The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-16
OIL SURE THERE.
Has Been Running Out of Bank
of Kansas River
Four Miles East of Topeka for
Several Months.
ssGAS FORCES OIL Up"
'sGAS FORCES OIL UP"
Say Oil Men Who Ought to
Know Oil Land.
Company Will Drill First Hole
Within a Month.

Interest and enthusiasm in the dis
covery of oil on the Lucas farm four
miles east of Topeka, increases every
day as the oil experts. spectators and
interested parties visit the south bank
of the river and note the crude oil as
it oozes from the sand and tree roots
and floats blue black oily scum down
the Kansas river. Every man goes
away satisfied that the oil is there,
that It comes from a lower strata
end is evidently forced up from depth
by gas. 1t is the solution given by
every oil expert who has visited the
discovery.
The first oil and gas found in Penn
sylyania so years ago was discovered
in much the same way as that On the
Lucas farm and the sturdy DutchInen
captured the oil from the surface OF
the water and sold it for medicine The
greatest oil fields in the world were
developed there from Just the same
indications as are found east of To-
peka. The Oil was always forced up
by gas.
The farmers III the vicinity of the oily
outcropping along with a company OF
level headed Topeka business men nave
indicated their faith in the new hn0
by putting up their own money TO
drill the first hole near the place where
the oil seeps out and runs into the wa
ter. Once the first prospect has peen
maze some assistance Will D0 ISQOAA ON
to further develop the leases The COM
pany formed for the purpose OF develop
ing the leases east of town with h
Martin as president. H. c. Martin, sec
rotary and treasurer. ]. H. weaver as
vice president, J. w. Nolan, as field
manager, are pushing the work and
preparations for moving. erecting and
starting drill on the land The dr1n
will be on the ground and in operation
within short time.
of State Jour
nal went out to the point on the river
bank where the first oil was discovered
and in spite of the fac~ that hundreds OF
oil proSpectors and drill men nave been
there and carried away sand and debris
where the oil was first found, the black
oil continues to seep out through the
roots and sand and into the river But
enc explanation has been o1Iered py
men who have had experience In OIL
fields and that is that the oil is being
forced up from a lower sand strata by
gas.
An ordinary gas we'll with a low flow
will produce four million feet a day.
The state law REQUIRES that but oO per
cent of the flow be used Gas is sofa
for FIVE cents a thousand feet at the
Well The maximum cost of putting
down a well is $500. The average lie
of a gas well is 20 years.
At five cents the thousand feet
well will produce 500 Gay and Will
more than pay the cost OF drilling the
first year. Inc succeeding years al 9
all clear profit and TO the tune OF
$36, 500 a year.
In either event. whichever is found
by the first drill bit, whether oil or
gas, it will give a boom to Topeka
and surrounding country, which it has
never enjoyed.
There is sure oil on the Lucas farm. |
If there, then other land adjoining
must have the same oil sand beneath !
t. Topeka and vicinity is just now |
entering into one of the most i'm
,ortant periods of the time and the
discovery and development of oil land
S sure to follow.
The men back of the company
which is prospecting the leases expect
o sell stock of the company in order
o prospect the land thoroughly. 1t
s the time now to get in at the start.
once the drill strikes either oil or gas
here will be no need for assist
nee from the public. J. w. Nolan,
ield manager of the company, who is
n charge of the drilling is confident
# success. In all his experience in
Ill districts he says the indications on
he Lucas farm are most encouraging.
But one thing to do to become in
crested in the proposition and that is
O visit the one hundred yards of river
,ank where oil flows out onto the
water all day long and see for oneself.