The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-05-23
A Little Story of
Great Oil Fields
CONTINUED From Page one>

ground and the big companies that
operate the leases, and all business
lines seem prosperous, still there are
many people in Eldorado who do not
pay income taxes. It just happened,
1 suppose, that l met number who
had drilled wells and found busters.
1t costs about $780, 900 to drill we'll
down here and when a man of or
binary means puts that SUM into
hole and gets only salt water he is
sometimes discouraged = and some
times broke. I was convinced OF one
thing by my visit here, and that is.
may the field be ever 30 attractive that
even SO. this oil drilling business is a
job for the rich-at any rate for men
who know the game and are willing
to take a long chance. AS a rule In
all avenues of life, where the profit Is
great, the hazard is proportionately
great II wishes brought oil wells we
would all cwu Shumway leases.
Eldorado has grown into beautiful
little city, as Kansas cities go. Its
streets are broad and paved and well
lined with shade trees. Fine homes
are being built and many fine bus
mess blocks are going up in the bus
mess section.
Eldorado is not now asleep. but
think a little dazed by its sudden
awakening and its unforeseen plunge
into unexpected prosperity. 1t is
busy caring for business. II hasn't
got adjusted yet. II hasn't got its
poise. 1t hasn't learned itself. 1t
has been raking in the coin so fast 1t
hasn't stopped to count the gains In
time it will develop a new and broader
NIT fvff n
build Y. NJ. C. A. and an Elks Club.
its records do not show half the re-
suits in the way of patriotic service
as does Canon City. In the Liberty
Loan drive, with all its untold mil
lions at its command. 1t barely raised
the allotment, and then the rich county
bought only twice as many Liberty
Bonds as did our own poor county. In
time-when Eldorado folks have had
leisure to count the cash-they will
see these other things.
In search for information I found
little in town. You can seldom get
any at a hotel AS a general rule
about all the hotel folks know about
their town is when the meals are
served and the hours of the arrival
and departure of trains. In this re-
spect Eldorado hotel folks we're no
exception to the general rule. The
newspaper men were new in the com
Tnunity. So / went out to find the
Chamber of Commerce asked at
several stores where the Chamber
of Commerce was located and they
knew not Finally a business man di-
rected me to another business man
who ought to know. He didn't. tho.
He said 1t had moved. Didn't know
where. But he said. II am the chair
man of the New Industries Committee.
tho" oh" said, IF want to build
a factory in your town you are the
man to see?" Sure thing" he said.
Unwind your line of talk" ! said /
was out looking for good location
for Y. NJ. C. A. and he lost interest.
Having nothing much To do and hav-
ing become interested in the search,
1 kept on until / found 1t. And found
on the job, temporarily. the secretary
of the state organization who didn't
hsow anything about Eldorado or the
oil fields.
Eldorado is a town several times as
good as Canon City. 1t has two good
daily newspapers-but in no respect,
except in volume of advertising car
ried, are they any better than Canon
Cfty's daily newspaper. say this
modestly, as ! have had similar testi-
mony from others who know the two
towns and the newspapers.
L came over here to buy an oil well.
Bnt / didn't buy it. They are too big
and cumbersome and dirty and uncer-
tain as to length of life The field is
all dusty or muddy with oil. 1t isn't a
pleasant place to stick around in
and you can't take the well away with
You. There was another reason why
j didn't buy the Shumway-I couldn't
find the owner of the property
c. U. II.
Wichita, Kan, May 14th, 1918.