The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-03-30
BENTON COUNTY
GAS ATTRACTS
CALIFORNIA co.
New Activity is Shown i'm Pros
pective Oil Field in Rattle .
snake District
START ANOTHER RWELLATONCE
Yakima Company Places Order for
Large Rig Capable of Going
Down $500 Feet III

1t is no longer question of whether
or not the prospective gas and oil field
in the Rattlesnake is to be developed,
but question of who is going to be
the first to strike oil. New interest in
the possibilities Of the field was Great
ed this week by the announcement
that strong California company will
enter the field and at once begin drill
ing.
The new company, which is headed
by Hebert c. Harris, of San Francisco
have leased the holdings Of the Con-
servative Land company. Their drill
ers have arrived at Benton City and
are awaiting the arrival of their big
standard rig to begin well about two
miles northeast Of the Yakima Natu-
raj gas and Oil company's well.
In an interview in Spokane last
week Mr.. Harris is quoted as saying
that he is surprised that this field has
been neglected so long as it is the
most promising field in the state.
Geological surveys, he says, indicate
that the Rattlesnake Hills are the
perfect anticline that can be traced
as far south as Kennewick. This in
dicates that, if oil is found, the basin
will prove large one extending even
beyond this city.
1t is understood that Mr.. Harris
and his associates have had their eye
on this field for several years but as
they have been busy with oil produc-
ing properties in California they did
not wish to enter this field as long as
lit was left undeveloped and undis-
turbed.
An additional encouraging feature
is the fact that the field is also at
tracing the attention of Seattle, Ia
coma and Spokane capital and it is
not improbable that within the next
80 days number of additional rigs
will be operating.
F. l.. Runions, of the Yakima Natu-
raj Gas & Oil company, has just re-
turned from trip to North Yakima
and the gas well. He reports that a
second rig capable of going $500 feet
and the largest and best obtainable,
has been ordered by his company. The
new rig will be moved into the field
and put into operation as soon as pos
sible.
Drillers on the company's well No. 1
are making excellent progress. I'VE
expect to strike the gas strata inside
of the next $50 feet" said Mr.. Run
ions. ain fact the formation in which
the drill is now working indicates the
possibilities of striking the gas stra-
ia even before that depth is reached.
"Recent tests show that already a
sufficient quantity Of gas is escaping,
thru 200 feet of water under which the
drill is working, to burn at the casing
head. This water is Of great benefit
in drilling and will be cased off at the
proper time"
Mr.. Runions says his company has
put forth every effort to secure broad
enough leases covering the entire
prospective field to retard, if not pre-
vent, the rush of wildcat promoters
which invade every field as soon as
activities are shown. 1t is pointed out
by outside interests, he says, that the
large number of their leases, will op-
crate to the exclusion of newcomers
but from standpoint of those inter-
ested in the local company this cannot
be regarded other than as keen dis
play of good business judgment.