The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-08-10
OVER NIGHT HEWITT
Be COMES TYPICAL
} BOOMING OIL CITY
SOUTHERN OKLAHONLA'S SLEEPY
HOLLOW" AWAKENS FROM
RIP VAN WINKLE SLEEP

Three months ago the town of Hewitt
presented 10 all intents and purposes a
true picture of Goldsmith's Deserted
Village"
In fact, most of the buildings had
been moved from the original townste
to the newer Wilson, established by
the Ringing interests, one mile to the
west.
A few struggling, tumble-down shacks
were left and one or two old. timers
who We're too stubborn, or too loyal TO
the old burg to move, remained and did
their best to maintain a sembance OF
what had once been Hewitt's glory.
But these loyal ones led a precarious
existence and it required no philosopher
to see that their days, like the days or
the old town, Were numbered.
And then one morning. suddenly and
as persistently as the flashes of summer
heat lightning, news began to trckle
from invisible sources that the oil well,
located some months previously one
mile 10 the north of Hewitt, had struck
pay.
But little credence was given the ru'
NOR at first as it had been practically
conceded by the wise oil men that the
owners of that particular property were
sinking their money fast in a choice col
lection of post holes, as in their opinion
they would never get oil enough out
of that well to grease a oaby buggy.
/ That was merely the guess" of an
expert, however, and the owners of that
= particular property situated In section
27.4.2, had another opinion altogether,
and theirs was that they would strike
oil and strike it big.
And their faith was justified, as was
proven when, as stated above, one quiet
Sabbath morning the news was flashed
to Ardmore that the Texas well, on
the Smith property, had come in as u
gusher. and oil was shooting over the
derrick every few moments.
Ardmore parties who had been watch
ing the progress of the well, and many,
by the way, who had previously sunk
n few golden dollars in what was
termed the southeast extension to the
Healdton field" "a year or so ago, began
to take notice. When the rumor be-
came so persistent, many of them fore
swore the weekly duty of church ana
Sunday school attendance upon this
particular occasion and hied themselves
to the new well.
Upon arriving they found wildcat ru'
mors verified and then some; they
found oil actually shooting over the der
rick every few moments, and that the
same experts who a few months pre-
viously had predicted a duster, We're
estimating that it was the biggest thing
in the way of an oil well ever found In
Carter county.
Oil operators in Ardmore and sur
rounding territory went wild" that Is
the general acceptance of the term in
\ the parlance Of the game, and lease
contracts began to float through the
y very atmosphere.
Every acre of land in the vicinity Of
the new well, was snapped up at fab
ulous figures and many were made rich
over night.
It occurred early in the game that
Hewitt might develop into another
Burkburnett and town lots that owners
had long since forgotten suddenly took
on excessive value.
Owners began to look up their titles
and see where they actually stood with
reference to city property especially
city property located in Hewitt, or what
had once been Hewitt" and scarcely
had they convinced themselves that they
were owners of lots than they were Of
fered real money for them, either in
fee or lease.
Some sold quickly, to their later regret.
Others hung out a little longer and got
faa Of 10 OF applIph
to erect a rig on, than the whole town