The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-07-14
MUCH ACTIVITY
IN SEARCH FOR OIL
MANY TESTS WILL BE MADE
ALL THROUGH THIS
SECTION THIS
FALL.
DRILLING WELLS
Five Wells Being Sunk Near
Fayette, Ala, BY Large
Oil Company; Another
Near West Point.


A calm before the storm may be a
true Interpretation Of the oil pros
pecting situation in Northeast Mis-
sissippi and Western Alabama.
From surface indications there is.
seem Sg inactivity in the oil game in
this section, but behind the scenes the
game is being played according to all
Of the rules Of the industry.
There is always more or less veil
Of mystery surrounding every oil
development activity and especially is
this true in new and undeveloped
field where developments would indi-
cate favorable prospect for the find
ing Of the golden fluid.
A Dispatch representative has made
little survey of the situation in this
section with the view Of giving the
readers of this paper a line on the
situation as far as facts relative to
developments and prospective develop
ments are concerned
AS a result of the survey it is
known that not less than six wells
are now being drilled within radius
Of forty miles Of Columbus, and loca-
tions have been made for at least
three other wells within the radai.
The largest development is in the
Fayette, Alabama, field which is forty
miles east of Columbus on the South
ern Railway in Fayette county. In
the vicinit s$&$$:aI ayette, with that
town as tMQf the acticity,
five wells 4ader the l.,
utmost seE ny the Sinclair Oil
ConAasi t+a4f theiargest anerstina
companies in the United States. The
operations Of this company are
shrouded in mystery; guards sur
round the property and no one is al
lowed to get within close proximity
to the operations. What results are
coming from the operations in that
section, therefore, are not known.
In this, Lowndes county, the Tom
bigbee Oil and Gas Company's Hardy
Well No. /, has been sunk to a depth
Of about 700 feet, and operations have
been suspended pending the arrival Of
larger casing. 1t is also understood
that the company is in the midst Of
negotiations for the sale of some Of
its lease acreage.
A location for a well in Clay coun
ty, five and half miles east of Wes
Point, and three and half miles ives
of Waverly, has been made and ma
terial for the derrick has been plac
ed on the ground. The company, Th'
Gulf Coast Oil Company, expects t.
spud in this well in about Septem
Der 1.
The company has made a Location
in Alabama and expects to begin op
erations there in few months.
1t is also known that the Besseme
Coal, Iron and Land Co., an Alabam
corporation, has contract with tn
Sinclair Oil Company for the sinkin
of three wells in Western Alabams
each to depth of not less than 800
feet unless oil is encountered at
lesser depth, Just where these we
will be located is not generally know
In Ittawamba county in the nortf
eastern section of the State the del
rick is up for well and the drillin
outfit is on the ground They expet
to spud-in about J1ly 10.
The East Mississippi Oil and Ga
Company, company composed pril
cipally Of Columbus men, has lease
on several thousand acres of land
practically every county in East Mi
sissippi along the Alabama-Mississip
state line from Meridian north to Il
Tennessee line.
Near Jackson, Miss, a well HI
reached the depth of 1400 feet al
drilling operations are continuir
there.
By the time frost falls some star
ling developments are expected in tn
section or some mighty expensive o
orations will have come to naught