The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-27
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

Louisville, KY, April 26.-The Kentuckian
of to-day has forgotten feuds and politics
i'll the oil craze. Oil has beer found in so
many different counties. 50 widely apart,
and in such unexpected environment, that
no man south of the Ohio River and west
Of the Big Sandy but could be convinced
that his house lot was a good place to bore
for oil. Landowners are divided into lessees.
stockholders in oil companies, or have just
sold out to the tune of a competency.
1t has long been asserted that it is impoS-
sible to tell what Kentucky will do in poll
tics. 1t is now safe to assert tina no one
can tell what she will do in oil. Scarcely
had the excitement in Wayne County
brought Eastern capital to the southern
part of the State than oil began to crop up
mysteriously in many mountain counties.
whose greatest source of wealth heretofore
had been in furnishing sensational items to
the newspapers Of the country. Not only
the mountain counties are now furnishing
oil sensations. but the bluegrass section,
rich enough on the surface, has been found
to have untold wealth under its abundant
pastures. 1t is impossible to tell from night
to morning what counties are in line. for
many important operations are kept secret
ILL l4CkC 10 al oS-u AMY ia SaNSCsos
Knox County Field.
While the Wayne County field is confirm
ing the theory Of a body of Oil deep down
below all past developments. the crest of the
wave of excitement is still in Knox County,
six miles from Berbourville, the county
seat. In the valley Of Richland Creek. and
especially on one of its forks. called Little
Richland there Is every indication that one
of the greatest oil fields OF the United
States has been found. There have been
drilled three gushers that have thrown the
oil in the air in great quantities. There
are a number Of other wells which oil men
call flowers" These are in proximity to
one another. thus demonstrating that there
is a lake of very fine oil at a shallow depth.
These wells have all been found since
Christmas. 1901
The nrst well was located on the farm Of
Cy Jones, who keeps a little store on Rich
land Creek. Here OIL was reached at a depth
of $50 feet, and it spouted over the dsrrick
in torrents. Horsemsn quickly spread the
news through the country. and the inhabi-
tants of Barbourville and every farmer who
could get a horse rode heller skelter TO
Cy Jones's farm to see the gusher. The oil
caught fire and ran into the creek, goin :
down the stream. The whole country was
aroused, and all Joined in the celebra ion
over the finding of oil in Knox County. Thi;
Pacific Oil Company has leased jones'
farm and are building tanks. They expect
to turn out from 400 to 100 barrels of oil ev-
cry day. Cy Jones's farm was originally
worth about s. or 81 an acre, but now his
fortune is made.
Remarkable History.
The Wage wells have quite as remarka.
BILE a. history. The John Wage farm is To-
Gated in & low bottom on Little Richlan
Creek. Wage had about 100 acres of land
of the poorest sort. The oil men from the
East offered him a bonus of SIS for his
farm and one-eighth of the oil found on Il
Wage finally consented. and the drill wen,
down within a few yards of his house. A,
q depth of $50 feet the we'll came In. or
four-inch casing. the drillers We're taken
by surprise, and the oil flowed into Rich
Ian Creek. Big forces of men were put to
work to dig pits and the oil was led into
them. They filed in a few moments. am
still the oil overlooked and ran into the
creek. The flow continued all night, and a
stream of green oil rushed down through
the valley for q distance of FIVE miles.
The next day the flow was stopped anG
people amused themselves by THROWN
lighted matches into the creek to see tn,
oil burn. The company erected tanks a.
quickly as possible and pumped the OF
came in about April ! and is not far from
; well No. L This well was drilled to a deptt
of $50 7eet, but everything was ready anc
no oil was wasted. The oil in both Of thes.
wells Is Of the same quality, being very
black and needing, but little refining. Mr.
Wage recently sold his farm to the Lancas-
and Pacific Oil Company has also a least
pon this place. Wage well No. 3 Is now
flowing at the rate of 1000 barrels a day
and has given no Indication of stopping.
Stinking Creek Wells.
On Sinking Greek, one Of the branches Of