Gunnison news-champion., 1920-07-23
Ike A Ten-Banel Well. Oh
Sand Just Penetrated.
OTHER Wells WILL Be PUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY
High Grade Oil at Shallow Depth Fine indication Of Making This
a Proven Oil Field Oil Experts Coming In To Look
All Pleased At Conditions


Struck Oil" That gladsome word
was circulated around town Monday,
when Mitchell Crow of%he Gunnison A. !
I Oil company phoned down word that
the big drill had gone thru the shale
cap at 1886 feet and touched 3 strata of
what was unmistakably oil sand.
In very short time dozens Of cars
were headed for the oil well, II miles
up Ohio creek on the DoIlard ranch.
Again and again the big bailer was
let down and each time came up with
q considerable flow of mineral oil.
which was Skinned and bottled as
samples by the enthusiastic visitors.
The next morning, after 16 hours
rest, the oil had risen to IL feet in the
16 inch bore. Wednesday it stood II
feet and this morning was approach.
ing twenty feet. ssxs
That looks like oil. real oil, the kind
that set Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and
Wyoming fields afame with excite
ment. The best experts who have
seen the well declare 1t is least q
ten barrel well, perhaps more. The
oil is high grade, worth anyway $40 a
barrel, but no analysis has yet been
received to indicate whether it is ma
chine oil or gasoline; but probably
the latter, running to 40 per cent, in
the opinion Of some.
This would be pay well right now,
and the oil sand only touched. Wheth-
er it is six inches or six feet, will be
determined as soon as the IL inch cas-
ing being shipped from Florence can
arrive. Then the bit will be carefully
punched thru the sand strata, but no
further. The present l6 inch casing
only goes down 80 feet, no other cas-
ing being used. 1t may develop into
much more than ten barrels day, but
that amount of $40 oil will pay good
interest on the entire investment.
The rig will then be moved about
200 feet and another well put down, to
20 thru TO the next sand which should
be found under pressure. Light drill
ing rigs can be obtained to put down
six inch wells to this 1886 foot depth
at the rate Of one or two week.
Very conservative reports have been
sent abroad SO that the state at large
is yet hardly aware of the extent or
Importance Of the find, which would
have started rush Of thousands Of
people in Kansas or Texas. As it is|
the lease hounds are beginning to ar
rive and look around for options on
nearby land. This AL company has
leases on 5000 acres in the heart Of
the upper Ohio creek valley, and theI
oil strata may run clear TO Gunnison
as well as include East river and An
telope valleys.
Some eighteen years ago the Palis-
ades Oil Company drilled on the Allen
ranch six miles north Of town TO a|
depth Of 1916 feet. They struck what
was this same oil sand at 6S5 feet,
but cased it Of and went on. When
the company ran out of funds it was
too late to 20 back and shoot the first
sand altho the artisan well which re-
suited when the pipe was pulled up,
still runs q scum Of oil. That project
was eight miles down the valley from
this present well, which is right under
the coal banks Of Baldwin.
A. E. Swartz, the geologist OF the
company, professor at Fairmont col
lege in Kansas, expressed the opinion
that oil sand would be encountered at
400 to 700 feet. Privately he told Mr.:
Crow that he looked for the first sand
at 325 feet. He pretty nearly hit the
mark.
II this well is paying proposition,
which it looks decidedly like at pres
ent there will soon be hundreds Of
them dotting the Ohio creek valley,
and old Gtnnison county will be
treated to . modern oil boom that
win make the days Of silver and LEAD
mining look quite faded in comparison.
The Cunnison Al Co, was organ
ised year ago 70 explore Ohio creek
G6od Drilling began Last winter, ~
1susother preveafsd my progreaa
beiltg made tn souAe months -
T6e olnceSs are: President, Chas
Hax1mg, President of tie Farnl1eB
9tate Bank of 0edgwfek, Kansls|
Vice President, 8. ]. N{ller, promine
merchant, Gunniso0; Secxetaxy-TrGgr
urer, N. Y. Napier. Gunniscn, fcrn4es-