The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-29

Oklahoma City. Okla, April 29.-When
oil spouted over the derrick of the first
well in what is now the Healdton field,
bringing wealth and fame to the dreamer
A. T. McGhee, and the men who had
gambled with him, it proclaimed TO the
world the discovery of vast new oil pool
the latest wonder of Oklahomas sensational
oil development. True to history and ira
dition. a wild scramble for leases ensued-
From Cushing. Tulsa, Bartelesville, Mus
kogee and from Oklahoma's hundred and
one other oil fields came the capitalist and
the SPECTATOR the driller the adventurer
and the whole avalanche of humanity
which has ever surged to the spot of the
latest strike. Like sheep over Il stone WALL
they clamored for foothold just as near
to the exact spot Of the strike as possible
Leases for miles around sold at fabulous
prices. changed hands over night and were
sold again within twentv-four hours. Drill
ing outfits poured in, new wells were
financed and put dowh with crews work
ing night and day and other big strikes
were made.
Iu in spite of the fact that Healdton is
now the second largest producing field in
Oklahoma. the men who made the big
money were the men who drilled he first
we'll. Nobody except Dillon the brain"
NTcGhee and the men whom he finally per
suaded to back him believed there was a
possibility of oil in that section being 2OO
miles from the other big fields OF the state
But these men. firm in their bellef, leased
large acreage around their well and the
moment the gusher crashed out over the
derrick their fortunes mounted as hlSh
They struck oil and had many more acres
upon which to drill or sell for fabulous
prices
There was one OIL scout however, who
figured differently from the common herd.
Instead Of rushing headlong to Healdton.
only to find leases priced so eXorbttantiy
rs TO prohibit profitable Development ROD
ert Berney profited by Dreamer McGhee S
theory and looked for leases in another
spot resembling the Healdton field.
McChee chose the spot upon which to
drill a few miles Northwest of an Old As
rhait hi Geology has proven that As
phalt beds are the residue of heavy basic
elements of ancient OH pools. from which
the lighter elements have escaped after the
Earth covering it has worn away. McGhee
Knew that other deeper pools often exist
near these old beds. He drilled on this
theory and found a deposit which is pro-
ducinc Millions.
While pandemonium reigned at Head
ton. Robert Berney began systematic
search for the second Healdton he was
sure existed somewhere near. In an ad-
joining county twenty miles away he found
II. He picked his ground on a diagonal
wells four miles northwest and an Old
Asphalt bed three miles southeast. Here
he began leasing, and never stopped until
he had lOl4 acres tied up under five-year
contract to drill.
The geological conditions are twinkle
with the Healdton field. and Berney be
lives lac has the site of the next big oil
strike in oklahoma. His belief has been
substuniated in the last few weeks by the
McMann oil Company. one of the biggest
and richest Companies in Oklahoma,
which has recently been leasing all over
this section and has started Il gigantic test
well in the immediate neighborhood. To
develop these valuable leases Rerney organ
lied the Westfield Petroleum Company
capital stock S1O00OO: shares of the par
value of 81 each full paid and nOn-assessa-
BILE Owing to the low price of oil directly
after the Hcaldton strike little effort was
made toward Development The stock has
been publicly offered for the first time
within the last few weeks. and drilling
fund sufficient to insure complete develop
ment is rapidly being accumulated.
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