The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-26
NEW YORK MAN GOES
TO FAYETTE FIELDS
J. G. Weir Talks About Gas
and Oil Prospects
HAS SECURED OPTIONS
Says All Companies Are Busy and Ex-
poets to See Dozen RigGings at
Work Within the Next
Few Weeks
HAS SECURED OPTIONS


& Co. of New York city, is in Blrming-
spent In the gas and oil fields of west
Ala bama
He Is here as a special representative
OF New York capitalists. who are consid-
ering the investment of money in the de-
velopment of gas and oil In this state.
After a careful investigation of the con-
ditions and the indications for both oil
and gas in Fayette and adjoining eoun-
ties, Mr.. Weir is ready to report favor
ably to the people he represents
The firm of Weir Bros & Co., bankers
and brokers, is one of the best known OF
its class in the country The firm Is spe-
cially interested In land and mineral de-
velopments in the United States and Can
ada.
Mr.. Weir is at the Hotel Hillman.
In discussing his visit to the Fayette
field last night Mr.. Weir said:
II am here in the interest of the Wall
street capitalists, who have an eye to the
future of the oil and gas discoveries which
are SO near your doors in Fayette county.
First, we are endeavoring to discover just
what interest the business men OF Biz
mingham are taking in these enterprises
We, of course, appreciate the ooundiess
resources of coal and iron which you
have, and it occurs to us that with such
resources the discovery of commercial oil
and gas will be of marked interest to
your people
with that thought in view, and in con-
sideration of the fact that capitalists gen
orally throughout the country are taking
such a lively interest in the production Oh
oil. 1t would seem that an oil pool could
be developed at this very advantageous
point. It being only 100 miles from tide
water. which fact carries with 1t more
than ordinary interest. l might say tnat
our syndicate has already taken options
on upward of 5000 acres of lands, lying
between North river and the Sipsey river
which lands adjoin the promising gas
developments of the Providence OIL ana
Gas company.
Tramped Over Hills
st spent two days in tramping over
these hills, and while think there Is very
little to be gained in attempting to as
cuss the geological feature of the ground,
it is certainly true that all of this acre
age is worthy of being thoroughly drilled
and explored While l am in no sense an
expert on oil and gas, have had consid-
cradle experience in travelling through
productive fields, and | must say nave
never seen in any of my travels one
which is more worthy of development
than this | say this because DR.. Grove,
the leading spirit In the Providence oa
company, has developed far above an aV,
erage flow of gas in four of his Wells ano
this eliminates any reasonable ooup' as
to whether there is gas or not.
with exhibits of such gas 1t is pro-
nounced geological certainty that oil must
follow, and it Is now up to Dr. Grove
and the other companies OF the nelo "
work with drill point and locate OIL poois
or additional gas wells.
"Among other things 1 observe that
such high geological authorities as RAN
kin. Crosby, Eugene A. Smith, David l.
Day and others have given this nelo lot
the last few months a most Garrett scru-
tiny. and are all of the same opinion that
oil and gas are in this field Leaning
upon such high authorities as THIS ana
with such optical demonstrators as l
have witnessed this week, places me III
position where l can report to New
York interests what l think is q most
fiattering showing, warranting the begin.
Ming of DEVELOPMENT of some 5000 cres OF
ground In this field.
VIII Send Experienced Men
"Refore undertaking such work. how
ever. nv syndicate will doubtless seno
experienced oil operators from California,
Oklahoma and Pennsylvania fields, and
assuming their reports to be rovarooie'
which | do, we will likely quickly pegn
development with at least four rigs TWO
of which may be of standard rigging IN
order to gain great depth, II necessary.
"The condition surrounding the gas
flows now seen in this field Is portentous,
to say the least, In view Of the fact that
unlike SO many fields, industries have to
be encouraged to build up near the gas.
Here 1t has all ready at hand in the form
of your Birmingham coal and iron depos-
its for immediate consumption. with
field somewhat move proven as 10 gas
# will be an easy matter for the oil CAPT.
talist to pipe in the supply to Birmfng-
ham. | understand the oil already DIS
covered in this field analyses high COM
mercial grade of paraffin. OIL Is sale
able wherever it is found, and this held
is particularly attractive, for the reason
that 1t has standard gauge railroad track
running through, which would mean al
most immediate earning powers TOT snip
ping in tank cars rather than customary
method of having to install pumping
plants and tank stations.
II was much impressed with the con-
seryatiyeness and matter-of-fact way.
which DR.. Grove is handling his enter
prise. -Four miles from the scene OF the
Providence gas wells to the east Is the
Alabama Central Oil company busily at
work on its rigging. which has now start
ed to drilling, and professional oil drillers
in charge of this work are most enthus-
iastic in their statement to me as to the
strong probability of finding oil on their
claims. l also understand the Fayette
OIL and Gas company, which is of Biz
mingham origin and control. will start
drilling in its domain next week.
II also visited the ground owned by the
Birmingham and Fayette Oil and Gas
company, which I understand is to be
Immediately drilled. also hear the Stand
ard OIL, Gas and Asphalt company is
about to begin work This would indi-
cate that within few weeks or months
there will be upward of 10 or ~ rigs at
work drilling within almost a straight
line east and west from Fayette to Bank
ston, and it Is this character of devel-
opment work which after all can only
make the field. l readily concluded that
If nature is as good to the Birmingham
community with It's supply of oil and gas
as with it's supply of coal and iron, why
1t is an added form of wealth to your
community which Is beyond calculation
at this moment.
II was greatly impressed with the at
tention given by the Southern Railway
company to this new enterprise as this is
one of the commercial forms of attention
I am here to report upon. The particular
Fayette field Is putting on live business
garb. as the railroads appear to have es-
toll cd fvxya oddtti0naI stations nj