Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-30
SIERRA COUNTY IS
NOW IN GRIP Of
GREAT OIL BOOM
Geological Formation and Sur
face Symptoms Cts Every
Indication of Enormous I'M
DERIVING Pool, Experts Say,


ESPECIAL CONSEQUENCES 70 noEn,ae JOURNAL
FL Paso, Tex, March 29.-Approxi-
mately a hundred men and women of
FL Paso, where the talk of oil on all
corners in the business district has set
the public TO sharpening pencils for
estimating profits and dreams of
wealth overnight have filed applica-
tons for petroleum and gas rights on
lands lying in the newest oil field, to
be known as the Pittsburgh pool, ex-
tending from the Sierra county health
resort, Hot Springs, for a distance of
ten miles west and an equal stretch
south and west, from the great Ele-
pant Butte dam. These people declare
that the indications for striking pc
troleum in gushing quantities in that
section are most favorable and bear
out the predictions made by geolo-
gists in 1912 and 1917 that the coun-
try west of Hot Springs would if
properly drilled, develop into one of
the greatest oil producing sections in
America.
Oozes Out of Ground.
The stuff literally oozes out of the
ground at points near Hot Springs, all
say who have looked the location
over, Fossils, shales and sands found
there are the same as those on eX-
hibit in all the producing fields. On
the farm of Charles M, Naples three
miles west Of Hot Springs, a well
drilled to a depth of 235 feet brought
in such a quantity of petroleum that
the water could not be used for live
stock or domestic purposes.
Old residents of the Hot Springs
section say they have always thought
there was "a big oil pool under them,
but, because there was never any oil
excitement near them. or perhaps for
the reason that it requires lots of
money to sink a workable oil well,
have never attempted to do anything
to pierce the oil strata. Now. with
everybody talking oil and hearing of
Texas farmers turning millionaires in
a day, it is only natural that the peo-
pie of Sierra county especially those
In the vicinity OF the popular Hot
Springs resorts, are turning their att
tention to the vast wealth Mother
Earth may be holding for those who
seek it.
Certain it is that Hot Springs has
sprung within a few short weeks from
q n little isolated hamlet on the west
side of the Rio Grande from the big
dam, to a thriving, hustling place of
over | 200 red blooded Americans who
have faith in their town, the medici-
nal properties of their wonderful
health restoring springs and. of
course, they are stalking their availa-
bic dollars on the Pittsburgh oil field,
which seems destined to loom infinite
ly larger as a wealth producer than
did the silver mines of their county in
the palmy days forty years ago.
Sierra County Booming.
Latest reports received in El Paso
say that thousands of acres of state
and private land have been filed on
for oil and gas by persons from all
over the southwest. out of the more
than 3,000,0 600 acres in the state be-
ing leased to oil prospectors, Sierra
county figures with 100000 acres.
Surveyors are working overtime to
map and mark the blocks and sec
tons and attorneys are rushing to
file their clients papers at Hillsboro.
Each day witnesses the arrival of new
locating outfits, El Paso enthusiasts
say, and excitement is running high.
Dozens of prospectors have gone. in
automobiles from here to the fields
during the week the original filters
preparing to form one or more drill
ing companies and take their friends
in on what they believe to be sure
shots"
Wigmore to Drill.
]. A. Wigmore, reputed to he a
very wealthy Pittsburgh, Pa, man,
who owns the "Jawsoo' ranch of 25.-
600 acres, twenty miles west of Hot
Springs, near Hillsboro, has, through
his manager, f., w. Kendrlck, an
nounced the purchase Of drilling
outfit, with the intention of begin