Arizona republican., 1902-01-20
Mines and Minerals of Arizona
BORING FOR OIL
The Wonderful Possibilities of a Hole
 in the Ground.

The pervSrsity of an oil wei is some thing marvellous and those Who spend their money boring holes in the ground never know what the result will be. It is more problematical even than matri- irony. which long ago was decided to possess more elements of chance than the Louisiana lottery, though love let terS are still admitted to the mails. Fol lowing is the story of an oil well which was not only full of perversity, but of everything else, except oil. It is true story. for it is printed in the Auglaize County (Ohio) Democrat. and that is a reliable paper. Further. one man that helped dig the well lives in Phoenix and "oUches for the story up 10 the fish era, which dawned after he left the coun- try. The Phoenix man is Mir William Kelly, and he came here from the oil district of Ohio. He is one of tine men that made q good deal of money out of oil there some years ago. but lost good deal more than he made before he got through with it. But this story is ot the well rather than of Mir. Kelly.
 The country is one that is troubled more with swamps than with aridity and therefore this particular well tapped an immense artesian vein. just De cause nobody wanted artesian water and then it run into a strata or fish. The Phoenix people who are talking oil should take courage. If they go deep enough they may strike oil, water. fish, ham sandwiches or some other of a dozen commodities that would bring them wealth. But here is the story:
 About two years ago an account was given in the Democrat of an abandoned Tho of Washington township having been reopened for the purpose of securing a supply of water. The well was located al out eight miles south Of Wapakoneta. near the Shelby county line. Some two years previous to that date the well was drilled to the depth of several hundred feet. when a tremendous vein of water s'as struck and the drillers were com pelled tC cease operations for the req sen that they were una ble to control he immense flow of water, which threatened to deluge the surrounding country The men having charge of the yell finally succeeded in plugging the hole and the attempt to bore for oil in that lrlme1iate neghborhood was abandoned. Nothing more was thought Of the matter until the drought of the summer of 1899 had badly parched the $ Il was suggested to Mir. Shaffer that it would be a good idea. to pull the plug .iut of the old well and ascertain if water could not be secured in that way. Accord ngly MT. Shaffer fastened d heavy log chain to the plug and with a Ceam of horses pulled it out. The water immediately gushed up into the air hundred of feet and in less than twenty-four hours the parched ground Of the farm was abundantly watered and a lake formed on the lower ground. In a few days the people or the neigh 1orhood were astonished to see this lake filled with small fisn from two to four inches long which looked very much like young bass. Their origin was mystery, as there was not a river. creek or pond of water within several miles of the spot. ana no one tOuld explain the phenomena. It was the general opinion at the time that ihe water and fish came from a sub tcrranean river. and that the stream was continuation or some river that had become lost from higher level in which there was a hidden cavern of considerable size through which the stream runs. The fish brought to the surface were not blind or colorless and did not in any way resemble the fish of the great caves.
 "The well on the ShafIer farm has neen flowing for over ten years, but it has been under control and the water can be turned on and off as needed Fearing that the fish which came up through the pipe would not grow, MT Shaffer secured lot of other fish and put them in the lake. They have ali grown rapidly. but the owner made the mistake of adding German carp to the other varieties. These have grown to be monsters. some of them weighing at the present time from ten to twelve rounds. The bass have grown to be very large also. and Ed Shaffer, a cousin of Charles Shaffer. who lives in rhe sar1e neighborhood. informed us Saturday that he had shot a bass in the lake that weighed nearly eight pounds.
 The rarp are worthless and have be- come such q nuisance that the owner If the lake has concluded to drain off 'he water and destroy all the carp if it is possible to do so. With this end in view he has been ditching the lake and he water now covers less than an acre.