Evening star., 1913-12-07

bureau OF mines reaches them, they are
coming over 1t is the practical men
who are chief supporters of the bureau
of mines today. The Holmes theories have
the most remarkable way of being proved
sound and helpful.
To digress for a moment from the prop
or course of this narrative and take up
one of the most recent accomplishments
of the bureau-the Oklahoma case nlen-
toned a few paragraphs back. Ii is
typical of the Holmes treatment of ear
lier cases
Oklahoma is rich in oil wells II is
being exploited for oil on large scale.
Natural gas, the most perfect fuel known
is usually found with oil. and nearer the
surface than oil In regions distant from
a large demand for gas for manufacturing
and the like. tie oil drillers disregard
the presence of gas and let it waste.
Such has been the practice in many oil
fields. Such was the practice in Okla
homa up 10 few months ago. There
20. 100000 cubic feet of natural gas was
being permitted to go to waste every day
III oil operations.
\
Many of the oil wells in Oklahoma are
located on Indian lands. The oil OPP
orators are working under leases granted
by the Department of the Interior as
trustee for the Indian owners. The bu-
reau of mines, like the Indian office hap
rior. Hence it was not so hard as it might
have been elsewhere for Dr. Holmes TO
get at those oil wells to demonstrate one
OF his theories. That theory was that
natural gas need not be wasted in oil
operations.
He had found out in California a man
named Pollard who had devised a plan
of sealing in the walls of drill holes as
ftlG,r Il
could not escape. DR.. Holmes had the
bureau test out the plan, and it was
found good, but oil operators refused
TO be bothered with ii. All thee is to
the plan Is TO introduce what has come
to be known 'mud-laden fluid into
the drill hole the fluid going down with
the drill. filling in all the crevices as ef-
fectually as cement and damming up the
gas strata for future tapping.
Just one OF those school book scien-
lists bug IDEAS said the practical oil
men, What's the use of trying to save
the gas? There is no demand for IL in
Oklahoma, but there is demand for the
oil.
But when Dr. Holmes force. backed by
the Department of the Interior. came
down, the oil iessees couldn't sidestep
They had TO stand for what the bureau
of mines wanted to do. Messrs. Pollard
there several months working on the
webs. They have plastered drillhoe
after drillhole with their mud laden fluid
And IL is a huge success.
Not only is the natural gas kept back.
but water, an element that has been
responsible for running many promising
oil well is kept back also. Wells once
abandoned because of this have been re-
stored TO activity by the bu eau experts
The lesseeS are more than pleased. Oil
operators are clamorirg for treatment of
thir wells. The economy of the thing has
impressed itself on every one.
::
Now. Oklahoma may not need that
are that there will be big demand for it
some day In the meantime it is safe
The oil wells are better off for its being
bottled UP. When Oklahoma gets ready
to use the gas it is ready TO be tapped
Elsewhere in oil fields the gas was dis
sipated. Here IL is saved.
The dreamy-eyed scientist triumphed in
this as in every effort he has put for
ward to aid the mining industry in the
prevention OF waste. whether waste of
material or waste of human life Vision
AIRY he may appear to the superficial OBJ
server; intensely practical he proves him
self in action.
Miners and mine operators the country
over accord him and his bureau-a very
infant among the bureaus of the govern
ment-unstinted praise. But he makes il
plain in all his writings and utterances
that the success that has been achieved
Is only through having the whole hearted
cooperation of the mining industry and
OF state mine inspectors
1t should be borne in mind that the
United states bureau of mines has no
police powers over mines or mining any