The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1921-02-15
The WiIdcatter
(By J. EDWIN PoOL)

Did Won ever stop to consider. the why and the what of the
widcatter9
of him unwarrcutcd or is it just Does he merit the few praises
that come his way or has he done a good job OF 'strlnsng the
few boosters he hast
Have you ever stopped long enough TO browse back through the
pages of history and ponder over who among the longhaired boys
was the original %wildcater, as concerns America
All evidence in the case points to Mr.. {. Columbus who started
in to block his acreage along in 14S5. lie didn't have a great deal
of luck as some Of the birds who owned tie stull IN lee, wanted
TO hold out choice blocks OF acreage on HIM, but he finally got all
the leases up in escrow in the village bank. lie then started in TO
sell enough stock in the proposition to enable him to go on with ms
operations. The lounge lizards and the boys with the kale sald'
"Chris, you're a nut and whenever you think you can gyp us out
of our jack, you're wrong"
disposed Of it in one block, it the press agents OF that day We're
hitting on all two. He went up TO Queen Isabella and sold her the
whole issue. She didn't mind placing a bet on a deal that looked
good. so she hooked the family jewels and turned the whole bundle
over to this %widcatter.
lie spuddcd in at Palos, Spain, along in August 1892 and had
a fishing job on his hands before he got the surface casing set. lie
operated day and night towers and had three strings of tools. Chris
had ! gang Of low brows for a crew and he hadn't gone more than
half the distance before the head drilber got the tool dressers and
%roughnecks around him and said that they were sure to hit a dry
" boIe 50 what was the use of going ahead They went TO Chris and
told him they had decided to pull the casing and abandon the hole,
but Chris told this driler party that if he didn't get back to work
he'd bust a grief stem over his head and then Chris sat up nights to
see these hired hands didn't jim the hole. They picked up the
sand on October II. 1892, off the Bahamas. 1t was a gusher and
we've all been operating in the field that Chris proved ever since
After Chris had paved the way validating became a fayorite
indoor sport and they are still af it. Some of the famous wild
eaters Of America are Eli Whitney, Elias Howe, Bob Fulton and
Ben Franklin while Tom Edison makes a speciality Of wildcating
in fields never dreamed Of by other operators.
History has repeated itself more times than you can count.
You always find the Wlldcatter to be the boy with the goods after
he brings one in, but he gets it in the neck before he hits the pay
and the anvil chorus works overtime if he misses the sand. You'll
find him trying for a producer, because he knows if he doesn't get
If. he's in for a good pannng and a minimum amount of jack.
A ~wldcatter is an asset and his game should be boosted. Tie
may fail more times than he succeeds, but he's an asset at that
Without him, we would still be kow-towing to a monarch, talking
Wop or some other impossible lingo, wearing a coenskn cap. cult
waiting a half acre of corn with a crooked stick. putting up our win
ter meat with the aid Of d muzze loading rifle, riding old Beck
down to the trading post and swapping a skunk hide for a hornfnl
of powder, lighting our homes with tallow candles-and the demo-
Gratis in Grady county wouldn't know yet that Harding was
elected.
So give the wndcatter a hearty handshakc and kick in will
him if his proposition looks square. If he hits a buster, he's fm
more disappointed than you and If he brings in a gusher. you re
rods on velvet
And remember, any field, oil or otherwise, would remain mde
veloped If it were not for the optimism of the ~widcatter, immune
to Encouragement.
Thanks othe leadership of Gen. SHUTS. South Africa had
voted to continue in partnership with John Bull. Besides being
statesman. Smut knows a few things about the political eame.
Beginning Feb. Is patrons of the street railway in McAleste
Will paw ten.cent fares. Just think how much money YOU save BY