The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-06-06
WAS DRILLING AFTER WATER.
Experience Of an OberIin Man in
Digging a Well.
The Hole was Drilled 100 Feet Deep
Before Water Was Secured-Bank-
ruPted the Owner But Opened
Up an Oil Field.

Up an Oil Field
Oberlin, Kan, May 3O.-The sinking
of the prospect well for oil and gas at
Ramona, now in progress, recalls the ex-
perience Of an attorney of OberIin n the
boom days, and the experience that be
fell him is one Of the reasons Why the
present well IS being sunk
At time when the price of lots was
advancing G.. F. BOgue, an attorney and
land agent, contracted with a well drill
ing firm to sink him well for the agreed
price Of 81 a foot, STIMULATING that the
driilers should get water or no pay The
lots he owned AID wished to improve by
a well were on a slopiDg hillside in the
western part Of the town BOgue knew
that attempts had been made to get
water in that particular vicinity, but
always without success. The drilIers
were not advised of this feature, and
they, knowing that 600 feet east of the
Bogue place water could be had 10 ab-
undance at a depth of % to 30 feet, and
at the same depth at any other point on
the fat on which the town was built
felt that they would secure water at the
same level for Bogue. BOgue laughed to
his friends and exhibited his contract
with the drillers as they continued TO
sink the hole without getting water until
they reached a depth of 800 feet.
They get water or don't pay them a
cent" he told every one who commented
on the matter Il haven't been a lawyer
ali this time for nothing. I think know
how to protect myself in a contract.
Especially vas he insisteut when the
men found their couplings and mach
inery Inadequate TO the task of sinking
the we'll deeper and begged Bogue to
compromise and pay them something
and allow them to quit
u propose" said Mr.. Bogue, ''tO erect
a fine residence on that hillside and
want a well there. I intend to plant
shade trees as well as oil kinds Of fruit
trees. I'm going to make that hillside
blossom like theEOse, and TO do that 1
must have water. No, gentlemen, can
not talk compromise. Our contract was
for water. You'd better get some more
machinery and keep at work"
The well driIlers being twitted by the
citizens, grew stubborn, too, and ordered
more machinery and continued to sink
the well. At depth of about 200 feet
they struck a flow Of gas that came out
with a loud roar and nearly blew the
derrick down. The men were not pre-
pared for this, as they had no experience
with gas wells and did not know how to
manage It. But they were not after gas.
Their contract was far water. They
cased up the well and went toward China
with as good grace as their rapidly de
ereasing finances would allow.
About this time BOgue became con
WINGED that the men intended to fulfill
their contract and get him water. At
such depth it would be useless to him.
so he began asking for a compromise
Offering TO pay them well for their
trouble. The drillers were As determined
as as he had been earlier, and grimly
responded that their contract was fol
water, and they proposed to get it. As
the depth Of the we'll increased from SO(
to 900 and finally reached loo feet
Bogue almost had an attack Of heart
failure. While he posed as a mOneyeC
man, his chief worth consisted Of rea
estate holdings and the prospect Of hav
ing to pay more than 81, 600 for a worth
less well staggered him. At a depth o
nearly 100 feet a good supply Of arte
sian water was secured, which bubbleC
up intermixed with gas. But the dFiller
had REACHED water and fulfilled thei
contract and Bogue had to pay the 81
foot,
Since that day, people here have takes
at intervals Of sinking a well to prOsPec
for oil and gas, there being seepings O
oil along the banks Of the Prairie Dos
the Beaver and the SaPpa creeks, an
slate and shale cropping out and under
lying the section. together with cretaci
Gus rock and fossil beds. BOgue ha
left the country, his vel was abandoned
the land went to tax sale and a mort
gage VAS forecIosed On It Recently o
experts and geologists we're brough
mere TO Investigate the matter. An o
and gas company was organized and SO
Oo0 raised to carry on the work. a full
equipped oil prospecting outfit, IN charg
OF men from the Boulder oil fields,
nov IN operation. The well at Ramon
will be followed by another on the Bear
er creek northwest OF here near Herr
don and perhaps another near Jeuning
The company took the precaution
secure a lease on about 5000 acres
land before beginning work.