Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-06
NOR RTGACEO PLANT
TO BECOME RICH
Newspaper Man Made
Wealthy Because He Be
frlcndcd an Old Man.

klNGLlNG, okla. April : The
story Of how Il poor linotype operator
who worked on daily newspaper In
Rattle Creek. Mich. made "A half mil
lion dollars in oil IN Oklahoma within
two years after he had mOrtgaged
his mcagcr belongings for the top
cent they'd bear IL contained IN the
experiences Of Roy NJ. johnson Of
Ardmorc.
The daily income Of the two pro-
duclug companies In the Iloaldton
field IN which he IS a heavy stock
holder is over $4,000. Within -
months from this date these COM
panics-thc crystal oil company ana
the irwin state oil company viii
have produced all told about $4,000
600 of wealth q tfcir stockholders.
within that time the royalty income
that johnson receives win have
amounted 10 Sl00 600. In ten ycars.
should the wells on property he owns
IN fee continue their present rate Of
production. considering the natural
gradual Increase from more drilling,
he will have made $1,000, 900. and out
Of an invcstment OF less than 81 900
crazy Mans Dream.
An old man is i'm a madhousc
somewhere in the north because Of
the existence Of oil in this region Of
Oklahoma. Before he knew positively
II was here bis mental tension was
growing and when II was discovered
In raging quantities the realization
was more than the tension would
stand. Roy Johnson profited for the
old man confded 10 him his beliefs. /
accompanied by drawings and argu-
mcEts. Johnson had studied the oi'
industry and the Old mans reasons
looked plausible.
Johnson had little printing plant /
in Ardmorc. out of which he cirCu- /
lated n weekly newspaper called the !
Ardmorc Statesman. and he mort
gagged the plant anC some other be
longings to get the money necessary
io make the first lease on land near
the inland village of IIoaldton. The
land was a producer.
IN due time. at It United states
soV'rnment sale OF Indian land
Johnson bought seven tracts. ranging
n price from S3.25 to Sl2 an acre.
he initial paymen, totallins $la6.
rh,sc tracts proved to be located in
ligl ly productive territory
II haven't any lunches" says
Johnson. AS a matter of fact,
have no faith ir lunches. but I he
icNc that the present proven field i
iucing territory In ttis part Of south
'rn Oklahoma. ! am. therefore. put 4
ing part Of my earnings into wells in II
'cM territory. may get n few dry Il
lnCS. but | believe some territory will |
'c ouoncd rs good or better than the
Ilcaldton field.
johnson was born In Cashton. Wis.
and he Is 80 years cd. Fifteen years
ago he took some stock in an oil
company that drilled an unproductiVe
well in the PcLumunt, ToXaS. field.
He vent TO beaumont and after his
oil venture secured Il job on 4 Bepu-
mont paper through tho influence of
II. H. Spaulding. who afterwards be-
came secretary of the Ardmorc Com
mercial club. On Spaulding's invita-
tion. johnson came to Ardmorc and
established the Statesman.
The assistance that Johnson OBJ
aimed to get his start in the oil
game in oklahoma came through +.
y Dings, president Of the Guaranty Il
state bank Of AIdmorc. in whose
store in a little town In Iowa the
company was organized that drilled n
he dry well in the Beaumont field Il
n which Johnson was Interested 4
pirgs helped Johrson borrow the
money needed to get the first lease in Il
he llealdton field Dings later 4
lelIcd to organize the ColinC Oil Il
company. the holdings Of which last
ear sold for $1,000, 600 and made ~ |
lk,ahOmc men rich.