The age-herald., 1902-01-19

time bdfore for salt water and IS caheo the "Salt We'll" So much for the vari- ous attempts 1n the last, more or less crude and unscientific, to find oil These onerations in the opinion of some ex- merits. have been too far east rom the groupings and as the Cover ana Hart selle wells show the oil sands are deep and thin This has lead to the boring or wells near Cherokee and Tuscumbia on inc theory that oil sands will be found nearer the surface and in thicker stratas. This theory has already been partially demonstrated by the recent find of Cor don oil sand at 300 feet by the Alabama California Oil Company at Cherokee, in Colbert county.
 The National oil Reporter says of the former company's prospects. What is supposed to be one of the richest min eral finds in North Alabama Is that re- ported by the Alabama oil and Gas Com pany. The find was made in well which 1t is drilling for oil near New De- catur At a depth of 300 feet a small quantity of the finest oil was struck, and the indications for striking pro ducer are very promising. After depth of about 20 feet had been reached, after. striking oil mineral water was struck which flooded the well to depth Of sew eral feet The mineral water tasted very much like the famous Blue Lick of Ken lucky. Both water and oil have been sent to a chemist for analysis"
 The Russellville oil and Gas Company of Russellville. Is drilling a well near Littlevile in Colbert county. southeast of Tuscumbia This well Is down about 800 feet and so far the indications have been most favorable. At forty feet six foot vein of asphaltum was penetrated and oil and oil sand have been found which lead it's promoters to look for an early strike of good strong producer.
 Aabama-california oil Company.
 The Alabama California Oil Company which began drilling at Cherokee in De- cember have already gone through two stratas of Trenton limestone, and on Fri day last week struck Gordon oil sand. The sand bucket also brought up small quantity of light amber oil which is a high grade Illuminating oil.
 The work of drilling has been suspend ed until the well is plped to the sand in order to keep the water from getting in and spelling the we'll The thickness of the oil sand cannot be determined until this is done. The present indications are almost conclusive that oil will be found in paying quantities. Strong petroleum gas had been previously struck, indicat- ing that second oil sand will be found from 800 to 1000 feet. The Alabama Cali fornia oil Company has the best stan dard m machinery and practical and expert drillers have charge of the work under Superintendent Fouche, formerly of the Standard oil Company. The president of , the company, John A. Pirtle, Is a sue | cessful California oil man from Los An | geles, who has been engaged for eight years in the oil business and has brought | in more than twenty wells in the Bakers field and Los Angeles districts. He was | formerly president of the Oil Exchange 1 in Los Angeles, and is considered an ex- l pert in oil matters.
 l The croppings in Colbert county ex- L tend both north and south and east and l west from Cherokee where this we'll is | located. Some of them are several hun | dred feet in length and from ten to thir- | ty feet thick All are impregnated with l oil and in some places oil is actually run | ming out of the rock in small quantities. | The oil is of very high grade and the surface rock contains 22 per cent oil.
 Maj. John otIey's Report. | Major l. w Otley Virginia geoloeist