Arizona republican., 1911-08-21
'K|NLEY
OIL FIELD
Phoenix Men Interested In
Exploitation
NEW MIDWAY OIL COMPANY
Eight Representative Citi-
zens Have Organized for
a Ground Floor Develop
ing Enterprise In Sister
Territory.

If the newly discovered oil field in
Mckinley county. New Mexico, near
Gallup proves to be half what is
claimed Tor it, the oil map Of the
country Will have to be revised and
a millionaire's club will be started
by Phoenix men who have interested
themselves in il. Though the discov-
cry of oil was made some weeks ago
il was kept very quiet until recently,
but the news of activity is now cir
culating freely and it is said that an
immense acreage has been staked in
the field which is supposed to be
about twenty miles wide and from
forty to seventy miles long. The oil
WAS found at the depth of 290 feet
in Il well that was being driven for
water The well was abandoned as
a water hole but as the rig was too
small to continue To the depth nee
cssary for an oil well and new ma
chinery is not yet installed, the day
of the gusher has not Yet arrived.
The oil taken from the initial well
is said To be of a heavy paraffine
base and several times more valuable
Der barrel than the California oil.
The local men became Interested in
the enterprise through George 4.
Mauk, territorial auditor, who visited
the field and made some locations
and secured some leases in which all
are equally concerned. on his return
Mr. Mauk sent +. J. Bonsall, Il local
mining engineer and geologist To look
the field over and if he deemed it
advisable, to make more locations and
secure more leases, all Of which has
been done. The original locations
were made by Mr.. Mauk for eight
men who are now engaged in the for
nation of the New Midway Oil Co.
with a capital stock of 100000 and
shares at $50 each. The articles of
the new. company will DE filed in
day or 50, the incorporators being
Lloyd 3. Christy, cashier of the VAL
ley Bank. Gus H Hirschfield who has
had some experience in oil enterprises.
J. J. Sweeney, assistant cashier of
the National Bank of Arizona; Ned
Creighton, assistant secretary of the
fair commissions; George L. Young,
territorial secretary; Richard +. Sloan
territorial governor; Ralph Comeron,
delegate to congress and George A
Mauk. territorial auditor. 1t is under
stood that the company already has
tentative plans under way for the
erection Of rig and the beginning Of
drilling at an early day.
Mr.. Mauk's visit to the field thor
oughly convinced him that il is all
that is claimed for il, and that if
he desired to get in on the ground
floor he must act quickly, but he
does not pretend to be an oil eX-
pert himself and desired an endorse
ment Of his opinion before he had
dipped too deeply. Returning he
sent Mr. BonsalI TO the field with in
structions to make locations not only
for the gentlemen named who COM
prise the original company but for a
score of other friends who were glad
10 be given a ground-flOOr look-in.
Their operations will probably depend
q good deal on the development OF
the company being formed by the orr
ginal eight, known as the New Mid
way Anyhow, there are some thirty
or forty Phoenix men interested just
now in knowing how the new oil field
will pan out
Mr.. BonsaIl SAYS that there was
great excitement on the occasion OF
his visit there and people were busy
making locations in every direction.
He feels sure that he got hold of some
of the choicest ground i'm the field
and his good opinion of ii was veri-
fled by others who are regarded as
oil experts one man who has made
himself famous in the Colorado oil
fields. said he believed the Mckinley
field would prove to be as big as any
Vet exploited in the United States. 1t
is some thirty or thirtyfive miles
from the railroad but railroad will
be b-ilt into it as soon as there is
a need for it Anyhow it is directly
on the line of the proposed Southern
Pacific road to the coal fields and
if the oil industry develops notably il
will only hasten the building of that
line.
The holdings OF the New Midway
company are by no means confined
to the lands located. The company
has already secured leases on what il
considers some of the choicest oil
lands in the field and these will be
among its most valuable assets il
things turn out right. The field is
not being exploited merely by the
Arizona bunch" but has attracted
the attention of oilmen generally who
are now flocking into it, and it Is
said that several drilling outfits are
now on the way there. As stated
the only oil yet in evidence is that
found Unexpectedly in the well beine
sunk for water but the quantity o.
oil and gas found SO near the surface
is suggestive that a good flow car
be secured at no great depth, while
the quality of the oil is so far su
perior to that in other fields. that i
is like comparing gold and copper or
as to ton value.