Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-01-03
CLALlAM GAS FIND
ExC|TES OIL men
Natural Products Struck at Depth
IF 100 Feet-Other
Operations.

Striking pocket of gas that nearly
destroyed it's entire outfit, at a depth
of only $50 feet, the Washington Oil
company, operating at Forks Prairie,
Clallam county, anticipates striking
oil at a shallow depth. Seventy feet
of the drilled distance was through
a blue shale strongly impregnated
with petroleum, according to Charles
Thrasher, superintendent Of the COM
pany. n
The consensus of geological opinion
was that oil pools would not be found
till depth of at least 1900 feet had
been attained. Recent developments
lead to the conclusion that the oil has
been forced to higher level and prob
ably will be found at point between
500 and 600 feet from the surface.
Since work was commenced by the
Washington Oil company there has
been considerable activity in oil pros
pecting, several drills being at work
in different parts of the state. A large
number of oil men are engaged in OBJ
tanning mineral-right leases from
farmers whose land lies in the belt
which is believed by biologists to be
underlaid with oil sands.
The Great Northern Railroad Is
backing an enterprise that has INSTALL
ed star drill at LaConner, Skagit
county, and, in order to be among the
first to reach the oil sands and deter
mine whether commercial oil pools
exist there, a carload of ten-inch casing
was sent from st. Paul two weeks ago
in passenger train. If no unusual
trouble is encountered, this we'll will
be dow nto the oil stream in about
three weeks.
The National Oil & Gas company, q
combination Of mining engineers and
capitalists of the Northwest, has leased
a tract of 5000 acres near Enterprise,
Whatcom county, and has ordered q
drill from California. The officers of
the company are A. F. Calhoun, of
Vancouver, B. c.; Lyle F. Mills, Of
Vancouver, B. c.: ]. w. Frank, of San
Francisco and j. A. Folle, of Chicago.
! An Illinois corporation, known as
the Henry Oil company, last week tied
up 5000 acres Of what is supposed to be
oil land in Kitsap county and Is max
ing preparations to place drill in oper.
alton. A company composed of naval
officers and attaches of the navy yard
at Bremerton already has drill on
the ground at Silverdale, near Bremen
ton, and is awaiting the arrival of
parts Of the machinery from Califor-
MIA in order to commence drilling.
OIL In skagit County, Too.
MOUNT VERNON, Jan. 3.-Re-
ports are reaching here to the effect
that excitement is running high at
Bay View, as q result of the oil pros
poets, that are looking better with
each days work at the we'll that Is
being sunk on the farm owned by Mrs.
H. J. Stearns, short distance south
of that place.
1t Is reported that the we'll Is down
now to the depth of 100 feet and while
the drillers are still in quicksand,
yet oil rock has been taken out, and at
the present time the prospects are 20
fattering that many of the land own
ers in that vicinity are looking for
ward to the time when each will have
an oil uo1I IN hfc farm
Start Drilling Again ut Quilcene.
| Some months ago a well-drilling
outfit was put to work on the Andrews
place, in the Leland valley, and the
work of sinking hole in search for
oil has been prosecuted with indiffer-
ent success, owing to lack of capital,
says the Quilcene Megaphone. The
drill machinery first put to work was
inadequate, and by the time better APP
paratus was secured the prospectors
had exhausted their resources. and the
work was abandoned sometime since.
Now comes the gratifying news that
a reorganization of the company has
taken place with plenty Of capital be-
hind 1t to successfully carry out the
work Of oil-search until 1t Is proven
| whether or not oil exists in paying
quantities in that neighborhood.
AnncOrtes Has OIL Fever. Too.
| The oil excitement is drawing closer
to Anacortes, says the Anacortes Am
erican. This week James Rooney, an
oil man Of many years experience. APP
peared in town and later went over to
| Fidalgo City where he is attempting to
negotiate with farmers for The leasing
of their lands with view to prospect
| ing for oil.
| Mr.. Rooney is representing Seattle