Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-09
Van Camp Packing Co.
indianapolis, Ind.

Is far 1oJ miles from their comfort
able homes. 1t includes several retired
ranchmen, wool growers and cattle men
who made their pile and find it an at
tractlve place to live. The ratio of wealth
per capital is unusually high, and for that
reason the community is apt to be con-
servative and there is a good deal Of COM
plant that the cattle and sheep men do
not encourage migration. The business
men of Lander are also criticised for a
lack of public spirit. They have large
constituency: they are doing a profitable
business: the banks are full of money
which they can loan at T. per cent in the
immediate neghborhood: the merchants
get high prices for everything they SELL
and while l do not suppose that there is
any foundation for the suspicion that
they fear competition. they are certainly
content with the present situation.
There are many thousand acres in the
neighborhood under irrigation. and pro-
ducing large crops with big profits The
government is expending millions of dol
lars to reclaim the arid lands. while pri-
amounts in irrigation plants. There are
gold quartz and placer mines within
thirty miles distance which have pro-
duced many millions of dollars in years
past. and have many milinns In store.
Large bodies of copper are being devel-
oped. and the biologists consider this one
of the richest mining districts in the
country, which will contribute to the
growth and wealth and business activity
of Lander.
But what is of greater immediate in
terest is the development of an extensive
oil field about nine miles from this city
under direction of E. E. Billow of Chi
caso. formerly consulting engineer of the
Standard Oil Company, and well known
a sa pipe line builder The promoter of
the enterprise is Col Edward Fl. Powers,
who is also well known in Chicago, New
York and Washington as a miner, oil
operator and contractor. Mr.. Billow says
that Powers owns it all. has no part
ners no debts, no bonds: pays cash for
everything, and asks no credit
Col. Powers has purchased a section of
land two miles northeast Of Lander. where
he has laid out town called Wyopow.
and is now building two reservoir tanks
with capacity OF $500 barrels each. to
which he will pipe oil from the wells, nine
and half miles distant. And from there.
some time, he will distribute II by pipe
determined upon. 4 sx-inc' lpe has
already been laid TO the well. and can
be operated as soon the tanks are
ready TO receive the oil Col Powers ex-
poets TO pipe the oil 30 miles TO Omaha
for fuel, but will not attempt to refine il
for illuminating purposes at present. He
believes there is sufficient demand 10
absorb all he can produce. and the supply
is practically unlimited.
Not a New Industry
Oil has been produced I'm various parts
of Wyoming for several years. Last year
the output was 1900 barrels for lubricat-
ing purposes and fuel, mostly for local
use At Casper a high grade Of lubricat
ing oil has been manufactured for several
years. The quality was superior that
the entire product was bought up by
watch makers in Switzerland and in this
country: but the factory fell into the
!, ,1S of nnit hall ,f ttai
several years ago. who. for some reason
unknown, shut it down. and it has re-
manned closed ever since.
The wells which Col. Powers is de-
veloping have been known to the In
dams from time immemorial. They used
the oil for linament and other curative
preparations. Capt. Bonneville, the
Frech explorer. of whom Washington
Irving has written such charming mar
rative. reports that he discovered oil
springs on the banks of the Little Popo
Agile in 1896, and they still active.
In 1a1 the Mormons used the oozings
to grease the wheels of their wagons and
hunters. trappers and other plainsmen
have told lurid tales OF accidentally set
ting fire to the overflow in early days.
A prospector named Mike Murphy To-
Gated on the field a quarter of century
ago. and, with rude apparatus. drilled
the first well. He sold out to DR..
Henderson, who drilled more wells, and
from the latter the property passed into
the IdHuS VI, JOSepIi IL. 1ODeli chi
cago, who organized syndicate of Eu-
ropean capitalists TO develop the terri
tory. But lie made little progress. and
the Mattchappie Company of Holland.
which has acquired ownership. leased
the fields To Col. Power. He has OBJ
tanned control of 1000 additional acres.
| which he believes are very valuable.
Thirteen Plugged Wells.
There are thirteen wells, and all of
| them are believed TO be capable of yield
ing from 100 to $50 barrels day, but
they are now securely capped to pre-
vent the flow of the oil, because there
is no way to consume it, and If il gets
into the river 1t floods the irrigating
bitches and ruins the crops like plague
In order to prevent this, the Seepage,
which collects in little reservoirs around
the pipes, has to he burned out every
week or so. On the Fourth of July
Col Power illuminated the whole country
by opening all the pipes and lighting the
thirteen great streams OF oil They
blazed and reared and filled the sky