New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-26
HOW TO FIND AN OIL WELL.
Driller, Promoter and Witch Give Their Diff
ferent Methods, but It Is AL CROSSWORD

Chanute CKan) correspondence Of The Kansas
City Star
And how do you locate oil well in wild coun-
witch Each answered after his profession and
Is easy IN Weli oeVe6uPSu
But in remote districts, where the dr has never
made hole and where the derricks are not in
We'll said the driller man after pause. 1T is
Ike this: You don't Know a thing about t. and
the you look at the land and the mors you
think aho9t It the more nluddled you probably vii
side, and others in the valleys Some follow So
called surface indications, and others follow the
advice OF the witch. 1t is all a guess however.
and when all IS said and done. you probably Will
tract not 50 long ago to drill hole for a fellow
VINO wanted Il on a ridge. BE had picked out the
do was TO put up the rig and begin. We started
the wagon got stack in the mud We fused around
for while, and then saw we were in for it My
man got tired, ard finally said he believed he
weq o oGae the we as close 70 the place where
tom We moveL up on the hillside to the spot he
knew another rellow who went TO wild country.
when ne came &c pick out a site for the first well
times. and threw rock as far as he could. Where
There was still another fellow who used TO tell US
20 To- 9Ti any old place and he sometimes found oil
man !T to to his 5o NOTION ion ,,,.,s.,
ana wise as an owl, first to find out the nearest
wei and the direction the pool seems to take.
me uenu ana place my derricks somewhere along
that line But # was distant, say ten miles, from
Inc nearest production it would be all matter OF
guess especially Is that true of the Kansas field,
WneFe the trends are contrartwise and sometimes
cross each other. In case OF doubt should let
the driler pick the spot and abide the result Even
the nrSt mole is no indication or the value or a
tease. nave known OF many as five holes
drilled on lease in this field. and every one of
theTn CRY. when some tenderfoot would come along
ana get good oil wells that same lease. I have
IN miro the case Of firm that drilled some holes
district dry. when within stones throw OF these
GO noles are some Of the best producing wells in
Sne ~qisLrict remember also a case at Richburg,
n. 4. Inc men drilled thirteen holes. an Unlucky
nuInper and did not get the oil After that came
z man VINO got oil in every or the fifteen holes
me ground thev could not have gone around the
on producing territory nearly so closely they
oiu ny accident You have TO take your chances
ana tna1 s what am doing.
a, ~ Is ehsy, said the witch. An have TO do
- 20 IaXe out my divining rod and 60 out into terri
tory TO be developed and put It on the ground. II
sLsI n - OH there this instrument VIII show II at
oHce- lou cannot fan II have the proper kind
=. n instrument The trouble with these people
aat lney are sufficiently posted IN metal
oe - h1How that you can discover the presence
OF nl!neraI In the ground by the simple device or
e owning rod But you do II all the same.
nave located dozens OF wells in this district and
never lasled vet And In other districts where no
Mens nave been drilled have located good oil
srs WIS jcn eventually made money for their own
WIFI me X Is 'cinch'
And II It is a ;cinch' with you. why don't you
IS, rlch out OF II instead OF making the other
LeioWs rlch?" the witch was asked. But he looked
put over he tons OF the buildings at this and said
se nso so engagement with q promoter down the