The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-11-28
GAS AND OIL
} MEN ORGANIZE
ASSOCIATION
Purpose is to Keep Benton Coun-
ty Field free from Unscru-
pulous Promoters
MEMBERS ARE OPTIMISTIC
Companies Now Operating will CO.
operate in Fastening Devel-
opment of the Field
For the purpose of uniting in a CO.

For the purpose of uniting in CO.
operative effort to hasten the explora-
tion and development of Benton coun-
ty's gas and oil field by securing
needed legislation and keeping, the
field free from illegitimate promotion
and dishonest exploitation, represen-
tatives of five companies now operat-
ing in the field met in this city Mon
day and organized the Gas and Oil
Mems Association of Washington.
The chief concern of the new organiza-
tion will be to keep the field upon a
development rather than upon spec
ulative basis by keeping out such pro-
moters who show an evident lack of in
tention of drilling.
To Frank Goodwin of Seattle whose
company, the Seattle Inland Oil COM
pany is one of the newest arrivals in
the field, was given the honor of be-
ing the first president of the associa-
tion, while Fred May, of Spokane, sec
retary of the Spokane Benton county
Natural Gas company, was elected sec
retary- treasurer, and to these two
men will fall much of the work of the
association.
1t would be difficult to find more
thoroly enthusiastic lot than the fifteen
men who assembled at Hotel Kenne-
wick Monday forenoon and undertook
the business of the meeting, the first
one of its kind ever held in the state
of Washington. Every man is 100
per cent optimist with unlimited faith
in the possibilities Of their new enter
prises which they believe will sooner
or later add millions to the wealth of
the state.
That. they mean business, that they
are in dead earnest in their efforts to
prevent the field from coming into
disrepute with the public thru the
manipulations of unscrupulous opera.
tors is evidenced by their denial of
charter membership to one applicant
/, who could not satisfy the meeting that
he had sufficient holdings in the
field to justify the sale of stock or
that he had the intention of actually
drilling for gas or oil. AS one mem
Der expressed it, "The affairs of this
association must be so conducted that
: the public will be justified in accept
ing membership in the association as
.arf evidence of good faith and the eyi-
dent intention of actual development
operations in the field" To safeguard
the association and protect it's repu-
tation provision is made in the bylaws
that no individual nor corporation can
be admitted to membership until the
affairs of the applicant have been
thoroly investigated by a membership
committee of five and their findings
have been approved by a vote OF the
association.
One of the first efforts of the asso-
citation will be directed toward secur-
ing needed legislation as outlned IN
the following resolutions:
a9 "It is hereby resolved that the leg
islative committee of the Gas and Oil
Mems Association of Washington be
Instructed to prepare a suitable
amendment to submit to the state leg
islaturc providing for period OF thlr-
ty days grace for Reinstatement OF
leases on oil and gas lands covering
a period of three years following expl-
ration of said leases.
"And that the legislative committee
be instructed to secure legislation con-
cerning:
81. Protection from water damage
to the field by reason of improper cas-
ing of wells or failure to plug same
or use other good and sufficient meth
ods of stopping off the water.
"2. Prevention of waste OF gas by
open wells or leakagcs or burning
wells for long periods of time. .
@'3. To petition Legislature to OBJ
tain modification of the present law
! in regard to removing the product OF
oil and gas from lands owned by the
state, allowing ten instead of five years
for taking said product from the
ground and shall provide for auction
bidding for the royalty on state lands
In conformity with the laws OF other