Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-24

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treacherous quicksand. But he had OBJ
tained better evidence OF oil than had Hig-
gins, and, although he had little money, he
was Of u%ndaunted spirit and supreme faith.
lie went to Pittsburg and laid his PROPOSE
tion before many oil men.
On every side he was repulsed until he
met Messrs. Guffey q Galley. They listened
patiently and promised TO Investigate.
Their investigation confirmed ell that Lu-
cas- had asserted. and they agreed to fur
nish the capital. with which Lucas could
obtain the most improved drilling machin-
cry and sink a we'll 1000 or more feet. Mr..
Lucas made a contract with Hamill Bros.
Of Corsicana, who, with rotary drills, sank
many Of the wells in that field. They be-
gan operations on the Lucas tract, went
through the quicksand and then they struck
what is claimed to be the greatest vein OF
oil the world has ever known. In a night
Beaumont went crazy.
woman Launched "Boom.'
To the influence OF his wife may be
ascribed the advent Of Charles l. Wallis
into the oil business. Mr.. Wallis is a son
Of the senior member OF the firm Of Wallis,
Landes & Co. Of Galveston, Tex, one of
the wealthiest concerns in the southwest.
Like his father, the younger Mr.. Wallis is a
conservative business man. He was con-
tent to manage his department in his faith
er's firm, and when the news of the dis
covery OF oil at Beaumont spread, and men,
women and children in Galveston talked Of
nothing but oil, and the chances to make
a fortune, his blood didn't circulate any
faster or his pulse beat more rapidly. II
there was any specializing to be done he
was willing to allow some other person to
take the risk.
But the oil fever wasn't confined to the
streets. 1t got into the homes. The wives
and mothers talked oil in the parlors and
the negro women talked oil In the kitchens.
No fever is so virulent or contagious as oil
fever. Mrs. Wallis caught Il. She talked
oil at breakfast, luncheon and dinner. and
she suggested that her husband buy some
stock. Mr.. Wallis told her most of the
companies organized were Hy-by-night af-
fairs and the stock was worthless; that
men were taking advantage Of the excite
ment and the credulity Of the public, and
he wouldn't buy oil shares with confederate
money.
Mrs. Wallis has great respect for the
business judgment Of Mr.. Wallis and the
fever subsidized for a short time, but, upon
hearing how some woman friend had
bought stock at 10 or 20 cents a share and
sold for a great deal more, it returned.
Once more she preached the subject OF buy
Ing stock and once more her husband gave
that good, sound advice, but by this time
the fever had taken too strong a hold to
be thrown of by simple argument. Logic
could make no impression against the fact
that her friend Mrs. So-and-So had made
money. Finally Mrs. Wallis said to her
husband: 81 have 81. 500 Of my own money.
/ never will be satisfied unless Invest.
Now be a good boy and tell me what is
best to buy"
Lucky Deals.
Unable to move his wife from her resolu-
tion Mr.. Wallis invested her $500. He ex-
ercised the Utmost care. Within a month
or two the stock which he bought for his
wife vas worth s25, 900 and Mr.. Wallis. who
a started to make Investigations to safe
guard his wife's money, had caught the
fever, too. He Is today the head Of one OF
the largest. 10 not the largest, oil com
panies in the Beaumont district, and ships
thousands OF barrels OF oil. II Is true he
has made a great deal Of money, but this is
a rare instance. Those who lost outnumber
those who gained.
"Driller's luck" is what they call the ex.
perience OF w. B. Sharp. In 1898 he sank q
well on Spindle Top. He got down 500 feet
Then HE money and his credit gave out. He
couldn't get assistance from any one ir
Beaumont. When he left, in disgust. ht
didn't have enough money to buy a postage
stamp to write to his wife and tell of his
failure. The morning after the Lucas strike
ne returned to Beaumont. As employe FOL
Quincy & Galley he sank a well within lOt
feet Of the one he had abandoned years be.
fore and he brought In" one of the great.
est gushers In the field. He organized III,
Drillers' company and now is wealthy.
1t is estimated 100000 was spent fl
four months in advertising Beaumont nj
companies. Some Of the concerns which ad
v~ertised the most had the least merit
Some OF the companies were swindles. pur,
and simple. The conditions in Beaumont OF
fered opportunities for the wicked such Al
are rarely seen.
There are 149 spouters IN the district
Coal is practically no longer used in south
east Texas. Before the discovery OF oil sof
coal cost nearly SO a ton in Houston.
transportation charges from the Ala
oama' indian Territory and the Pennsyl
wanna or West Virginia mines made 1t dim
CUT Tor manufacturing concerns to NEE
the competition Of factories more favorabl
situated.
, Now the manufacturing plants of mos
OF the cities In the southern half Of Texa
use oil. John Rymershoffer, president q
I the Texas Star Flour mills, is authorit
for the statement that II cost his compan
> $1,000 to make the mechanical alteration
! necessary to introduce oil in place OF Goa
and that the saving in less than six month
paid for the change.
The Southern Pacific system uses oil 70
. It's motive power. instead OF coal, on sew
eral divisions OF the road. So does IN
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe on its Gu,
] line, known as the Gulf, Colorado q SAINT
" Fe road. Other railroads are followin
suit.
I OIL Piped to Consumer.
? AS far as the Texas and Louisiana tel
| ritory is concerned. oil is supreme.
|, some Of the cities oil Will be piped to III
2 houses and served for fuel and heating puI
i poses.
1t is in extending the market for the o
= beyond the Texas and Louisiana conhnC
that the thoughtful men in the Beaumor
a district md the most dihiculty. They al
Z turning their attention to the sea-. II o
is brought into use on steamships the d.
mand Will be limited only by the suppl,
r OIL now is used on some steamships plyin
[ along the west coast Of South America, n
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