The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-01-19
As Told by the State Week.,
Published in the City
of Fairmont.

Fairmont of young Fairmont
mans success in the Shinnston oil
field as follows is pleasing history
OF the young mans luck. but is only
one of many throughout the state
since uhe discovery of oil in the
state:
Samuel E: James was born on a
farm in Harrison county, near
sainnston, September "a, 1884. He
remained on ;the farm and attended
pnblic schoofsuntil he was sixteen
years Of age. lie then entered the
Central Commercial College ,6f
Clarksburg, graduating from that in
stltutions June 20, 1902. In Sep
TENDER OF the same year he accepted
"a position as bookkeeper for Caster
line & Hoge, of Fairmout, and he
was under their employ until the
firm sold out He held other posi-
lions OF trust in this city and is now
with G. B. Highland, for whom he
has been head clerk for the last four
years.
While working in Fairmont, Mr..
James thought it wise to lay some
thing by for the inevitable rainy
day." and instead of wasting his
salary as a clerk in ''riotous living, .
in April, 1903, he purchased a small
farm Of 26Shcres of his brother on
coon's run. Harrison county, obi
eating himself to pay $500 for the
same. Mr. James saved his money
and paid for his little farm. He felt
that II he lost his job at the store
he would, have some place to which
he could go where he could at least
practice on the hack to the farm"
idea, now SO much discussed.
For some years after the little
farm was purchased things went
along old fashioned and there was
nothing out of the ordinary happened
But there came time when a
change came. Oil prospectors came
iato the Shinnston field. Leases on
farms were given. A test was made,
and behold, there was oil Then
everybody got in fever of excite
ment People began to eaamor for
locations. Mr.. James was in tha
line of development. He was given
five locations on his farm. No. i
was drilled in July, 1909. He SGT
some easy money from that
no. came in in August, and the
drlllers were at work on Nos. and
4. They both came in in October,
No. coming in first. This was the
gusher that forms the basis for our
story. 1t was the second largest
we'll drilled by the South Penn OIL
Company i'll the Shinnston field. 1t
flowed 10, 900 barrels of oil the first
week after it was drilled in and it
continued to flow at a diminishing
rate each day until April, 1910, ii
was put to pumping and it has been
making about 40 barrels per day
since that time. No. was the only
gusher, but how many could any
one expect on a 26-acre farm:
In noting the flow OF the gusher Is
the place for the Imagination to get
in its work Just think of this young
man who had paid $500 for his
little farm, getting check for ST.
9i21.94 as the first weeks production
of his big oil we'll. Then think OF a
second check at the end OF the next
week for $l,44S.OO. The third
check was for $994.94, and the
fourth $4,000, making a total for
the first four weeks of $5y22S.94.
1t would take great gold mine to
beat that. And remember that was
away back in October, 1909, over a
year ago, and those wells are work.
ling day and night for Mr.. James yet.
No. . was drilled in April, 1910, and
is still ION the job"
People about Fairmont who knew
Mr.. James web we're greatly pleased
to hear of his good fortune and when
the papers Ware publishing the
story OF his BIZ gusher he was be-
Isieged with coagratulations on his
good luck. otYcourse it was lucky
that the wells came in on ,his farm,
but he had NOT goHen hi$ farm by
chance. He had worked long and
hard 10 pay for the farm. The wells
on the farm or Mr.. James have pro-
duced up to tho present time about
100000 barrels Of oil. y.
Another point OF interesssdn con
ne1tion with the Investment of Mr..
James is that the surface of his farm
is now worth about twice as much
as he paid for it. Ii is valued OH the
assessors books at 1900. 1t would
have been good investment. had
there been no oil found under it,
but when the oil was found then the
fairy story OF easy money began.