks which tell the | tale of the thousands upon thousands of
 dollars which have been lost there. Spin
 dle Top and its immediate surroundings
 which embrace less than 100 acres seems
 to be the favored spot.
 l Ut is clear to my mind that these wells are being bored into an immense lake of
 oil and gas. When the cap rock or roof | over this lake is pierced the gas seeks
 the outlet and carries with 1t the oil. As
 to the quantity of oil there, of course, | is mere conjectural. Indications point to
 an immense storage reservoir filled with
 it. As to how long 1t will continue to
 gush depends upon whether gas is con | stantly forming and to how many open | ings are made in 1t.
 '"The excitement and speculation have,
 to certain extent. subsided The ques- | ton that now confronts the owners of the wells Is how and where to dispose of the oil As to its desirability for fuel | and the immense quantity there Is no | question. It is the most perfect fuel have ever seen. How and where to mar
 ket it seems to be the perplexing prob- | lem. Two 10-inch pipe lines have already been laid to Port Arthur, and pumping
 companies have been formed to force it
 to the Gulf. to be loaded in vessels that
 are being fitted out for that purpose The
 railroad companies interested in the long | hauls from coal mines in Alabama and | adjoining States realized some time ago
 the danger of competition with coal, and | promptly lowered their freight rates "Oil men informed me that New Or | leans had shut its doors to them by pass
 ing an ordinance prohibiting the erection | of storage tanks in the city. They claim
 railroads interested in hauling coal aided
 in securing this legislation It is said that tests made show that three barrels | of oil will accomplish the same results as | enc ton of coal, and at the same time l do away with the service of a fireman. IL | it also said that the change for use of oil | from a boiler that uses coal can be made | at a cost of less than $10. There seems | therefore. to be no question that all points that can be reached by water | transportation will eventually use oil foI fuel. As to whether 1t will invade the
 interior markets, rests with the railroads
 whose rates now practically prohibit its
 transportation. I was offered contract
 for Mobile delivery at S5 cents a barrel or
 less than a cent a gallon.
 '"The town of Beaumont is still throng.
 ed with people. It is said that one hote
 there has cleared in the last twelve
 months over hundred thousand dollars
 A livery stable keeper told me that his receipts for the day I saw him were $475
 and the day before $45O. The hotels and
 boarding houses are crowded"
 Captain Reynolds said that oil hac
 been struck at Jennings. La. and 1t wa: confidently believed that something or
 the order of the Beaumont gushers would | ba hroupht in there JennipQs {s sI+,ato1