The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-18
MoNTANA
MONTANA OIL FIELDS
State Commissioner Of Industry
vouches for Them and Their
Speedy Development.
Deposits Are Entirely Distinct and
Investments and Explorations
Are Under Way.
F=s -
Special to. The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Helena. Mont. March 1S-Whle Nom
tana has been noted for its wonderful
mineral deposits and products, but little
attention has been paid to OIL Yet there
Is every promise of remarkable Develop
ment in that direction, and the oil fields
Of the state. are attracting much atten-t
ton. ~
The eighth annual report Of j. A. Fer
guson. commissioner of agriculture labor
and industry, just issued, gives a very
complete description of the different fields
where: Oil has been discovered and the
progress of development. Concerning this
branch of industry, the report says:
1.-The Flathead field lies between the
north fork of the Flathead river and the
Rocky mountains, in the northwest part
of the state. It's petroleum to judge from
numerous seepages, has parafine base:
Development was begun in 1901 by the
Butte Oil company. which built wagon
road from Bolton to the foot of Lake Knit
la, near the International boundary. Ma .
chinery was hauled over this and put in
operation. Other companies followed.
| among them the Kintla Oil company OF
Kalispell. The deepest hole is now down
| 1900 feet and it is reasonable to suppose
! that it will within the not distant future
be the scene of great and profitable in
dustry.
| - The Teton Fields.
| Inc IeC0n county IS1u, COItIluES Ing
| report, "affords every indication Of being
rich field. The country is for the most
part open and accessible by wagon road.
Fuel and water are abundant, and indi-
/ cations are certainly. sufficient to justify
extensive development work. with every
prospect of rich return from the capital
/ invested. -.az%
4 Thomas Cruise and associates Of Helena
/ have carried on the principal development
i work in Carbon county. Five wells have
been driven and two of them have pene-
trated the first oil sand and show oil In
the well of good quality.
ION was discovered in Beaverhead coun-.
ty five years ago. Every promise Of their
successful development is given out. judg-
ing by the recent investments in that field.
I Petroleum shale. -
T. I'm connection with the numerous dis
coveries, of oil in Montana, it is interest
ling to note the discovery Of a very ,ex-
tensive field Of petroleum shale. similar
to the. deposits Of Utah, from which large
quantities Of the finest oils are distilled.
the quality, Of the product making 1t N
I far higher commercial value than the oils
: refined from raw petroleum.
4 s"These fields are located about sixty
miles north of Helena, on unsurveyed
lands, which fact has largely retarded de-
velopment. Enough work. however, has
been" done to prove the existence Of a
stratum OF sndIe ilohi siA ~ '~Sire re-.
thick, covering an area of from three to
: five miles in extent. The shale has be>1
! tested by experts in the raw material and
!. in the distilled product, and has been
pronounced of as high character as any
to be- found in the United States and the
, deposits to be of great commercial value
Operations In June.
1.-THE fields exist in a heavily tin1bered
country, where the snowfall is of great
: depth and the district cannot be explored
before the first Of June. Steps will be
, taken so soon as the weather conditions
; will permit to run preliminary surveys. to
, ascertain the exact conditions of the de-
! posits, and If they. are on school or rail-
! road land OF otherwise. When these facts
! are definitely determined, action will be
= taken to obtain legal title to the property.
after which proper development work viii
be started ~