The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-01
new CUSHERS DOUBLE
SP|NDLETOP FIELD
Three New Wells Brought In From
Territory 5000 Feet West
of Proven District.
TOWN TORN DOWN FOR DERRICK
Longer Life of New Region FIX.
pected to Result From Courts
Orders Prohibiting Use of
Water in Drilling.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

Beaumont, Tex, May 3l.-westward the
star of Spindletop has taken its course, and
| real, genuine eushers are being brought in
| fully 5000 feet beyond what was until very
recently regarded as barren field.
Pattillo Higgins claims credit for having
developed this new territory. He bought a
| large area west OF Spndletop proper, and
practically the entire site of what is
known as Gladys City, rather more than
eleven years ago.
He declared then that he was going to
prove that it had oil underneath it: he con-
tinued to make the declaration even after
Spindletop proper had, according TO those
who were credited with knowing, been fully
proven.
As his reward. he Is just now enjoying an
income of between 5000 and $1,000 day.
For Mr.. Higgins has contracted with the
Guffey Company to let them take the prod
uct of his well at rs cents per barrel The
Guifey Company has run pipes to the mouth
OF the well from its various tanks and the
well IS doing the rest Mr. Higgins has only
TO take the money.
While the Higgins we'll is the only one of
the three gushers that have been brought
in in this new territory that is still gush-
Ing satisfactorily. there is every evidence
that a score or more others will be brought
In within the next sixty days. as drilling
ilsS are as DuSy as tney ever were IN the
palmtest days of the hill"
The other two gushers were as genuine
gushers as ever gushed. but the Hecht-
PerlStein-G Gordon well. which was the first
drill pipe that had been twisted off. Eff
fort Is being made to clear this well out, in
the certainty. that II such thing can be
done 1t will be as good a gusher as is the
Higgins we'll
GUsHER cHoKED WITH SAND
The Stribling well, the third of the trio.
was successful until it began to choke
with sand. when its production dropped to
only few hundred barrels 1t is regarded
as certain, however, that this we'll can be
cleaned out and made to flow as well as
ever. Mr.. Stribling has no real complaint
to make about the success Of this WELL in
sofar as Its financial returns to him are
concerned. He got the ground on which
1t stands as his fee for drilling in the Hig-
been brought in he sold # to a combination
of local capitalists for $4,000 cash.
he made from $4,000 to $4,000 on the
driler ever did for drilling in two oil wells.
The former high price was $1,000. paid to
Walter Sharp in the height Of the boom
produced any oil. Mr.. Stribling got prac-
tically 10000 each for drilling these two
wells.
Ever since the proving of this new sec
ton of territory there has been the great
est degree of activity in that section. It
was formerly occupied by various and
sundry frame houses of great variety of
held under lease by. the Guffey Company.
with the exception Of probably half dozen
lots 3 owned by Higgins, stribIing and the
has been leased for sites for temporary
buildings, none of the leases, however, being
for more than thirty days; All, or prac-
or are being moved away, still further
west, to make room for the great array of
aerrieks and and drilling rigs that are being
been moved across the railroad tracks. Hig-
gins predicts that they will again have to
be moved.
IT don't know but what we are going
to find even more oil out there" he says.
Il believe SO. at any rate. and I haven't
missed my guess since located the approx
er. 1t won't be long before these shanties
are put on wheels again and rolled still
further out Of the way"
SPINDLETOP AREA DOUBLED.
Mally Eastman, receiver of the hill I'M
der the orders of the District Court, de-
c!ares that the proving of this new field
has practically doubled the area Of Spindle
top. 1t has already been proven that there
ts oil in great quantities 5000 feet west of
the Gober tract. which was formerly re-
garded aas the extreme western limit of
the prdken area; and there are many oil
men who declare their belief that oil can
be found at all points between the Gober
tract and the Higgins we'll
OH men say that this newer part Of the
field will probably be more carefully pro-
tected, and will. therefore, be likely to re-
tain Its glory for longer time than did
Spindletop.
There will not be 30 many holes drilled
| In given area, for one thing; and then. the
| methods Of drilling. will be more careful
than were those at first employed. Spindle
top has proven that the excessive use OF
water In drilling, is certain to operate
| the gusher stage Is passed.
The water will certainly come back
! and cause more trouble than the saving that
| The District Court has taken charge of the
matter now, and has issued the edict that
the use of water and ''gumbo" in drilling
This ruling, 1t is expected will result in a
great lengthening. Of the life of the entire
| field, and especially Of the newer part. Pre-
srs Of wells Would regret the ed fioodin got Of
! the oil stratum with millions Of barrels OF
water; but nobody paid any attention to the
warning WARNING until after the passing Of the first
| of water in the wells. AS this water trouble
has. TO large extent, disappeared, It Is
hoped that the injury was only temporary.
| the drilling of new wells and the reopening
| Of old ones will result in eliminating the
water trouble altogether.
NO DROP IN PRICES
The opening of the new field has not
caused any slump in prices. which remain
firm. in the neighborhood of 80 cents at the
well, or SO cents loaded Contrary to gen.
eral belief. spindletop production is Sc
great that the addition of 5000 barrels daily
is Of little consequence. There is an i'm
mediate market for every barrel Of oil that
is produced. but several of the producers
are holding to as much of 1t and for as
| long a time as possible.
1t is believed that prices will continue to
| rise. This belief Is based on the fact that
| the two immense refineries that have been
| building for several months are practically
| ready to begin operations.
These refineries will use enormous guam
| titles of the crude oil. One of them, the Burt
refinery, is Standard OIL property, and rep
resents an investment of some $1,000 600
| The fact that the Standard does not appear
| to be such a contender in the open market
| as Is the Guffey Company Is accepted by
| some people as being evidence that its sup
| ply Is well arranged for. Some persons pro-
| fess to believe that its pipe lines from Sour
| Lake, where 1t owns and controls by far
| the greatest part of the proven field, will
| go long way toward giving 1t all the oil
| that It wants for its Beaumont refinery
| This pipe line has just been completed and
| placed in operation.
| 1.-THE Paragon Tmekeeper.o
The most reliable watch made.
| Sl9 to $50. See them Mt