Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-05-30

tonight because OF the fact that oil
was struck to-day In the McAfcc well.
This bore II about half n mile west of
the Arnold well. and about 20 yards
north OF the Crawford. which also
raised small quantity OF oil to-nisbi
nt n depth OF ZOO feet.
The McAfcc drill struck the ~hnic
this afternoon nj 30 o'cloc'.: when
the bailcr was drawn up II was hnlf
full OF oil. THREE times WIS the bailcr
let down and each time .,alf was filicd
with oil while the Other half was sand.
The report wns sent to town by tel
cphonc from nearby residence and n
number OF Boulder people Immediately
went out to investigate. When the
well was reached someone. To prove
that there was gas. touched n match
to the top OF the well. Immediately
"a flame, perhaps u dozen feet high.
shot up Into the derrick and threat
cncd to destroy the tlmbcrs- Luckily
someone had enough presence Of nina
to insert the bailcr AMI lower u. shut
ting OF the How OF gas. Bnt for this
timely action the derrick would have
undoubtedly been destroyed.
Specimens OF oil were brought Ia
town and examined. II II OF quality
similar to that found In the Mckcn.
zic and the Republic wells. The oil
was struck mt n depth OF o.l03 feet.
A Republican dispatch OF May 18th
says:
The more that IS learned OF the Nc.
Afec well the better arc the reports.
II has mn cight.inch hole. which to-day
has more thnn 900 feet OF oil In the
bottom. The sand reached Mt the bot
tom Is said TO be genuine oil sand. The
oil as 1t Is brought up In the bailcr u
like that OF the Republic and the Nc
Kcnzic. quite frothy because OF the
gas, and OF the same amber color. II
IL In fact the same kind OF oil and or
excellent quality.
A special dispatch to the News, dated
May 10Th. says:
q. II. Mcvny. superintendent OF the
Mckenzie well. assisted Mr.. McAfcc
to-day In measuring the oil In the Me-
Afcc well. Mr.. McVny said: There
was l.1OO feet OF oil there. Tint makes
a good well OF It. Considering II only
went fifteen feet into the sand after
striking the oil, I regard II us fine
strike" Mr.. McAfec has ordered cas-
ing. and II In thought that II may bc
necessary to bring IL from Pcnnsylvn-
nin, as lie wants n certain size not In
stock here. aud said not to bc In the
state. In the meantime 1t Is not likely
that anything will be done mt the Nc.
Afee well until the arrival OF this cas-
ing. There Is no danger OF caving In
the meantime. because OF the strong
pressure OF the great column OF oil
standing In this eigbt-inch hole.
The Boulder Basin Is down 3.3CO
feet tonight and Il In shalc. after hav-
ing passed through considerable shale
sand. or sand pronounced by many ex-
perts ns oil sand. Work has been
stopped ON the Maxwell for want Of
funds in the treasury. Members OF tile
company are so confident of Its ulti-
mate success. however, that they have
decided to individually go ON with the
work to 5000 feet.
The Maxwell Is now down 1000 feet.
The Bradford is down 1,4O0 feet and
In shale. The Chicago Banner, due
north of the eastern limit Of the town.
was spuddcd In to-day. 1t Is half n
mile west of the McAfee- Crawford
line. The Boulder-Nalmont. which is
one of the castcrnmost wells, Is down
n,i5O feet today. 1t Is still In shale.
The Crawford Is showing considerable
oil ut 1000 feet. The well Is quar-
ter of n mile due south from the Me-
Afcc and threc-quartcrs of n mile
north of the Mckenzie and Republic.
The Mckenzie is pumping steadily ana
has just shipped another car OF oil
to the Florence refinery.
The Martin well had n fishing job
which lasted three weeks. At last 1t
.das pounded through the bnilcr and Is
.rilling finely again. Manager halii-
Won said to day that he had Installed
new bull wheel and was now prepared
to sink to the limit. This means until
granite or oil are struck the Martin
will be drilling. The Olean is down
2.3OO feet and shows u scum of oil.
Nearly all of the wells which have
drilled in this belt hav shown signs OF
oil in the shale or in the shale sand, all
of which indicates to oil men the pres
ence nearby Of a great oil bnsin Be
cause of this belief new companies are
forming and old ones are drilling.