The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-05-17
THE TEXAS OIL FIELDS.
Interesting Description OF the Great Wells
at Humble.
Rock Hill Herald.

Nhcn / visited the Humble oil field
Ircnised myself that | would not
say much about it to my friends for
two reasons. First, because knew
it would be mlossih!c for ne to give
them any adequate iG,a # %hat say,
and second, | knew if could it "ould
sadly impair my reputation Tor Vcraci-
ty-I have learned long ago that II a
man wants 10 establish and sustain a
reputation for truthfulness he must
not only tell the truth but rcasona-
bic truth. However, in a moment OF
enthusiasm and in a burst OF conf
dence did say something about it TO
a group Of friends, and the next thing
l knew had promised the editor to
write him an article, but with the un-
derstandiDg that ! was to assume none
Of the responsibility if the yeracity
Of the said article is calledEinto Iues-
tion.
Humble is seventeen miles north Of
Houston, Tex, in a part Of the State
that is perfectly fiat and slightly bog
gy. On Tuesday morning, April 18th :,
at & o clock, Capt. d. ID. Peden, an old
South Carolinian, but now an elder in
the First Presbyterian Church OF
Houston. took charge Of me and start
ed with me for Humble. Atthat early
hour train of six coaches was crowd
ed and we could scarcely find seat.
Another train Of seven coaches runs at
10 o clock, and they tell me it is al
ways perfect jam. \ little after I
we stepped off at the Humble railroad
station, a mile and half from the
oil field y unique sight met my eyes.
| saw a town which had sprung up Il!
most in day On the first Of January
there were only few farm cottage )
in all that country. Now there arc
four thousand people living at the
station and on the field together. The
houses are built Of newly sawn rough
plank standing cndwisc. They have
their hotels, court house, Jail, etc.
all built Of the same material.
We had an excellent breakfast in
one Of the hotels. Many of The pco-
pie are living in tents and cooking and
eating in the cpcn air. 1t is no un-
right out in the open, with pipe run
ming some ten feet high. The whole
place was throbbiDg with life. Every
fellow seemed bent on business. There
were the rawboned Texas ponies,
with their huge saddles aud brawny
looking men, in high boots, galloping
here and there on them. There were
the fine teams of draft horses and
mules pulling their heavy loads OF
pipe through mud and mire two feet
deep. The whole scene struck me as
type of the wild and woody West.
Mr.. j. w. Sullivan, man with 4
great big body and great big heart
and friend Of Capt. Pcden's, took
charge of US upon our arrival. Hc
knew everything about the place, and
it seemed to me that he knew every
body. lie had been there since the
first well ;-.a sunk. We were soon III
surry with half breed Indian for q
driver. lie had splendid team, and
it was we'll that he did, for the road.
were terrible. We were soon on thu
field and it was wonderful sight.
Th. OIL area is so far confined to 9
district about two miles long and .
mile and half wide, but the greater
majority Of the wells are on area Of
half mile square. There are severa
hundred of these wells For the ben
eft of those who never saw an oil " ell
I had better describe it briefly. First
of all derrick is built about seventy
feet high. 1t is about Is or 20 fee
square at the bottom and = or 8 fee
square at the top. This is built t
hold the boring machinery and also fo
raising and lowering the pine that i.