The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1919-02-13

Worth Record and shows what takes
place when the first well is brought
in, in a new section:
Amarillo, Jan. 23rd.-On Monday
of this week operations were begun
on five different wells which are to
be drilled for oil north of this city.
Rumors are running riot of indisput-
able oil formations found in this vi
entity, and old stories told by the
pioneers of the plains, of many in
stances where their stock could
scarcely drink the water of the Ca
madam for the oily scum that occa-
sionally settled on it's surface, are
again being repeated with zest
One of the old settlers even tells
how years ago, when he. was pros
pecting out on the plains, he came
upon little gulley, more like deep
crack in the earth's crust at the bot
tom of which trickled tiny stream
of oil. At its source it seemed to
ooze up out of the earth and tracing
its course he found that it merged
its oily current with the sluggish
waters of the Canadian. These tales
of the early days form the chief topic
of conversation now, and excitement
is running high.
A company headed by three prom
inent bankers of Clovis, New Mexico,
have contracted to drill for oil on an
anticline eighteen miles northwest of
Laronde. Work will start within 80
days.
And here is another clipping from
the Wichita Beacon of few days
later:
Contract for Eleven Tests Near
Amarillo, Texas
Oil excitement is running high at
Amarillo, Texas. Eleven wells have
been contracted for on a large sec
ton of territory lying north and
northeast of town, along the Ca
madam river. Five of the wells are
to be drilled by Amarillo and Kan
sas City parties, and the locations
have been made along the structure
on which the Hapgood well on the
Masterson ranch was drilled last fall.
A contract is reported to have just
been closed for we'll on the Arnold
ranch southeast of Amarillo. This
we'll will be drilled in the Pala Duro
Canyon. People are wild over leases
according to j. W. Cheney who was
in Fort Worth Thursday. Land is
leasing all the way from SIS an acre
to $50 an acre, according to the dis
lance from the Hapgood well.
The Hapgood well is only a gasser
tho it is said to have a strong indi-
cation of oil. 1t has been shut down
for several months and when opened
up few days ago it is said the es-
Gaping gas could be heard for nine
miles. The we'll is said to be making
about 100000 cubic feet of wet
gas.
Three drilling rigs are in the rail-
road yards at Amarillo now waiting
to be moved to the locations. Work
will begin as soon as the condition Of
the roads will permit.
An effort has been made to have
a test drilled in Seward county, and
plans are still under way for a well
north of Liberal. The Traders Oil
Company have temporarily shut
down in their deep ten west of the
city but expect to resume this spring
so it seems likely that this country
will be tested before a great while
One of the best propositions in
this part of the country is the
Beaver Oil G. Gas Company. This
company has several blocks of acre
age which it is proposed to test out.
One of these is near Guymon, Okla
homa, the other in Beaver county,
south of Liberal, and some good
holdings west of Liberal. All this
territory has been passed upon by
the best biologists in the country and
pronounced first class.
The company is composed of some
of the leading business men, bankers,
and ranchmen of Liberal, Tyrone,
Guymon and Hansford county
They are, for the most part men who
have resided in this section for
years and have established them
selves as men of judgment and hon
or. They have formed company to
drill deep test to see what is under
the surface of the earth, and they
have taken every step advisedly.
Under the terms of the bylaws no
man in the company may profit to a
greater extent than another, accord