The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1921-03-03
INTEREST FOCUSED
ON BONDURANT
Developments At Riftenhouse Oii Well
Eagerly Awaited.

AFTER two years Of anticipation. win
varying degrees OF interest. We AZ
proach the zero hour Ga the locfl
oil game. IL Is the one momeutous topic
OF tion on tie streets. ina the
home about the shops. There T. fever
lsh Interest and speculation as 10 the
outcome 81 the Rittenhouse well ar
Bondurant. some nine miles west ~
Hickman.
About two weeks ago the drilling was
stopped for the purpose Of repairing
broken tool The driller noted that De-
went out OF gumbo onto q rock formH
ton at the time Of the shut down
when the drin stem and bit were
brought out Of the hole he was sur
prised 10 find instead Of 9-inch square
edge on the bit that 70 had worn 90 "a
triangular point II less thau two inches.
Indicating an unusually hart forma
tion encountered IN the last few feet
This merely left the impression that I'd
good bit had been put 90 the bad. ami
was considered Of no significance How
ever. some - hours later. while tie
well was idle awaiting the repairsabotr
referred 70. that one Of the member
of the firm noticed the wei was giving
off rumhling noise which was follow
"a a few seconds later by kissing ana
squirting of mud and water into the air
10 a height OF 80 or more feet This
occurred at three intervals. the final
eruption lasting almost an hour. Only
one conclusion could be reached-tle
well was gassing. II evidently came
through the 2-inch hole made by the
ground-off bit and from a stratum just
barely puncturcd. In view of these
Developments. n was decided % set
the casing before any further drilling
The work Of setting the casing WIS
started ast saturday, but when 500
feet Of the pipe went down. il was
found that IL would 20 mo- further. This
was drawn OUT. the wen rcamed out
fraction larger and yesterday the ream-
ing job was successfully completed
During the roaming process-the la-f
few feet Of Il or when the tool reached
the bottom Of the well (which is 17fG
fect), considerable oil was reported to
have been showing on the pits and
gas again In evidence. This was the
first opportunity the well had of ms
ing a showing since the day OF the big
gassing as the hole had been filled
with heavy mud for the purpose OF re-
tanning the walls.
The zero hour has. been reached. /
Probably Saturday the driIl will 90 into
what IL expected 20 DE- oil sand as the /
easing il 10 be set Friday. Three eeoi-
ogists. representing as many large OH 4
companies have visited the well this 4
week. They admit that things look |
good"
Several sleek, well-fod prosperous 4
looking gentlemen. representing preda- \
tory wealth In no minor degree and the
controlling interests Of the United \
states oil business. are on the ground
They frankly admit they are here In
he interests of their companies-which
Includes the Standard Oil. Gulf Refin-
ing Co. Louisiana OH and Refining Co.
Arkansas Natural Gas Co. Texas oil
Co. and others. Scouts. spoilers. lease
sealpers and other forerunners Of OH
are here In the role Of gum
shoe men. plying their avocation.
The arrival Of SO many strange oil
men," has been sort OF a signal for an
among the local business
nen-who. up 10 the last few days.
have been content with casual inquiries
rs 10 the progress Of the Well They
ire now scurrying hither and thither
trying TO nail down little acreage
leases are being taken at anywhere