The Delta independent., 1902-05-30
STRIKE IN THE mcAFEE WELL
Another Paying Oil Well in the souI.
der District

Denver. May 22-The Denver dailics
are full of reports from the rarieus
oil fields OF the state. \ Republican
special from Boulder. May 10th. says:
Boulder is again full of excitement
tonight because OF the fact Mat oil
was struck to-day In the McA.ee well.
This bore Is about half n mile west Of
the Arnold we'll. and about 200 yards
north of the Crawford, which also
raised small quantity of oil To- night
nj n depth OF 1000 feet.
The McAfcc drill struck the shale
this afternoon at 1:3o O'Clock; when
the bailcr was drawn up 1t WAS half
full OF oil Three times was the bailer
let down and each time half was tilled
with oil while the other half was sand.
The repor; was sent 10 town by tel
ephone 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 match
10 the top of the well. Immediately
flame. perhaps dozen feet high.
shot up into the derrick and threat
cned to destroy the tlmbers. Luckily
someone had enough presence of mind
TO insert the hailcr and lower IL, shut
ting or the iiow OF gas. But for this
timely action the derrick would have
undoubtedly been destroyed.
Specimens OF oil We're brought to
town and examined. Ii is of a quality
similar TO that found in the Mcken-
zic and the Republic wells. The oil
was struck at n depth OF 2.lo5 feet.
A Republican dispatch of May 18th
says:
The more that Is learned OF the Nc.
Afec well the better are the reports.
IL has an cicht-inch hole, which to-day
has more than apD feet OF oil in the
bottom. The sand reached at the bot
tom Is said to be genuine oil sand. The
oil as II is brought up In the bailer Is
like that OF the Republic and the Nc
Kenzic, quite frothy because OF the
gas. and OF the same amber color. II
is In fact the same kind OF oil and OF
excellent quality.
A special dispatch to the News, dated
May 18th, says:
Z. ii. McNay, superintendent of the
Mckenzie well, assisted Mr.. McAfee
to-day In measuring the oil In the Nc
Afcc well. Mr.. .McVay said; There
was 1.IOo feet OF oil there. That makes
n good well of II. Considering It only
went fifteen feet into the sand after
strike" Mr.. McAfcc has ordered cas-
ing. and IL is thought that II may be
necessary to bring II from Pcnnsylva-
mia. as he wants a certain size not In
stock here, and said not to be In the
state. In the meantime 1t Is not likely
that anything viii be done at the Nc
Afce wen until the arrival of this cas-
Ing. There IL no danger of caving In
the meantime, because of the strong
pressure OF the great column of oil
standing in this eight-inch hole.
The Boulder Basin Is down 1890
feet tonight and Is In shalc, after hav-
Ing passed through considerable shale
sand. or sand pronounced by many ex-
perts ms oil sand. Work has been
stopped on the Maxwell for want of
funds In the treasury. Members of the
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 IL down 1,4OO feet ana
In shale. The Chicago Banner, due
north OF the eastern limit OF the town.
was spudded In to-day. II Is half a
mile west OF the McAfeeCrawford
line. The Boulder valmont. which Is
one OF the casternmost wells, Is down
2.45O feet to-day. 1t Is still IN shale,
The Crawford Is showing considerable
oil ut 1900 feet. The weu IL a quar-
ter Of mile due south from the Me
Afce and thrce-quarters of mile
north OF the Mckenzie and Republic,
The Mckenzie Is pumping steadily and