Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-10-07
Oil BOOM is
Now Attracting Attention.

cOlOIeu IulusS SMELLING strongly OF
gasoline, was a joyous one to the
superintendent.
He kept pushing the drill deeper
and deeper, and finally at 1000 feet
it penetrated the sands that hold
the main deposit. They had tapped
an inexhaustible supply of petroleum
of high grade, a lubricating and il
Eliminating oil that is worth SIS a bar
rel at the well. Prof. Daniels. the
despised geologist. was indorsed and
Hardin was happy.
The news spread fast, and the solid
men of Wyoming came in pairs and
by tours to inspect the find Sucn
men as Il. NJ. Ausherman. George +.
PeXton. y. +. Bradberry. Col. NJ. NJ
Ketchum, the Blyth x Fargo manage
mcnt, and others of like repute in
spected the find. 1t was the first
big producing well Wyoming had ever
had, and 1T established beyond ques-
ton the worth of the oil territory in
this state.
They were naturally enthusiastic
and gave expression to their enthusi-
Through it all Hardin was calm and
him on the back and said: "Why
don't. you whOop if up, old man?
This is the biggest thing that ever
happened in Wyoming" Hardin's re
ply was characteristic of the man.
He said: Il am simply an instrument
in carrying out other mems IDEAS.
One of these men is Prof. Daniels.
He told me where to put the drill
down, and ] have followed his in
structions. The other man is Frank
jaeger. after whom the well is nam
ed. and who financed the operations"
All the available tanks at the jaeger
well have been filled. and the hole
itself has been capped pending the
construction of a switch track or a
pipe line to the main line of the
Union Pacific road. three miles away.
| by which the petroleum can be
brought to Evanston, where a rein
cry is already i'm the course of cree
ton.
! This oil, while valuable as natur-
al lubricant, is more valuable for re-
filming purposes, as it contains an un-
usually nigh percentage of high
priced products. Analysis shows 33.4
per cent of Kerosene. 27.1 per cent of
signal or headlight oil, III per cent
of gasoline and benzine. and 2O.4 per
cent of paraffine. One quality great
ly appreciated by refiners is that it
distills without foaming or 'kicking,"
as it is called in the trade.
The specific gravity of the crude
petroleum at the ordinary tempera-
ture of &c degrees Fahrenheit is Al,
and it flashes at the same tempera-
ture. These are the things that have
made the people of Wyoming enthusi-
astic, have removed the cloud of
doubt from the utility of biologists
in general, and Prof Daniels in par
ticular, and are inducing scenes of
excitement that will outrival any
thing that ever happened at Beau
mont.
Strangers are coming by scores,
some with money, more without, but
| all intent upon making fortune.
Some of them will do so; others will
not. 1t will be the same old story
over again, except in one particular
! if the people of Wyoming can prevent
it there will be no wild, crazy specu-
lation in lands or stocks; no ticti-
tious, fabulous prices for wind. Val
ues of land on which there is sus-
picion of oil are advancing, and adj
vancing fast; it would be curious if
they did not, but the gambling ele-
ment is held in check.
This is made possible by the fact
that Uncle Sam has had the state
surveyed, and the oil belt is well de-
fined on his official maps. There arc
places in this belt. of course, in
which no oil will be found. and here
in lies the worth of skilled geolo-
gist in locating the likely spots. Near
~ every section has its oil deposits,
and if the investor buys by the sec
ton or takes an interest in some con-
Germ that has already developed its
holdings, the elements of chance are
! almost wholly eliminated.