The Caucasian., 1912-05-26
TIL EGAs WELL.
Continued from first page

tfnunHS. Ana mere WltiibuC hlei'SS-
ing we would observe that neither
A. Ouerbes nor w. X. Henderson Sr..
nor V. Grosjean. who have been and
are of the recognized leaders of
municipal ownership Of the public
utilities - water, gas and electric
lights-woud play into the hands of
any company or corporation.
On reaching The gas we'll Mr.
Querbcs addressing Mr.. McCue, said:
NC. | have brought you here pur-
posely. want you and my friend,
Mr.. Mcmahon. to tell me and these
gentlemen. Mr.. Henderson and Mr..
Grosjean, what you think of the
we'll. We want your candid and un-
reserved opinion"
After critical observation of thu
well he replied: ut is in bad fin.
II is dangerous"
From the well The party retired
to The small house across from the
well. and to the party were added
DR.. McCloud, president of the State
Fair, and Commissioner Epple. The
condition OF the we'll was discussed
freely and it was advised that the
well should be killed and there
should be no delay about it. Mr.. Nc
Cue made plain The damage that
would result from a blow out"
Possibly the well could be held. but
il was one chance in a hundred. IF
the gas we'll were closed at The top
so that The gas could not escape, tha
gas would work beneath the piping
which was not reaching to the bot
tom to the rock or we'll where the
easing should rest.
It was then determined to advise
Mayor Eastman, who came prompt
~. Others on being notified hast
ened to the club house, where con
ference was held. In attendance
by special invitation were noted J. G.
McCue. u. +. Mcmahon. C. d. keene.
C. p. Clayton, s. w. Devore. Y. X.
Graffin. w. L. Morris, C. R. Jones,
Mr.. Nash, men of experience in their
connection with gas and oil wells,
there were Mayor Eastman, Com
missioners Mccullough. Rives and
EppIe. and G. C. McCloud, president,
and $. H. Bolinger, A .Querbes, +. X.
Smith. w. X. Henderson ST.. V. Gros
jean Of the board of directors of The
State Fair Of Louisiana, Mr.. l.. G.
Bulbley and Mr., Josey.
At the beginning of the confer
ence Mr.. Josey complained that he
had been treated unfairly and per
sisted in his statement that If he had
been let alone he would have Sc
cured the gas we'll safely. What was
about to happen he said he
had predicted, but II he were
to be let alone, free from
the meddling of so-ealled "ex-
perts," and Of men who didn't know
anything about gas wells. he would
guarantee TO hold the we'll.
Then followed series of queries
which were brought to close by
Mr.. Queries raising the point: awe
are not here 10 revive the past. Mr..
Josey has been compensated for
his well. The issue is now. What are
you going to do with that well7 Mr..
McCue and Mr.. Clayton and other
gentlemen have told you plainly
what is The trouble with that well.
These gentlemen have come here
on The invitation of the Mayor and
the Fair Association and are ready
to help. Are we going to be gov
erned by their opinion or by what
Mr.. Josey tells you. Mr.. Josey I want
you to understand that | am not re-
flecting on you. | give you full
credit for what you have done. but
| want and what these gentlemen
want is to know what is the best to
do with that we'll under existing
conditions. Will you undertake to
close ii and at what priee2
As Mr.. Joscy could not give All ap-
proxilnate cost or estimate before he
had consulted with his partner. he
was given until $3.50 o'clock to make
answer by telephone if rot in per
son.
shortly after $50 o'clock the con-
ference was reeonyened. The situa
tion was again reviewed calmly and
intelligentlv. Mr.. McGue, Mr. Clay
ION. Mr. Devore and others. expert
enced drillers and gas we'll men, E..
Il. Smith, s. II. Bolinger, A. Querbes
and others favored the suppression,
the killing the we'll for the rea
son that it is unsafe, that 1t was
bored for a salt water and not gas
we'll: that ii was a cheap we'll and
il would not long stand the great
pressure Of the gas: that 1t was LA