The Green Forest tribune., 1910-04-08
History of the
 Oil Movement
How Oklahoma Capitalists Became Interested in This
 Proposed "Field'

opment of an oil and gas field at Green Forest was launched during latter part of last summer. From what was little more than casual mention Tn The Tribune of the discovery of oil bearing rock blasted up in well by Dave Watson on the bench of the mountain, just south of the town limits, the eyes of large number of oil oper- ators have directed this way, and large sum of money has been expended for leases and in sinking a deep well.
 The paper announcing the discovery fell into the hands of an Oklahoma oil operator who was sufficiently impress ed to make an investigation. He quietly came to Green Forest and call ed at the Watson place. He found our story "only too true. He also found that the section in which Green Forest is located to have many indications of an oil and gas field.
 It was not long before a proposition was received from party of capitalists operating at Tulsa, Okla, including Tom Payne, Roy s. Dodd, Arthur B. Reese, Frank Chesley, Robert Gal breath and others, Ewho proposed to sink deep well here if sufficient en- couragement should be offered by the land owners in the way of leases, for which they proposed to pay literally, providing for a nice royalty and an annual rental for failure to begin operations. In fact, the contract was designed afterIthose in proven oil fields. Our land owners were quick to grasp the situation and the requisite --amount of leases Twere forth coming without undue delay.
 True-to the-letter of ! their promise, the operators came toward with their machinery and for, several weeks the chug of the drill reverberated day and night from little basin about a quar- ter of a mile south of the railroad station The work has been beset with many difficulties, due to the fact that the location is so far removed from the base of supplies, it often being necessary to send to Tulsa, Okla, in case of a very slight break down, thus oceasioning many delays. The superabundance of water encountered at depth of about 700 feet also pre- sented problem that was little bit hard to cope with, owing to the lack of preparation on the part of the opera tors.
 Through it all there has been not the slightest manifestation of discourage ment. But on the other hand, interest has apparently increased from the very start. At intervals much impetus in the matter of securing leases has been taken on, the drill operators hav- ing taken hand, quietly investing their earnings in leases.
 Since the commencement of operation here men prominent in oil development in different sections of the United States have visited the proposed field and with one accord they have pro- nounced the surface indications to be the very best. Prominent among those who have come here and passed judg- ment is w. C. NeWall of the Milligan Mineral and Oil sydicate of St. Louis, who was profuse in his words of en- couragement.
 While there has been no blare of trumpets attending the transaction, the county records show that number of oil men have secured assignments of interests in leases, and while the con alterations read Zone dollar" it is strongly intimated that some fancy sums of money have passed hands in the transactions.
 "Wild-catters after the style of those who have determined to open an oil or gas field here one or 10th are not easily discouraged. One of the capitalists interested recently describ- ed the situation like this: ''Do you think chronic angler would be dis couraged the first time he filings his wooden minnow into an inviting stream if lie should fail to get a strike We expect to rrove or dis prove this field before we quit it. We can not afford to pull out of here with the thought of "what might have been"
 There are great many things tie writer could mention as an expression of confidence of the operators in the ultimate outcome the prospecting busi- ness here. Many things have been given Us in confidential way that we do not feel at liberty to publish, but what stronger evidence could be aduc- ed to show that the operators expect great things than the plain statement that they have already invested in leases and prospect work more than S15O00 and money has been easy all along when there was prospect for securing more leases or anything is needed to carry on tie work.