Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-06-21
P0RTALES TO Be Z
BIG OIL CENTER
INDICAT ION NOW.
Roosevelt County Will Soon
Be CIassed As One of the
Producing Districts OF the
Country, Belief. ..,.

Especial Correspondence to The Journai.) |
Portales, N. NJ. June 20.-That |
Roosevelt county will soon be
classed as one of the producing oil
districts of the country and that
Portales is destined 70 be real oil
center is the firm belief of all the
experts who have given this region
careful examination.
Not only does this opinion rule
strong in the minds of local resi-
dents but all over the country oil
this part of New Mexico. 1t is not
a case of the wish being father to
the thought but it is deep seated
conviction arising from critical
inspection of the geological struc-
lures and the showing already
made in the wells now under way.
With three wells going down. the
Nu-Mex, Roosevelt and Dahl, two
more ready to resume drilling,
namely the Mesa and Texas-Ari-
iona, and others planned for early
spudding-in, Roosevelt county may
be said to show activity calculated
to please the land owners of this
section.
Just over the county line other
Developments are reported. The
Clovis business men who have join
ed forces to drill well near that
city are soon to make a decision
as to location. No statement can
be made at this time as to where
the rig will be placed but that
work will begin at an early day is
safe to say. At Friona, Tex, lit
tie to the northeast. the Prairie
oil and gas well is down over 1900
feet, showing a formation similar
to that shown in the wells in
Roosevelt county. Between LAO
and 1,160 feet the drill showed a
gray lime. most favorable strata
and one which oil men are always
pleased to see in their wells. In
fact, without lime, production is
seldom found. The Friona well at
this time shows blue shaie. high
ly pleasing formation, always
found in the producing fields in
Texas and Oklahoma.
Harry s. Lewis, representing the
Chicago and Kansas City capital
lists who are furnishing the funds
to drill the Nu-Mex well, wired he
would reach Portales this week, to
stay until the we'll was completed
The Nu-MeX ten-inch casing is now
being hauled out to the well ant
the eight-inch has been ordered
This we'll should be finished within
ninety days.
Jack Wilcox, upon whose rancl
the Nu-Mex we'll is being drilled
Just returned from a trip to East
land, Tex, where he has iarg
holdings. He says he heard NOR
talk of New Mexico as the cOmini
big oil sensation than he did of tn
gusher fields of that state. A mum
Der of operators told Wilcox the,
were preparing to move to eastern
New Mexico as soon as the frs
well came in. Eastland is nov
settled down to a developing field
having made countless fortunes TO
those who bought leases in tn
early days when land was cheap
A letter from Coe Howard an
Scott McDowall of Portales. writ
ten from Kentucky, conveys tn
news that in that far-off region tn
oil fraternity have their eyes o
New Mexico. Every day new face
are seen in Portales and cars bear
ing licenses from many states, ia
and near. drive through our streets
Oil news spreads fast, and with tn
stories of riches arising from othe
sections where oil was struck 1t
no wonder that New Mexico
proving a magnet for people VIII
have heard of the great possibili
ties in this county.
The dealers in leases all repoi
q good business, with inquiries 70
moderate sized tracts near tn
wells going down. A sale Of 1900
acres was made last week to
western syndicate who plan to dri
n well this summer. Prices ar
ruling stronger but choice bargain
in leases may sttll be had, offerin
IT., - 49, ~n,.4,,,tt,, CIV, y,f.0fifs