The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-11-23
EXCURSION TO
GAS COUNTRY
DECEMBER 9TH
MEMBERS of Spokane Chamber
Of Commerce Want to See
Benton County Gas Well
PROMOTERS ENTHUSIASTIC
W.lla Walla Company is Drilling 49,
Inch HOle-HanfOrd Iron Men
are Optimistic Also

Altho the feveriSh excitement which
saized the community few months
aeo when everybody saw visions of
fortunes in gas and oil holdings, has
sbated, there has been no tagging
Of enthusiasm among the men who are
actually engaged in developing the
prospective gas and oil field in this
county. Rather the enthusiasm of
these men has been growing as moth
ing has happened to weaken their
faith in the great possibilities of the
district.
Word has been received here that
the Yakima Natural Gas & Oil COM
pany has resumed drilling on the
Knudson ranch after a shut down of
several weeks to await the arrival of
casing. This well is now down below
the 8OO-foot level and the operators
have every reason to believe they will
tap the gas strata in a very short time.
The Walla Walla Oil, Gas & Pipe
Line company are drilling an 1s-inch
hole with big standard rig and are
down $50 feet.
Herbert C. Harris, manager of the
Walla Walla company, was in Kenne-
wick yesterday. He is more than op-
timistic over the prospects. His COM
pany have leased the old gas well and
have piped the gas to the new camp
where it is used for driving the big
engine and for heating and lighting
the driller's houses, and they still have
all kinds of it left over for demonstra-
ton purposes. Water has been piped
from a spring on the hillside, a dis
tance of two miles and the camp,
which has been given the name "Hill
Notch" enjoys the distinction of be-
ing the only place on the map of the
state of Washington that is lighted
and heated by natural gas.
I'VE have meant business right
from the start" said Mr.. Harris. "We
have some of the states most substan-
tial men interested in our company
and at no time have we been handi-
capped by the lack of capital with
which to operate. We have installed
the largest and most complete drilling
outht it is possible to buy and we
are sinking the largest hole that has
ever been drilled in the Northwest.
we have the equipment to go to a
depth of 1000 feet if necessary and
we are going until we get oil. We
may not get it in this hole but we are
not going to, stop with one. Even tho
we DO not get the oil we are certain
we Will have big paying proposition
IN gas. If no other gas is ever struck
tne one we'll now flowing will prove
q good commercial proposition. We
nave already made preliminary sur
veys Tor a pipe line to Walla Walla
Dy way of Richland and Kennewick
ana we have far more gas than is
necessary to supply all the needs of
.nese towns. The present flow Of
the we'll, if sold at the regular COM
merclal rates, would in seven months
pay Tor the cost of piping it from the
well to Walla Walla."
Mr. Harris purpose in visiting the
Sity was to interest the Kennewick
BUSINESS men in an excursion which is
- oe run to the we'll December 2. Mr..
arris recently addressed the Spokane
onamber of Commerce and so many
:. the Spokane men expressed a de-
sie 10 visit the field that plans were
q. once begun for an excursion. Mr..
narrls . is now carrying the excursion
.uea a little further in that he is en-
ueaVorlng to get delegations from the
,rommercial :, bodies of Walla Walla,
Mennewick, Pasco and Prosser to make
q she trip the same day and meet the
spokane men at Hill Notch.
When it comes to enthusiasm Mr..
harrls has nothing on w. r. Crawford
VINO has just returned from the 1aki-
nia company's well. "Drilling at our
wen mas been progressing slowly but
surely" said Mr.. Crawford. eve are
now down s17 feet and the indications
,or both gas and oil are excellent. We
nave not been saying much laS,ly but