The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-27
SHANNON SYNDICATE
 READY FOR WORK Developers to Prospect in the
 Fayette Field EQUIPMENT IS COMING F. M shannon and C. J. MehSain, Heading shannon Syndicate, Are
 Confident That the FiIeds Are Valuable

Interest in the gas .. and oil pros poets in the Fayette Birmingham neids a assumed added color yesterday when r. M. shannon and c. J. McIlvain, head ing the shannon syndicate, arrived, and the announcement was made that drills and machinery for prospecting would arrive here in a few days.
 The two visitors are among the most widely known oil and gas men or the independent interests and have deyel- oped quite a number of gas fields with remarkable success
 They have secured. it Is reported, options and gas rights on 100000 acres of land adjoining the Fayette fields or nearby and propose to drill several wells on that property.
 A telegram was received here yes terday from Reese & Rhlnehart. con tractors for the shannon syndicate, that shipments were made yesterday of equipment to do the work and other shipments would follow.
 The entrance into the local gas and oil situation by the Shannon syndicate was announced several months ago when their representatives secured op- tions In the oil and gas locality.
 MT. Shannon. whose knowledge of the gas and oil industry is second to that of no person in the country, said yes- terday that he was positive that the field would prove a paying proposition and would eventually mean the piping of the gas into Birmingham.
 &f ha ho r,- non syndicate had nothing for sale, but were going into the prospecting game with the intention of either proving or dis sproving the existence of oil and gas in that locality.
 MT. shannon says he believes there is oil and gas to be found in the Fay cite fields of a paying quality and quantity, and the shannon syndicate will expend about $200000 trying to make a strike for commercial pur- poses.
 "In the event we find sufficient gas to warrant the construction of pipe line to Birmingham, we will lay 1t, said MT. Shannon. We have sufficient funds to do such work and will ask the aid of no person or institution if the gas is there. The situation looks very encouraging. I have seen less favorable signs in other localities which eventually proved to be wonder full finds. The history of the business Is along such line. At Fayette there is a supply of gas and there Is always oil where ther Is gas. The only ques tion Is to find a sufficient quantity to pay for bringing it tc market and then bring 1t here. We believe there is slim chance of losing our investments 1T the field for there cannot be any ques- tion that gas is there. If we strike it the Birmingham district will be fal greater than anyone here eyeI dreamed"
 MT. McIlwain, who is president of the Corona Coal and Iron company, has been interested here for some time. He represents in a legal capacity several large coal corporations in Pittsburs and is a man of great wealth. He is interested with MT. Shannon in proving the value of the gas and oil fields of this district He has a winter home in Florida to which he Is now en route He stopped off here to see J. R. Ryan of the Corona Coal and Iron company and to meet other friends here. Judge McIlwain said yesterday he was very much interested in the question of oil and gas in Birmingham and if it was found to exist in paying quantities il would be the greatest thing that ever happened in the district.
 ''The entire situation is a gamble" said Judge McIlvain, but have the greatest faith in MT. Shannon, whose experience in this work is of the widest order. He has been in the business all his life and has made his greatest reputation from his wonderful work in the gas and oil bus iness.'
 The reorganization of the Providence company, and the entrance into the local situation of the shannon syndicate, are two important gas and oil developments which have caused renewed interest in the development here. A spirit of lethargy has been evident in the gas and oil work for some time, due, perhaps, to the slow methods employed in going forward with the work. However, it Is stated that two of the most capable organizations that could be interested have started to work and if there is gas at Fayette of com mercial value there is not the slightest doubt that it will be proven and will be brought to Birmingham as soon as pos sible for industrial purposes.
 The owners of the Providence company state that their work under a Pittsburg expert is going ahead rapidly, and the entire question has been sifted to the facts of either proving the field of nc value or proving it to be worth mll- lions.