The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-02-14
GAS COMPANY
ORDERS MORE
DRILLING RIGS
Walla Walla Company Expects
to Put Five and Possibly Six
s. Outfits in Field
WELLS FLOW IS INCREASING
lanes Says if Oil is Never Struck Gas
Will Mean Much to this
Section

ag section
According to Henry D. James
general manager Of the Walls
Walla Gas, Oil & Pipe Line com
pany, who is in the city today
the whole truth about the recent
gas strike in the Rattlesnake
hills in this county has not yet
been told. The published reports
of the flow of the new well he
says have not been exaggerated
The flow is increasing with ev.
cry drop of the drill and when ac.
curate measurement tests are
made the flow will be nearer four
million cubic feet daily, than the
three million as is now estimated
1--WE are going to strike oil, .
said Mr.. James, s'but even tho
we never do bring in the oil, the
gas alone is really the biggest
thing that has ever happened to
any section of the state. Few
men seem to realize what the
strike really means. 1t means
that Kennewick and Benton
county are on the eve of the big
gest boom any section of the
state has ever experienced. !
do not mean wildcatting STAN
pede or stock-selling boom, ]
mean actual and permanent in
dustrial and commercial devel-
opment.
.There are some things which
you people should not lose sight
of. A great flow of the finest
natural gas in the world has been
struck within a few miles of your
town. When I say the finest gas
in the world, / mean just that.
The analysis shows that in heat
ing units and clear Illuminating
properties, this gas is the finest
in the world. There are thous-
ands of acres of fertile land in
this valley that only await de-
velopment for the lack Of some
cheap power for irrigation. The
gas will furnish that power.
There are glass-bearing sands in
unlimited quantities along the
river. The gas will furnish the
cheap power necessary for their
utilization. If / had been asked
to indicate on the map of Wash
ington the spot where a great
flow of natural gas could have
been utilized to the greatest adj
vantage, / believe 1 should un-
doubtedly have indicated just
this location in central Washing
ton, where there is both rail and
water transportation and great
acreage of unimproved fertile
lands"
Mr.. James says his company
has withdrawn it's stock from
the market. The company is now
sufficiently financed to carry out
its development work without
delay or handicap. The new well
is being drilled on land which his
company has sub-leased to Mr..
Wrightsman, of New York. The
big standard rig and small part
OF the Walla Walla company's
holdings were leased to the New
York man only because of the
difficulty encountered in getting
experienced drillers. Mr..
Wrightsman is man who has
made millions in the oil business
and was able to put experts on
the job and to carry on opera
tons without delay.
In the meatime, however, the
Walla Walla company has not
been idle. 1t purchased another
rig and for some time has been
drilling about five miles from
Hanford. Orders have been
placed for three more rigs and
negotiations have been opened
Tor the purchase of a fourth.
when Mr.. Wrightsman's con-
tract with the company expires
Ihe Walla Walla concern will
tnen have four and possibly five
llgs, all of which expect to keep
busy in the field.
Ii we were willing to accept
Tie offers of all the men who I,