The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1918-02-07
OIL MEETING TUESDAY NIGHT
Continued from first page.)

did know that oil is the biggest indus
try in the country today and that il
it is found here every land owner will
be made rich. "Why not go at it in
business-like way" asked Mr.. Com
mons. This proposition means much
to all of us. We want to test the
country and see what is under it,"
He then advised that a committee
from the Chamber of Commerce be
appointed to assist in getting the
leases which should be held in trust
by that organization to be turned
over when the drilling company came
up to their agreement.
that he thought the proposition
should be taken up. With the propo-
sition as outlined by Mr.. Commons
he said he could not see why any
land owner should refuse to go in,
as it means much to the land owners.
He said that he thought the people
should get back of the. proposition.
Mr.. Mahoney said that there was
no element of speculation in the leas-
ing they had been doing and that
they were perfectly willing that the
Chamber of Commerce should have
charge Of the leases. ut takes hole
to determine whether or not there is
oil here" said Mr.. Mahoney, and then
he said that the leases could be de-
posted in the bank until such time as
the leasing company should fulfill
their agreement and start actual OPP
erations.
Mr.. Sealy, who has also been instru-
mental in the taking Of leases, spoke.
He said that the man who drilled the
we'll at Woodward was here four days
and offered to drill but that they
could not get the balance of the leas-
es for him. He said that two-thirds
Of the Unbiased territory was owned
by non-residents and it was thought
that their leases could be secured if
the home people would lease.
o. M. Woods, who has also devoted
some time to leasing, spoke next. He
expressed the opinion that it would
be easy enough to get the leases
owned by non-residents when enough
Of the home people had leased to
make a good showing.
Mr.. Kindschi said that he had new
er known the Chamber Of Commerce
to turn down any good proposition
and thought the organization should
assist in the movement to block the
leases. He named John W. Baugh-
man, H. w. Magruder and Clyde R.
Commons as the committee to handle
the proposition, they to select anyone
they desired to assist
The proposition of the drilling COM
company is that they will drill hole
three thousand or thirty-fve hun
bred feet and will start operations
within 80 days after the leases are
blocked and their biologists report.
There will be no long tying up of the
land if nothing develops, and should
the company not start operations the
leases will be turned back to the land
owners.
At the present time the drill is
about to be started in the test well
vets of Liberal. With another going
down north of town there is just
twice as much chance of finding oil as
if only one hole is going down.
We can not give any idea Of the
change that would come over Liberal
should oil or gas be found near here.
Eldorado has gone from a town of
5000 to 1900 in less than three
years and the increase is greater at
the present time than any time since
the oil boom started. Other towns
have Jared the same.
Mr.. Mahoney is no novice in the
oil business, having spent the last
eight years in the oil fields. He has
affidavits from firms for which he has
worked wherein they confirm his
opinions in regard to the finding of
oil. He has located many wells and
fields and has the documents to prove
it. He is a firm believer in the oil
conditions here and says there is no
doubt in his mind that deep test
will mean a producing well. The
time that he has put in would indi-
cate that his belief is strong in this
way.
Work of securing the leases has al
ready started and will be pushed Wig
orously that the contract with the
drillers may be signed as soon as pos
sible and the test started.
Land owners should give the mat
ter careful consideration. If you
cannot make a test individually there
is no chance of getting one made un-