Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-06-30
Oil And Gas Discovery
Announced.

Announced.
100000 Company Formed By
Caleb c. Merit of Thurmont
Drill For Oil and Gas To Begin
Soon Az Machinery Arrives.
Last week we stated that announce.
ment OF important discoveries would be
made in this issue, but the Frederick
News beat US to it, so we copy their ar
ticle relating to the discovery for the ed.
ification of our readers. 1t says:
"Oil and gas, it is believed. has been
discovered in paying quantities on the
farm of Caleb C. Merritt, near Thur
mont, and corporation has been form
ed which will begin within the next two
weeks to develop these products. The
officers of the company are Mr.. Merritt,
president; Mrs. Merritt, vice president;
and Mrs. ID. j. Boothe secretary and
treasurer. The officers and j. Frederick
fleming, the latter of California, COM
pose the board of directors for the first
year. The capital stock of the company
Is $lOo.oo0 divided into shares of 81 each.
Mrs. Boothe. stated yesterday FRIDAY
of last week. that the certificate of in
corporation was expected to be in hand
today.
at is understood that indications of
oil were discovered on the farm about
three years ago In the meantime DR..
A. B. Bibbins, of Baltimore, and other
geologists have examined samples of the
oil, found oozing from the ground at diff
ferent times and have made very favor
able report So encouraged was Mr..
Merritt over the prospect of finding oil
and gas in paying quantities that the
company, which will be known as the
"Annie Laurie Oil and Gas Company"
was formed. with officers as above stat
ed, and it is the intention of the company
to make IN announcement very soon in
which the aims and purpose of the cor
poration and other minute details in re-
gard to the discovery of the products and
the manner of developing it, will be made
known.
"According to DR.. Bibbins, an expert,
oil should be found in paying quantities
at a depth of 900 feet. In accordance
with this plans have been made to drill
four wells, the first in about two weeks
or as soon as the necessary machinery
can be placed in position and the remain
ing three soon afterward. 1t is said that
for some years oil has been noticed at
different places on the farm and that on
account of the persistent oozlng of it
through the ground, the attention of MIR.
Merritt, the owner of the property, was
attracted to the discovery. After con-
sulting biologists who made very favor
able reports, Mr.. Merritt decided to form
company and drill for oil.
"Mr. Merritt owns about 5l2 acres in
the tract on which the oil has been dis
covered One of the officials of the
company stated that in a few days the
public would be made fully acquainted
with the new enterprise and what it in
tends to do News.
Many people may not know where the
Merritt property is situated, hence we
give the following information.
Mr.. Merritt inherited the property
owned by his sister, the late Mrs. Chas.
Shipley, lying to the west of Thurmont.
The land touches on w. Main street in
Thurmont, and adjoins the property of
Mr.. w. T. Weller and runs thence west
to and across Chimney Rock mountain.
The farm land embraces the Sigmund
hill field where years ago coastlng was
popular in the winter; the Uncle Fred
White orchard field where boys went to
get good peaches and apples; and the
property on which the original Shipley,
now Merritt, home is located A private
road runs from Main street to the resi-
dence, and it is over this road that thou
sands of visitors travelled to the once
famous Shipley observatory on the noun
tain during MIR. Shipley's lifetime. The
road is also the same one Travelled to the
famous whitewashed rock on the Maria
Eyler" property and to host of springs
from which flows water of the coolest,
and purest. The Chimney Rock path
leads off from this road.
1t is in the ravine east of Mr.. Merritt 8
residence, and near w. Main street, we
understand, where the oil and gas is sup
posed to be and where operations are to
begin in a short time to obtain the same.
If veins can be struck that will flow as
much oil and as pure, as the water In the
spring branch traversing the property,
John D., and other oil companies might
as well quit business.
We wish Mr.. Merritt and his company
every success in their undertaking.
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