The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-23
Huge Oil Flow Found Issuing
From Kaw River Bank.
BIG OFFERS FOR LAND
Unknown Parties WOuld Buy
Farms at Any Price.
Drills Have Been Ordered to
Bore Into Deep Sands.

If indications and predictions amount
to anything Topeka is due to receive
a big boom in the form of a new in
dUstry-oil production.
A big flow of oil has been discover
ed on the Lucas farm just this side of
Tecumseh. on the west side of the river.
seven miles from Topeka. Huge drills
have been secured to drill down into
the soil on other farms in the vicinity
and the country is wild with excite
ment.
]. P. Lucas, owner of the property
on which oil was first discovered has
been offered hattering sums for his land
On the west side of the Kansas river
but he has refused to sell it at any
price.
Farmers all along the Kaw in the
vicinity of the Lucas place have been
offered big prices for their land. In
stead of accepting they are preparing
to send drills down into the ground
and find the source of the flow that
is bound to make them wealthy.
The first signs of the oil were found
some time ago when the river was ar
flood stage. 1t was noticed by several
farmers in the neighborhood of the Luz
cas- property that the water seemed
oily and rather greasy for a number
of square yards on the surface and
then it spread out in the raging waters
and was lost.
1t was thought at first that during
the. high water a barrel of oil had
11oated down the river and become lodg-
ed on stump and was leaking. In
fact every form of excuse was found
but the thought of a real oil hole was
not harbored.
After the water had gone down the
oil flow continued. and. ]. p. Lucas, OF
this city, who owns the land. made a
personal investigation. He found that
the oil came oozing out from a por-
ton of the sand. bank 10 feet square.
Mr.. Lucas called for experts at once
and the discovery that oil was under
the ground in any quantity was made.
Only a Surface Flow.
"The experts told me that this was
simply the top flow said Mr. Lucas
They said that 1 could 80 down 500
feet below the surface of the land to
the second sand and there would end
good oilSin an unlimited quantity. They
saw that all indications point toward
a supply that would last for years.
A short time after the experts had
made their Investigations and given out
their impressions Mr.. Lucas was be-
sieged with offers for his 10 acres on
the west side of the river or the site
upon which the oil was found These
offers are still coming in but Mr.. Luz
cas- refuses to consider them and VIII
wait for further developments.
simultaneously the other land own-
ers along the banks of the KaW re-
ceived offers for their land and they
likewise took the cue and have order
ed drills for the purpose of finding the
second sand. The men are not dream
Ing of wealth but they are not going
to let Opportunity go flying by without
taking a look in at the country.
This is not the first scare that has
been created along the banks of the
Kaw and especially in this part of the
valley Other scares have been given
ont but none of them were instigated
with such a strong surface flow as was
found on the Lucas farm near Te-
cumseh.
Just before the big flood of 1903 the
peopIe Of North Topeka thought there
was oil under that part of the city and
they drilled at once. Some of the resi-
dents of the North side claim that there
is oil under their district yet and be-
ueve that the mysterious break of the
drill was ACCOMPLISHED on purpose By
certain investors
There are others who believe that
oil is under the sands all along the
Kaw valley and ]. H Joseph, one OF
the firm believers in the theory, has
advocated and prognosticated such con-
0itions for many years. He tried to in
terest the Commercial club IN the mat
ter about a year ago but was unsuc-
cessful.
To strike oil near Tecumseh would
mean millions to the values and the
prosperity of Topeka