The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-06-28

In the lexicon of large number
of people there is no such word as
luck, and to harmonize with the opin-
ions of that class we will say that
courage on the part Of few made
possible the development of the great
est shallow sand oil field in the world
that is pouring into the channels OF
commerce a vast stream of wealth and
that is building handsome private for
tunes for many who have been luc-no,
who have had courage enough to in
vest in it's acres and to drill for oil.
1t is a shallow sand field today, but
tomorrow it may be both shallow
sand and deep sand for the reason
that no deep tests have ever been
made.
But let us go back to the story we
wanted to tell. One day about a year
ago in Ardmore a few courageous
young business men were talking. The
grain crop looked good but the sun
was blistering the corn and the young
men were searching for an uplift for
their town, and especially for them
selves. Those who were assembled
were S. A. Apple, Roy M. johnson,
Writ Franklin and Edward Gait. They
believed with others that there was
a pool of oil somewhere in the coun-
ty. The Santa Fe field was in opera
tion. but the wells were small and
there was little encouragement to drill
in that field. But, somewhere with
in radius of twenty miles
of the Santa Fe field there must be
a pool of oil they concluded. Geoio-
gists had passed favorably upon much
of the territory of the southwest por'
tion of the state. When the question
of biologists came up, the name OF a
local man was mentioned. A. I. NC
Gbee and he was brought into the
conference. These young men VINO
have done so much for themselves ana
for their town, agreed that they would
take leases on a large body OF land.
Mr.. McGhee was sent out to look over
the field He passed favorably upon
the lands now in the Healdton pool.
He advised also what lands were good
and what were not. The men then
became busy. Apple & Franklin were
partners in the law and partners III
real estate, and they took one share
between them. Edward Gait Is
Young man. He has not had time to get
ont and make a mark for himself. He
had plenty of enthusiasm but very ht-
tIe money. Roy Johnson was the puo'
Usher of the Ardmore Statesman
weekly republican paper In demo
cratic stronghold. For years he had
labored hard at the linotype. IL mas
been said of him that he was the hnest
l;notvpe operator anywhere in the
country. Particular people sent worrK
n him for many miles around. He did
his own work and many morning at
o'clock the busy clicking of his iino'
type could be heard in the little oince
he occupied on North Washington
street Mr.. johnson had a newspaper
and a Job office plant and good cred
# but no money. Edward Gait and
Mr.. Johnson were close friends and
thew nut their heads together to raise
their portion of the money needed tor
the enterprise. Their agreemnt was
that the first who should borrow the
money should share with the other.
Mr.. Johnson had his plant and MS
personal credit, but personal creu
ii with a stern banking concei
does not count for much when the
banker is of the opinion that the
money is to be used in the purchas'
of a will-of-the-wisp like an unknown
oil field. A thousand wells may Dc
drilled and never a drop OF OIL lounu
But no was not to be taken LOT al