The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1908-10-01

our people neeQeQ IL, ana Nc lCAl No
luxurious home in Kansas to assist
in the development OF WnaI promls-
es TO be North DaKota's greatest
natural industry.
The Great Northern on, Gas anu
Pipe line company was formed Win
Capitalization Of a million dollars
and Mr.. Johnson, president OF it
and a more conscientious man was
never at the head of any concern.
81 don't want any OF you news
naner men to exagerate concerning
these gas wells one bit Johnson
explained time and again iell tno
truth about them, as nearly as you
can and make it not quite as gooa
az if looks, rather than make II
too strong" the doctor went on.
or course we want the people 10
know the truth about the gas ou1
anything in the way Of an exaggera'
ton. would hurt the concern anu
make it appear as tho we were d
phony concern" Mr.. Johnson said
Associated with DR.. johnson IN
the work of developing the wells is
DR.. ]. S. Winkler, general manager
who has been working with Johnson
in the Kansas Oklahoma fields for
the past fourteen years. He also is
a modest man, and very careful OF
the statements that he makes con-
corning the wells.
MIR. Winkler said, II will show the
wells that GU may see for yoursel1
what we have accomplished, and he
proceeded to unharness the gas from
the second we'll that was discovered.
AS he unscrewed the cap, and turned
the screw that released the gas, grad
uauy a tremendous roaring began.
We have stood by the Niagara falls,
but we actually believe that the noise
made by them sounds no greater than
that produced by the gas, as is shot
out from the pipe, when once 1t was
free. One of the party held his foot
directly in the path OF the gas, and
he was nearly carried of his feet.
1t is impossible to hold your hand
- nj
piece of a 2x !, about a foot IN
length in front of the pipe and it
was carried out distance of fifty
feet. This we'll produces by test,
two millions of cubic feet Of gas in
"a hours. The well is no feet deep,
the hole being ten inches in dame
ter. The capacity may really be
more than 100000 cubic feet, how
ever the tester which was used was
not capable of. registering greater
number.
A small pipe is extended from this
we'll to a distance of 1900 feet north
east, where one of the big drills used
for sometime in the famous Kansas
gas and oil fields, is pounding
it's way down into the earth. It was
between 1900 and 1900 feet on it's
way, yet no gas had been struck.
1t is believed that this we'll is just
outside of the gas trend, and unless
gas or oil is struck in the next 3OO
feet, it will be abandoned, and the
machinery moved to another point
in that district, where other expert
ments will be made. The gas in one
of the wells is piped to the boiler
for the big drill, and all the steam
! that is needed is produced easily.
But a very small amount of gas is
needed to heat the water in the
| huge boiler
| 1t is interesting to watch the big
drill at work. The great derrick
stands high in the air and can be
seen from distance Of many miles.
The machinery runs almost without
noise, and the drillers keep close
watch on everything, as the 1900
pounds bit and tools jar the hitherto
unexplored regions below. Traces OF
oil have been struck in this deep
well, but in rather small quantities
Oil or gas might he struck at any
time.
| A quarter Of mile to the south
east, the company's second drill
struck gas on Wednesday of last
week at a depth of about $50 feet
y The gas sand in the other wells wa!
shout twelve feet thick on the aver
age, but in this newly drilled vel
is % feet thick and the drillers ha'
not gotten clear thru the layer, ow
inc RI the fart that tho,, wnro An