Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1920-04-03
OIL LAND INTERESTS IN
 SIERRA BLANCA COUNTY

The following article appeared in a recent issue of\the Fl Paso Herald, telling of interest in the Sierra Blan- ca country, close to some of the oil land holdings of some kingman men. We understand the land mentioned here was sold to the present owners by R. A. Brundage:
 "An oil we'll has been discovered Il miles northwest of Sierra Blanca, about 100 miles southwest of Fl Paso, bringing the west Texas oil activities 100 miles nearer Fl Paso than the Pecos developments. The location is almost south of Hueco basin.
 This discovery is located in town ship 6, block Fl, section 2S, on the L.. R. Mathers place. It was drilled as a water we'll about four years ago and then abandoned. One of the drillers remembered seeing oil in the we'll and gave the information to representa- tives of a California syndicate. lm- mediately Thomas K. Muir, one of the principal members of the syndicate, came to Fl Paso, accompanied by L.. Harry Blankinship, an oil scout with experience in many countries, among them Mexico in the Tampico district.
 These two Californians secuted around the Sierra Blanca district and quietly located the we'll. After look ing at it and examining the oil they immediately leased 12,000 acres and got options on 10000 acres more in that vicinity, for which the money will be put up, they say, as soon as titles are all proved up.
 Fl PasOans Examine We'll.
 Friday Mir. Blankinship went out to the we'll with three Ell Pasoans to ex- anime the country and the oil in their presence. The three Fl Pasoans who went with him were Chas. B. Stevens, real estate man; Paul D. Thomas, an attorney, and L. E. Claypool, of The Fl Paso Herald staff.
 On the way to the well, arrange ments were made by rancher to use a rig he owns for cleaning out the we'll. The bailer got caught in the we'll and must be removed. After the old well, which probably will be known as the Muir well, is cleaned out, drilling will start on two new locations. Mir. Blankinship said at the Paso Del Norte Saturday that con- tracts had been hnade for drilling two wells near the Muir well within 60 days.
 The Muir well, we found to be about 300 feet deep. The estimated depth of the oil in the we'll was 80 feet. This estimate was arrived at by measur- ing from the first dry point on the bailing wire to the mouth of the well.
 Oil Has Little Life.
 The oil drawn up we found to be a thick, heavy fluid, much resembling black paint in it's consistency. The oil seemed to have very little life. The last can or two drawn up pre- scented better appearance in this re" spect, there being some signs of bub- bling and effervescence There was strong remnant of gasoline odor in the oil. This element probably had pretty we'll evaporated. There was also strong odor of kerosene. Tn general the oil had an appearance and a consistency of melted asphaltum. I
 It is the opinion of MT. Blankinship that the oil comes from nearby pool. He. said that in all probability a cap rock was penetrated just far enough to allow the oil beneath and within to ooze into the cavity. The we'll was abandoned in the limestone and no sand is detectable anywhere in the hole. A sand is predicted at a depth of from 400 to 800 feet in this field.
 The structural situation is in favor of the well. It is located, whether by intent or accident do not know, well up on dome of perhaps 25 acres in area. About 200 yards to the north of the well is an old fossil bed and in several other places near the well there are fossilifrous outcroppings. Mir. Stevens broke several rocks near the well with his hammer and these rocks were found to contain in some instances very pungent odors of gas or sulphur" MINER WANT ADS ARE BUSI-