The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1908-09-10


eignt-inch casing also aroused sus-
picion. But Mr.. Platt and Mr.. Bige-
low busted themselves, organized a
company, took up enough land in pla-
Ger claims to protect themselves and
meanwhile got the well in shape to
make a test. Last Saturday night the
work of casing off the water, install
ing the present defective packer, cap
ping and rigging up piping was fin
ished, and the well was turned on
and lighted for the inspection of the
public.
The sight was awe-inspiring, and
the effect upon the people of Dayton
can better be imagined than told. 1t
was not long until they realized what
the discovery means to them. Other
companies were formed, and soon all
the land within five miles was either
secured under lease from the owner,
placer claimed by permission of the
owner or filed on as original entry.
Business began to pick up at once,
and the excitement rapidly spread up
and down the valley. A town company
has been formed and has bought out
the property of the Penasco Townsite
Company, consisting Of $50 lots, twen-
ty acres unplatted within the town
site, the Dayton hotel and the public
square in the center of the town.
They look forward to a boom, and
wi "a
The situation is as they say, if this
well were within two or three miles
of Roswell, throwing a light that
shone brightly all over the city, the
people of Roswell would go wild.
The sight at the well is inspiring.
The well is capped and arranged so
that a two-inch pipe can be made to
carry the current of gas either out
the derrick, Or up through similar
pipe to a point a safe distance above
the top of the derrick. At the end of
either of these pipes the gas can be
lighted. The Record reporter saw
the gas lighted at both places. The
burning gas makes flame 25 Or 80
feet long and probably ten feet in
diameter when turned on through the
side pipe. At the top a '"T' joint has
been put on the upright pipe, and
ance of the flames on each side of
the joint, compared with the flame
at the bottom. When the well is burn
ing at either place the noise is deaf
ening, very much like the roar of
steam when locomotive is being
'blown off" This noise can be heard
plainly at Dayton, two and a half
miles away. To be present when the
well is burning satisfies the most
skeptical 1t even frightens some. 1t
is tremendous.
The inside or six-inch casing has
leaks which let the gas come up thru
the flowing water in the eight inch
casing. In this way the well is flow
| ing all the time. When the gas is
turned on, giving a vent for the pres
sure, the bubbles no longer come up
through the water. This is the reason
given for never turning on the full
strength of the well. 1t is argued that
| if the full strength were turned on,
the heavy weight of water would
force itself through the leaks and run
| in and flood the gas sand and thus
spoil the well. This, the drillers state
| is often done in an attempt to get a
big report on the well before it is in
proper condition. The exhibitions
seen by the Record reporter were OF
short duration, although frequent
1.-The strength of the flow did not per
lceptibly diminish. Others present saw
evidences of some water in the gas
| the evidence being a trace of steam
after the well had burned awhile.
/ The original eight persons to file
on the land were ]. E. P1att. Joe j
Boyd and wife, NJ. B. Cu1pepper, l. C.
Roberts, c. F. Mathews, R. j. Bige
low and ]. r. Creath. They comprise
the Dayton Gas & Oil Company, linn.
tied. which has taken up two or three