St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1906-07-07
OIL in ST. TAMMANY,
Three Companies, Two
Local and One Outside,
Begin i'm Earnest.
From the Picayune.

From the Picayune.
Covington, La, June 3O.-The o i
prospects of this section seem so IA
vorable that there now are three com
panies in the field, two of them loca
and one foreign, and backed by tn,
opinion of oil experts, they are goin,
to work to put down wells at severa
points near here where the indications
seem exceptionally promising. Th'
Sulphur Springs tract, which has latel,
been laid off in town lots by Theo.. j
Fischer, seems to be the point neares
town where the indications are favora
BILE, and he has been so pressed by oil
men that he has arranged with ont
company to sink several wells on thi.
340-acre tract, and they last Monda,
began the erection of an eighty-foot
derrick, which Was completed to-day
The machinery and pipe for putting
down this we'll IL now on the way from
Jennings, and should be here by Mon.
day, when the work of drilling will be
begun in earnest.
In talking over the matter to-day
with q number of expert oilmen, who
are here from Beaumont, Texas, and
Jennings, they every one spoke in the
highest terms of the prospects of strik.
ing oil in this section, and said that the
prospects were for repetition of the
experiences of the Jennings field. Sew.
eral persons who are familiar with the
topography Of that section were out al
Sulphur Springs to-day, and each in
turn spoke Of the similarity of the sur
face indications and spoke hopefully OF
the prospects of striking oil in paying
quantities.
M. F. Prudhomme, who has had a
great deal Of experience in the oil
fields of Texas and Louisiana, Is in
charge Of the work at Sulphur Springs,
and has every confidence in the out
come Of his operations hele. He stated
that he has options on large lot of
property In this section, where the indi-
cations are as fine as any he has ever
seen, and that he will put down twenty
wells, II necessary, in his attempt to
bring in gusher.
It Is stated on good authority that
the Standard Oil Company had an
agent here about month ago, who
made q thorough investigation Of this
section, and that 1t is more than proba-
BILE that the wells now going down are
being drilled by that company. Be that
as it may, the people who are at work
here have all the money they need, and
are sparing no pains or expense to find
out what is below the surface. Mr..
Prudhomme stated yesterday that he
expected to put we'll No. down at least
5000 feet, if he did not strike oil sooner.
H. A. Martin, the drilier at work
here, who has brought in many of the
best wells at Beaumont, Sour, Lake and
jennings, was here two years ago, and
it is largely to his confidence that 1t
b 9 n brought to the notice of
the Standard Oil people and
the present oil campaign launched In
speaking to several prominent citizens
this week he remarked that for two
years he had been anxious to come
back here with q rig and test this field,
and that now he was on the ground he
was willing to "bet his lite against
$1,000" that he would strike oil. He
stated that the prospects here are as
good or better than ut jennings, and
that be felt sure he would strike oil in
side of 5000 feet.
Theo. J. Fischer, the owner OF the
Sulphur Springs tract, was seen and
asked in regard to his interest in the
search for oil. He stated that these
people had come to him for the privi-
lege Of drilling on this tract, and stated
10 him their estimate of the prospects.
He has an agreement with them where
BY he is saved from any loss, He has
assigned to them certain lots In this
section, but will 90 ahead with his bust |
ness the same as usual, and not be
swept of his feet by the fact that the
search for oil Is on. He stated most |
positively that he had every confidence |
IN the prospects for an oil find, and
added that only on Thursday, while |
walking with several oil experts, he had
found what to him appeared 70 be un-
evidence of the presence of
iii.
An enthusiastic meeting was held at
The Courthouse yesterday for the pur-
oose Of organizing the first local oil
company. The meeting was presided
,ver by Hon. Walter A. White, and
J. B. Kent was made Secretary. There
we're several persons present who were
veil versed in oil smatters, and they
eft no doubts in the minds Of those
present as to the favorable indications
n this field. The persons at the head
# the movement have for several weeks
lad experts from the Texas and Lou
siana oil regions busy in the field look
ng at lands and securing leases, and
low report that inside radius Of three
niles from this place, on both sides OF
he Bogue Falia River, they have Sc
;ured leases on large tracts OF land
where the prospects are excellent for .
laying strike. One of these gentlemen
vas for several years in the employ Of
he Brickenstein people and speaks In
10 uncertain tone as to the outcome Of
he work here. The company organ
zed will be known as the Covington
sulphur and Oil Company, Ltd. The
apital stock was fixed vt $50, 600, to be
'aid as it Is needed. Machinery Is to
'e put on the ground as rapidly IS pos
lble and work begun with the least
possible delay.
The following Board of Directors was
lected: WA. Hood, E. ] Kirby, War
en- Thomas, Mrs G. d. Mcfarland, Mrs.
sabbi Il. B. Greenlaw. of which w. A.
Hood is President; Warren Thomas,