The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-03-18
.CUSHER NOT
YET TAPPED
SENATOR cRuwELL RETURNS
FROM NORTHERN OIL FIELDS.
PROSPECT is A GOOD one
Seventy Feet Of Petroleum Standing
in companys WeIl--No lndi-
cation Of Cap Rock.

cation Of Cap Rock.
To those who accepted as true the
sensational stories sent out by the
Great Falls correspondents concern
ing the alleged tapping of "gusher''
in the Swift Current River oil fields
the report brought back by Senator
Gruwell, one Of the principal stockl
holders in the company, must come in
the nature of a disappointment. On
the strength of the news wired from
Great Falls and the letters he re-
ceived he left here day or two after
their receipt to make personal in
vestigation.
Gives Real Facts.
Mr. Gruwell returns with better
opinion than ever of the property and
is convinced that it is only question
Of time and further development work
until the company will be the possess
sor of one of the most valuable oil
properties in the country, but says
that present conditions do not warrant
the highly colored reports that have
been put in circulation. To The Ga.
zette Mr.. Gruwell made a statement
yesterday, few hours after his re-
turn. He said that when he arrived
at the well he found that oil had been
struct and by actual measurement it
stood in the hole to a depth of 20
feet. How much higher it would have
risen had proper care been exercised
in drilling he was not prepared to
say. Instead of following up the drill
with the casing, as should have been
done, the senator said for distance
of Is feet from the surface the we'll
had not been secured and as a result
the ground had caved in, filing the
hole with earth. This had to be re-
moved, after which the depth of oil
in the we'll was ascertained.
WAOA 41O lOAL LnO WCll was UCLW00u
300 and 400 feet deep, with no indi-
cation of being near the cap rock,
formation that always overlies the
oil stratum. The fact that oil was
struck before the cap was reached is
accepted as undoubted evidence of the
existence of large body underneath
and as soon as this is tapped flowing
we'll may be looked for, but not rea-
sonably before.
Some Bad Luck.
In its operations the company has
been unfortunate in several respects.
Reliance had to be placed upon the
man employed to superintend boring
operations. While he represented
himself as being an expert and quail
fed in every way, Mr.. Gruwell says he
fell short of expectations. Because Of
blunders made one hole had to be
abandoned after it had reached a
considerable depth. A new one was
started within dozen feet or so of the
first and because of negligence or ig-
norance the cave-in already mention
ed followed. Bad weather has also
interfered materially with work, as
the snow in that region has been ex-
cessively deep, while the cold has
also been extreme. When Mr.. Cru
well left, which was a number of days
ago, matters we're at standstill and
he could not say when boring would
be resumed.
The return trip was a hard one and
much Inconvenience was experienced.
Because OF a blockade at the western
end of the Great Northern and lack
Of accommodation at the place where
he struck that road the gentleman
took westbound train and went as
far as Kalispell, thinking he might
get out. There he was delayed again
and after many other delays and hard
ships finally managed to get back.
In one stage Of his journey two days
were consumed in going four miles, Z
by team, before the railroad was
reached.
Mr.. Gruwel brought back with him
a large jug filled with oil from the
well, which he has placed on exhibi-
tion in w. B. Georges store.
For Sale.
NV hnrsa M stura and imnrOVe-