Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-05-29
STRIKE
OF OIL IN STATE
DR.. James E. Condra of State Uni
Makes Prophecy at Recent
Convention.
SURVEYS SHOW EVIDENCES

Omaha during the past week.
The most startling was the state
ment made by DR.. George z. Condra,
director Of conservation in the Uni
ycrsity Of Nebraska.
1T is a fifty-fifty shot" said DR..
Condra, that oil wells will be struck
in Nebraska within the next two
years"
This was somewhat startling
statement, and DR.. Condra refused to
develop the subject much further
than to say that surveys have been in
progress for several years in different
parts OF the state with the result that
some excellent evidences OF oil have
been found in various localities He
does not go into detail as 10 where
the best and strongest evidences are
found, perhaps for fear OF starting a
stampede, bat he assured the dele
gates that the survey had turned up
some Of the highly dependable evil
dences Of oil in certain regions Of the
state, and that some drilling would
be done 10 see what could be found.
Urges Water Rights Cooperation.
Another matter that came out was
the urgent request that all the Com
mercial clubs cooperate IN seeing 10
il that irrigation water rights are OBJ
tanned for Nebraska before the states
on the west get ahead OF them; also
that water power rights be obtained
on these rivers without delay.
H. 4
all IN its power TO get federal aid for
the project 10 conserve the flood
waters Of the Platte for use in soak
ing the subsoil Of some Of the semi
arid counties Of the state, where
crops in the past have never been en-
tireiy sure without artificial moisture
Then there was an endorsement OF
the movement for the forestration OF
the Nebraska sand hills.
This came after Woodruff Ball OF
Alliance, member Of the state fore
stration commission, had made his cx-
cellent report on the success Of the
federal forest reserves, already some
ten TO fifteen years old in the sand
hills OF Nebraska.
Jackpine Comes to Front.
II develops that the jackpine, which
was at first thought to be OF little
commercial value, is rapidly develop
ing now into good fence post ma
feriai
When these forests were started in
Nebraska il was said that the jack.
pine would be OF little use, except 10
get forests started, hold the soil and
create a condition under which the
moisture could be held and the sand
prevented from blowing. Once these
forests Of jackpine could be we'll
started, II was thought that other
timber of real commercial value could
be made 70 take root in these re-
serves.
Now, however, since the jackpine
forests III the Bcscy reserve, near
Halsey, and the Niobrara reserve in
Cherry county, Is fully fifteen years
old, il will soon be ready 10 be cut
for fence posts, and il is said by those
who make study OF these reserves
that the revenue from these posts
will yield the government 4 per cent
on all the money il has invested in
the reserves thus far
SbWf iioWNFtif MI Dali ItpDilb mat
the western yellow pine which was
interspersed in the reserves after the
jack pine had taken root and got
we'll started is coming to the front
nicely.
Great Commercial Value.
Some OF the western yellow pine
Is already as much as and 10 years
old, This yellow pine has a great
commercial value as lumber II is
expected that in time the Jack pine
can be cut out and sold as fence posts,
and the yellow pine left 10 develop
into good lumber timber. Then il is
hoped that the forest can be kept UP
through all time by A. systematic
supervision, preventing the cutting OF
the smaller trees and seeing 10 Il that
a good young growth is constantly
encouraged as the older trees are cut
out.
Dean c. L. Bessey, the late head OF
the department OF botany and forestry
IN the University OF Nebraska, was
the father OF this idea OF getting the
worthless sand hills OF Nebraska COW
cred with timber. He was laughed at
Farms Blew Away"
Only those who have seen the sand
bills al their worst, can appreciate
why the idea Of making forests al
them seemed ridiculous at first. The
Sand hills shifted for years In the
wind until, u was often iokinglv said,
farmer could never tell when he
went 70 bed AZ nigh, whether he
would find his farm al home IN the
morning. OF whether Il would be de.
aosiled IN drifts on his neighbors
lerea
But DR. Bessey was not 10 be ridi.
fule out ~ hts notion
He wrote 10 congress repeatedly
le talked a. members II tho Ne.
sfsska contingent oi congress. every
lims he could meet them, GA che sub.
ityi Ui lhc ioretlfalion ~ thr sand
aiils ~ last a. turn the tables and
9ni the responsibility upon the shout
Asts ~ thf ola dean himself. the con
kfessmfn and senators told him Il Ne
ueNid siaFt a iNfle lofesi oi hls aan
Aa1 nhMW that trees would grows Is
NE stnd hllls, thfy would consider
a. appropriation M YEA htm Al ahFAA
wAh Fla lAtA NW q Large scale
They WITS hlaiiinN
calls the hluii
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