The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-17
HOW HE FOUND OIL SIGNS.
MIR. BENJAMIN SANS TALKS OF HIS
DISCOVERIES NEAR FOLKSTON.

Found a Scum Floating on Ponds
and Lagoons-BubbIes Also Arose
From the Water CorrespOn ID
with Capt. A. Il. Lucas, the Oil En-
pert, who visited the Scene-Capt.
Lucas Was Impressed by the Pos
sibiIities. and Leases Were Sc
cured and Purchases Made-Test
Well Is to Be Driven by Capt. Luz
ems at Once-PeopIe of the Vicinity
Are on Edge with Excitement.
The oil fever has the people Of Folks
ton, Charlton county. and that vicinity
in its grasp. They are eager and alert
for news from Capt. A. F. Lucas, the
oil expert, who is now on the ground,
with machinery for making the first
real and practical test to determine
whether or not there are strata Of oil
far down beneath the surface OF the
earth.
Mr.. Benjamin Sans. VINO is interest
ed with Capt. Lucas in the oil enter
Prise that has been launched in Charl-
ton county, was in Savannah yester-
day. He was seen by a representative
of the Morning News to whom he talk
ell about the discoveries of oil signs
that have been male.
1T was several months ago said
Mr.. Sans. that l first suspected that
there was oil in that region. l went
out several miles from Fo!kstcn in or
der to ride over some land or which l
had secured an option. I noticed that
there was an oily scum on the surface
of some of the ponds and lagoons, and
I also found il in spring l had heard
and read a good deal about oil 1nds.
and l found myself wondering if posi-
bly, this scum could not mean that
there was oil beneath the surface.
This thought occupied my mind so
completely that l decided ! would write
TO Capt. Lucas. of whom, of course,
had heard and read. He seemed to be
regarded as the most expert of those
interested in oil. l told him of my OBJ
servations and he wrote me in reply to
send him specimens of the scum and a
description of the country. | did so,
and he wrote that he would come to
see me-
He kept his promise. and we went
together to have a look at the ponds
He was impressed. He noticed bubbles
rising from the water, and striking a
match, he held the flames to the bub-
bles. They ignited as they appeared
upon the surface, showing that they
were Illuminating gas. This encouraged
him greatly, as he considers that the
presence of gas means that there is
oil, and, he believed Illuminating oil.
Then we made an agreement, and /
began securing leases on neighboring
land. l have been at this for quite a
while and we now have leases on sew
eral Thousand of acres. With what
Capt. Lucas owns and what l own, we
have something like $4,000 or 10000
acres. Capt. Lucas stipulates in his
leases that the owners of the land will
receive 10 per cent. of all the net earn
ings that may come from the develop
ment of possible oil resources, besides
a specific amount, $500, for each gas
well. This arrangement seems to salts
fy the owners, who are content to allow
Capt. Lucas to conduct his operations.
il these prove successful, fortunes will
be made for the owners of the land,
who are many, as it was not secured
in large blocks.
Capt. Lucas has his test-well ma
chinery at Folkston, and is superin-
tending its erection. He win make his
first effort in what he regards the
most promising portion of his hold
ings. These cover part of Charlton
county and part of Nassau county.
Florida. He believes that, if oil is
there he will strike it al a depth of
from 500 to 1900 feet. He has had a
survey of the land made. and has its
topography well in mind. This will
guide him in his selection of the place
for his initial we'll"
Mr.. Sans hopes for great results
from the experiments. He is not
blinded by the possibilities, admitting
that it is quite possible that nothing
may come from Capt. Lucas efforts.
He has the utmost faith in that gen
tlemans abilities and in his oil
knowledge. however, and he hopes to
yet realize handsomely from his hold
ings in and around Folkston.