Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-15
MORE ABOUT IOWA OIL
People of Fredericka Gaining
More Faith in Value Of
Oil Find.
Oil Experts and Spectators Are
Buying Options on All the
Land.
Companies Being Organized and
the Work OF Prospecting Has
Begun.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Cedar Falls, March 15.--Partles OF
| this city who have just returned from
Frederick and who, while there, inVes-
tigated the oil find Of recent date, are
more than ever impressed that the find
is genuine one and that the only thlhs
now remaining to be determined Is
whether or not the oil is to be obtained
in large enough quantities to be pay
for the money expended in getting II.
The people of Frederick are enthuseo
over the find and, altho they are keep
ing their enthusiasm down, it is the first
thing they talk about to visitors. Inc
story of the Oil discoveries OF the past
two or three years are told and retold
and each new feature that has Deen
added tending to throw favorable nshe
on the situation Is dilated upon.
The we'll which has shown the largest
quantity and the purest quality is that
owned by j. NJ. Stuffelbeam. He has
been offered large amounts OF money
for leases and for the land itself, but
these he has refused. as he says he pre-
fers to make the profits If there are any
to be realized. This we'll, drilled four
years ago, is thirty eight feet deep. The
strike seems to vary and lies between
thirty eight and fifty feet below the
surface of the earth. The fluid iioats
on the top of the water and is entirely
free from the water itself. Its eX-
tremely pure state, which has given
rise to the belief among the biologists
that it is a fake, is accounted for by
the Frederick people on the grounds
that it has to seep thru the stratas of
lime and slate rock and when 1T reach
es the water veins 1t is partially puri-
fed. It has never been found without
first drilling thru this strata of rock.
The old se.tlers say that evidences of
the oil have been known for thirty
years. A spring which used to furnish
water was contaminated to such an ex-
tent that it had to be abandoned. When
the Gillett hoted was erected five years
ago the well which was sunk to furnish
water was never used because of the
amount of oil it contained.
Oil experts and spectators have been
attracted to Frederick in great num-
bers during the past six weeks. Charles
Greeley, Spectator of Chicago, was
the first moneyed man to become inter-
asted. He now holds leases on 1000
acres of land in the neighborhood.
Walter Scott Haywood, of the Hay
wood Oil Company. of Beaumont, Tex
Is, made a personal investigation of
hree days and secured leases and af-
erwards sent men In his interests.
A company of men from Nashua, Ia.
nave secured leases on so or 400 acres
If land.
j. A. Merrick. an old operator of Chi
,ago, spent four weeks at Fredericka
asst November and Mr. Robbins, of the
Fuel and OIL Company, and
Assistant State Geologist Leonard
made thorough examination the first
# this month. Mr.. Leonard believes If
I'll is to be found in the state 1t would
be in this region, but he is skeptical.
lie can not account for the purity of
he oil and says the oils taken from the
wells is the best quality Of crude oil he
.ver saw.
Vice President Miller, of the Sanona
)il Company Of Oste, Cal, was an in
pector the first OF March. and after
tock in the Pioneer Prospecting Oil B
Company. composed of men from Tri-
,oli, la.
The leases of the Tripoli company, as
veil as those of individuals. call for OPP
ration on or before April 1, and appli-
lnces are now on the ground and OPP
rations are under way
]. G. Selway, Standard OIL specialist
made chemical analysis and found
hat the oil flashes at 1872 degrees
which is 20 degrees higher than any
old in Fredericka, or the state The
lbove fact, together with the fact that
of gallons of oil have been
aiken from the wells and carried away, ,
s sufficient evidence to those interest
d that the wells have not been salt
d.