The Meeker herald., 1919-03-08
An OH Boom Due
For Rio Blanco County

A late issue of the Grand, Junction
News carries the following article
concerning our White River oil field.
This short article will interest good
many Herald readers:
r. G. Horn yesterday received .
telegram from Lucius A. Dick. gen.
eral manager Of the Beaver OIL COM
pany. ofiicially confirming contracts
entered into by these parties earlier
10 the month whereby the Beaver
company will take over some 1900
acres of oil land In the White River
field adjoining the properties Of the
White River OIL company. 1t 10 I'M
derstood that over 10000 acres Of ad-
ditional leases In the Meeker field will
probably be included In the deal. The
agreement also provides that the
Beaver company will drill at least
one new we'll on the White River
company's property. Much new equip
ment will be installed In the feld
and 10 now being purchased. The tsle-
gram states that the first carload 10
already on the way from the east aud
includes complete new rig.
This Is probably one Of the biggest
oil deals ever negotiated involving
Colorado properties, and 10 especially
significant from the fact that the
Beaver company IL the first Of the big
eastern oil producers to become
actively interested In developing the
oil resources OF the western slope.
The White River field has excited
the interest Of gsologists and oil men
for more than 10 years. As far back
~ 1859 the first we'll In the field was
drilled and At . depth Of little more
than 600 feet encountered such ter
rife flow Of gas that the drilling out.
At was destroyed and the drillers
were 90 badly disabled that they were
confined to the hospital for several
months. The gas from the we'll 10 said
to have burned for nearly year with
. flame 80 to 100 feet high, lighting
up the country for miles around.
Several people now living In this city
were 1t White River at the time and
remember this we'll. Another well
drilled about the same time and to
about the same depth has continued
to yield steady flow Of gas ever
since. Professor Arthur Lakes, one Of
the earliest and best-know geologists
In the state, has written number Of
articles regarding these wells and the
neighboring district, and other emil
nant geologists have written fsvora-
BILE reports Of its oil possibilities.
Early In the summer Of 1917 Mr..
Horn, who was then scouting the
western part Of the state In search for
oil prospects, became interested In
the neld and secured control Of the
oil rights Of about 1900 acres In the
district. Development work was
started that fall and considerable At
tsntion was given to testing the quail.
ity Of the gaa produced TO determine
its suitability for making gasoline,
and tho results were very satisfactory.
Meeker people were In the mean
time Watching the Developments with
keen interest and began to see that
the White River field offered big
possibilities. The White River OIL
company was organized. headed BY
prominent Rio Blanco county busi-
ness mon and csttlemen, and nearly
1900 acres, including about e-half
Of the most desirable property In the
deld Vas purchased from Mr.. Horn.
who became the general manager of
the now company.
Last year the first deep test we'll
WAS drilled upon the White River OIL
company's property. and while It did
not reach the depths which the geolo-
gists have reported most favoroabiy
for oil, two gas sands and several oil
sands were penetrated and good show.
ings Of oil and gas were obtained. A
particularly nne showing Of oil OBJ
tanned from the top Of SO-foot sand
at 800 feet has led the parties inter-
ested 70 believe that they have
located an immense oil pool at this
depth. and that their test we'll was
right on the edge Of this pool. This
opinion 10 confirmed hy biologists
and outside oil men who have been
consulted, and 10 no doubt the direct
cause that has influenced the eastern
operators In making their present
deal.
Mr.. Dick, who has been handling
the matter for the Beaver company.
nrst learned the details Of the oil dis
covery ct White River on Christmas
day, when he and his brother, .
prominent mining engineer Of Denver,
met ct the annual family gathering.