The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-08-09
CAPITALIST TO ...
DEVELOP FIELD.
New Yorker with Unlimited Cap.
ital Interested in the Local
Oil Prospects

Promise of the speedy development
of Benton county's prospective oil
field is held out the the following from
the columns of the Yakima Republic:
Financiers are proverbially reticent
concerning their plans; their first in
junction is "keep num-" Oil operators
are no exception to the rule, but the
truth-like oil, for instance, will rise
to the surface and the fact that there
are big things doing in the Benton
district, if not generally known at the
present time, very soon will be.
The facts come to the Republic in
such a way that names cannot be
used. But that makes no difference
with the facts.
When Chester Congdon died it was
feared that development of the Benton
fields was due for another long delay.
Mr.. Congdon had undertaken to fin
ance thoro investigation of the fields
and while his name was not published
the insiders knew that it was the Du-
luth- Yakima millionaire who was fur
nishing the money and had promised
to see the thing thru.
Henry Landes, state geologist, has
for long period been convinced that
great quantities of high grade oil ex-
listed in the Rattlesnakc hills where for
years a gas well has been wasting its
energy-not to say its fragrance-on
the desert air.
Mr.. Landes has accompanied a num-
Der of notable oil experts to the fields
and it has been understood that the
reports were always encouraging.
After Mr.. Congdon's death matters
seemed at standstill but few weeks
ago, thru efforts Of Mr.. Landes, an
expert for one of the biggest opera
tors in the Oklahoma fields, capital
ist with downtown New York adj
dress, arrived in this city one evening
and without communicating his in
tentions to anyone accompanied Mr..
Landes to the fields. He remained for
some time.
He was gone for week or two and
then returned-this time with author
ity from his principal to expend all of
the money he deemed necessary to as
certain the probable extent of the oil |
fields and the character of the supply. |
He has taken over drilling outfit en-
ployed by other parties who had grown
discouraged, paid for it and put it to |
work.
This expert holds the opinion, so it !
is reported, that probably the biggest
oil deposit in the United States lies in
the Rattlesnake hills; that the supply
of gas is probably sufficient to warrant
its being piped to Spokane or to Sc
attic, while as source of supply for
North Yakima, both for power and for
lighting, it is right at our door.
The opinion has been further ,ex-
pressed that the oil, which has a paraf-
line base, is probably of such a char
acter that the quantity of gasoline
which could be extracted would be
three to four times the proportion that
IAN be extracted from Oklahoma oils.
1t is very high grade oil, in this ex-
pert's opinion.
There is no chance for rush of oil |
squatters into the district, for all of
he land whereabouts is in private own
ership or under long time leases from
The state and the expert has seen to il
hat all of the rights thereabouts are
led up in such way that his princi-
pals cannot be cheated out of the full
'eturns of their expenditure.
The gas from the flowing we'll is be-
ng used for power in the carrying on
# development work and its efficiency