Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-02-11
IAN ESSAY ON WELLS.


A well is hole in the ground, dug for pur-
Sometimes a we'll contains water. Sometimes it
contains petroleum. Sometimes it contains gas.
Sometimes it fixes nothing but hot air Some
times it is simply a pit, into which the unwary
fall. =
New Mexico has all five kinds.
On several occasions, The Morning journal has
been importuned by interested persons to print
optimistic articles concerning the oil industry in
New Mexico. Unless cold facts absolutely
proved to our satisfaction. declined to carry
such items.
We took this attitude not because not
optimistic the next fellow, but because we
believe that a newspapers duty is to abstain from
printing articles which, however innocent they may
be in themselves, will tend to deceive the public
Especially regarding OIL in which much money
has been i'll invested, newspaper should be very
careful what it prints
We have no doubt that the optimistic gentlemen
who wanted us to print these pleasant articles be-
1eved that they We're true But proof was lacking,
and the Journal felt obliged to close its columns
to them, even at the risk Of veXing some of its
friends few of whom would amusingy carry
their appeal from editor to the other, hoping
that of might relent
Now for the point of this essay. 1t is furnished
by no less expert than Robert w. Ellis, state
geologst and professor of geology the University
of New Mexico.
In a mastery teview of THE Oil Situation in
New Mexico" published by the state university in
its bulletin of December 1920, Professor Ellis says
''No wells be said to be really producing oil
Mt the present time although few have produced
& few barrels daily for a limited time. However,
the efforts being put forth by oil companies
are, in many instances, thorough and calcu-
lated to demonstrate definitely the presence or
absence Of oil in the most favorable localities The
inad IFS Of fail
ually to give a decisive answer concerning the pos
sble productivity of the state"
Surely Professor Ellis is less likely to be pre-
JUDGED than the that has oil shares TO sell
however honest the latter may try to be. But not
only is Professor Ellis unprejudiced but like
every other true scientist, he is a trained observer
of facts and askillful collector of data His sum
mary ought to have weight than the impress
sons of even the most conscientious and unbiased |
layman Amassing pata upon which to base general
principles is Offhe cardinal qualifications of
scientist; and any who takes the trouble to
read Professor Ellis's report will be struck by the
fair, impartial and scientific attitude with which he
has attacked the problem,
But this is not-4all If Professor Ellis had been
engaged by The Morning journal to write a brief
defending the conservative position we have as
sumed in this matter he could not have prepared
a paper more in point
Says Professor Ellis: II
THE HIGHLY COLORED PROPAGANDA OF II
CERTAIN CORPORATIONS WOULD LEAD THE II
PUBLIC TO BELIEVE NEW MEXICO IS TO BE- II
GOMEZ A RIVAL OF THE MID-CONTINENT Il
FIELD. THEIR LITERATURE IS INTENDED TO II
INDUCE THE OVER-TRUSTFUL MORTAL TO Il
MAKE A READY INVESTMENT IN OIL STOCK II
EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO bring ABOUT II
WILD AND HEADLONG EXCITEMENT OVER II
THE MARVELLOUS WEALTH ABOUT TO BE DIS II
COVERED IN A CERTAIN AREA WHERE CON II
OPTIONS ARE JUST LIKE THOSE IN THE Il
RANGER FIELD, ETC. LITTLE REGARD IS II
PAID TO SETTING FORTH THE FACTS AS FAR II
AS THEY ARE KNOWN" II
Let us remember that these observations are II
made as the summary Of a report the body of II
whlch consumes fory-two pages of small type, teem-
1ng with Facts and figures that represent prodi-
gious amount of investigation They are not the Il
result OF pessimistic mood that Professor Ellis
might nave experienced he wrote; they are the II
cold, dispassionate facts set forth by pains
taking and conscientious scientist. The Journal for
one, is perfectly content to take its petroleum
data from the state geologst rather than from any
o-stock salesman, no matter how honest his in /
tentons may be. II
Here is what the expert says of the prospects: II
st is not likely that New Mexico will he II
large producer of oil The conditions of STRAIT |
lgraphy and the present showing of drill-hoes do II
not indicate the presence of great deposits How II
ever announcement should be given to efforts be- II
ngNput forth demonstrate successfully the actual II
II
= Does this mean that the geologst is pessimist II
that he has faith in the future of his state? H
20, What Professor Ellis means is that the pros