davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Adair County news., 1921-01-05
Russell County Development.

The first Oil wells reported in
Russell County were drilled in
the year 1868 when a group Of
four wells were brought in on
the south side of Cumberland
River, about one mile from
Greensboro, and near the Clinton
county line. These wells came
in at a little lessIthan 300 feet in
depth, and all of them were re-
ported as "Goodi:WelIs'. The
best of the group was the famous
"Old Gabbert Well" Some ac-
counts state that there were two
of the Gabbert wells, estimated
at sixty barrelsspersday produc-
ton. Soon after the wells were
drilled in, parties owning them
erected a refinery and undertook
to ship the product to Nashville,
Tenn, using barges and RATS,
but Oil was then only bringing
fifty cents per barrel. and the
venture proved so Improbable
that the wells were plugged and
the operations ceased at that
point. About the same time two
wells were drilled in the eastern
part of the county, one of them
on a prong of Wolf Creek, to a
depth of 600 and 800 feet re-
spectively, and both were credit
ed with a Considerable amount"
of a fine grade Oil. About the
years 1900-1902 some six or sew
en- additional wells were drilled
in the county, three Of them be-
ing near the town of Greensboro.
on the north side:of Cumberland
river, and theyiiwere credited
/
The Adair County news., 1921-01-05

the Ginter Brokerage Company,
by S. L. Ginter, opera
tors and dealers.
Among those making head
quarters here are Mr.. ]. B
Doolittle, Worcester. New York
one of the prominent operators
of the country; Mr.. Bee Whitis,
formerly field manager Of the
Cafnahan Oil Company, Canton,
Ohio, now operating indepen-
IDENTIFY.
History of Adair County development.
No real systematic develop
ment for Oil and Gas has been
done in the county until within
the past few months, but several
t'strikes" have been made thru
what might be termed accident.
In years of long ago, beginning
back in the sixties, a number of
shallow wells were sunk in the
county to secure supplies OF salt,
and in many instances Oil and
Gas were found in small quanti-
ties, but the only wells of con-
sequence reported at that time,
a little over fifty years ago, were
one drilled on the east side of
town near the old fair grounds,
which was reported to have been
a "gusher";; one on the Nose
Campbell farm in the southern
part of the county on what is
known as Harrod's Fork of Gro
cus Creek; this we'll was reported
as extra good, and Oil vas Sc
cured from it as late az 1907
at which time the flow became
obstructed by overhows from tn,
creek; the Moss well, near Ora
dyville, was drilled in about tn,
same time, with a very superio
grade of Oil which tested s
, gravity. Oil can still be obtaine,
from this well; two wells o.
the Matthew Armstrong farm
! located in the southern part O
! the county on Crocus Greek
+ near the mouth of Harrod'
, Fork. These latter wells wer
reported to have been good ones
one of them flowing for quite
period. Nothing more in th
line of development was reporte
for over thirty years, when
1902 well was drilled just on
q side of Columbia on the Conovt
. farm, located on the Burkesvil
s road and Pettis Fork Creel
i where a good flow of Gas W,
: encountered at a depth of som
't thing near 700 feet. The WEI
e after being on fire for some tin
e was finally plugged and abandon
s. ed, and Notwithstanding it h;
) been filled with mud and roc
{; for years Gas still escapes fro
3 it to such an extent that it CT
y be lighted at any time. IT
> next period of the suspension
: the development work cover,
j. sixteen years. when in 1918
Z. we'll was drilled on the Jeffri
le farm. located a little less tn
M two miles southeast of ColumbI
y A fine sand was encountered
t. q depth of 600 feet. and a 60
8; show of Oil was found; lin {
The Adair County news., 1921-01-05
OIL AND GAS
Adair- Cumberland Rus
sell Counties, Ky.
(By e. T. KEMPER }

The tri.county territory, en-
bracing the counties of Adair,
Cumberland and Russell. KY. is
now receiving so much attention
from Oil and Gas people in all
parts of the country that | deem
it an opportune time to give in
detail such information regarding
this section as will be helpful TO-
all parties interested, thereby
assisting them in arriving at de-
finite conclusions as to the advisa.
biIity of spending their time and
money in developing the terri
tory.
Columbia, the county-seat of
Adair County, a substantial and
fiourjshing town of nearly two
thousand inhabitants, is the
natural headquarters for, and
gateway to, the tri-county terri
tory. Its location is a little less
than seventy miles on an air line
south and slightly east of Louis
vile, and is reached by rail to
CampbelIsville, on the L. & N
Railway system, and thence by
auto twenty miles over a good
macadamized road over which
the largest touring cars, trucks
etc, travel with ease. By autc
from Louisville the route is ovel
good. roads thru Bardstown
Sprink field. Lebanon and Camp
bellsville: from Cincinnati ant
the bluegrass section of Ken
tucy, over the noted pixies o
that section via Lexington, Dan
vile, Perryville, and Springfield
and thence over the same rout
as from Louisville. Passeng
ers are transported promptly
rapidly, comfortably and a
reasonable rates between Camp
bellsviIIe and Columbia by a lin
of autos meeting all trains. Dali
mails are received and dispatches
with regularity, and freight an
express matter is received an
forwarded promptly by fas
trucks. Columbia has frst-clas
hotel Accommodations, and tell
graph and long distance tell
phone connection.
oil and Gas Offices and Representatiy
in Columbia.
That Columbia is becoming 6
Oil and Gas center is evidence
by the fact that so many parti
connected with the developmel
of the territory are already loca
ed here, and more are coming
an early date. Among tho
maintaining Offices here, a
Richardson and Golf, operator
contractors and dealers in lease
o. C. Fink, contractor and deale
and agent for Armstrong drillir
machinery the Kemper compan
making a specially of acreag
the Palmer Oil & Gas Compan
operators formerly of Clevelan
Ohio, managed in person by \
Geo. Il. Palmer, president; o
large operating concern FRI
Cincinnati, name omitted
request, with general headqua
ers here for field operation
The Adair County news., 1921-01-05
Cumberland County Development.

corded in Cumberland was the
"Old American" or Burkesville |
Well, drilled in the year 1929, to
a depth of I'll feet, on Renox
creek, a short distance from
where it empties into Cumber-
land River, some three miles
north. east of Burkesville. This
well was purely an "acci-
dent, as the drillers were look
ing and drilling for salt, using a
very primitive drilling outfit,
consisting of a treadle and sweep
pole. Reliable reports, including
the U. S. Census of 1880, credit
this well with having flowed full
ly $4,000 barrels before being
put under pump. The Oil from
this we'll ran down the creek and
into the Cumberland River in
such quantities that the water
was coated with Oil for a distance
Of forty miles, and catching on
fire it presented the unusual sight
of a burning river" which ex-
tended for miles, and which Gre
ated intense excitement among
the natives. Such was the begin
ming of the Oil business in Cum
berland.
Nothing further in the drilling
of wells is automatically reported
until the year 1866, when a
"gusher' was reported from
Biggerstaff's Bottom, but of
which nothing authentic is
known, followed by the English
we'll. The latter was located
near the mouth of Crocus Creek,
short distance from Bakerton,
on the Cumberland River. This
well was 100 feet deep. and it
was reported producing 1900 bar
rels daily for a period. Just how
long it continued to be such q
wonderful producer is not known,
but ten years later it was credit
ed with a daily production of Al
to so barrels. Other good wells
reported along in the sixties
were-the Strange well, in tn,
north center of the county, OF
Renox Creek, which flowed
large quantity of a very superio
grade of Amber Oil-depth un
known; the Gilbert well on tn
Collins farm, located in the nortl
east section of the, county, 81
feet in depth and credited wit
a daily production of 1900 barrels
the old Sherman we'll 276 fee
deep, located on the Butler farm
on the north side of Cum
berland River. near Cloyd's Lane
ing, a few miles southwest 9
Burkesville, credited with a da
ly production of 200 barrels; th
Matthews well, located in tn
extreme northeastern part {
' the county, on Sand Lick Creel
? and near the Russell county lin
267 feet in depth and credited {
a flowing well, producing a fir
grade of Oil of AZ gravity.
, number of smaller Oil wells wei
brought in about this time, mo
of them being of shallow DEPT
- and occasionally a good flow
. Gss was encountered, but no a
: tention was paid to the latter
it was considered worthless
that time.
!. Over thirty years elapsed b
- fore another systematic drillir
campaign was jnaugurated
The Adair County news., 1921-01-05

were such wells as-one on Oil
Island, in the Cumberland River,
opposite Salt Lick Bend, where
the "Old Burning Well' was
located, rated at $50 barrels dali
ly; the j. E. Taylor we'll, located |
on the north side of the River
some three miles southwest of
Burkesville, near the mouth of
Marrowbone creek, 248 feet deep
and credited with a daily produc-
ton of 700 barrels; the Potts
well in Irish Bottom, flowing free
ly for quite a period. 720 feet in
depth; and then the "Old Burn
ing Well'', fully described and
illustrated by special notice and
cut appearing elsewhere in this
issue. Some good "Gassers"
were also struck during this per-
iod, but nothing ever came Of
them, for the reason as stated
above.
The outlook for production was
so encouraging that the Cumber-
land Pipe Line Company proceed
ed to build, and completed, a four
inch extension from Wayne coun-
ty, a distance of forty miles. In
the latter part of the year 1903
the price of crude Oil was down
to sixty cents per barrel, deliver
ed at Somerset, and it was cost
ing the operators not less than
thirty cents per barrel to pro-
duce it; also about this time i'm
mense fields were being discover
ed in the great southwest, and
the men who were developing
the Cumberland field became in
fected with the Western few
er" so it was not long until the
TERRITORY was practically abandon
ed. After the abandonment OF
the field by the operators, the
pipe line was dead number,
but the Cumberland Company
let it lie unused for a few years,
and it would probably be there
today had it not been for the ar
bitrary and excessive assessment
levied against them for taxation
by the counties of Clinton anC
Cumberland. With no income OF
the line at the time, and no i'm
: mediate encouragement for tn,
: future, they figured it would b,
: cheaper in the end for them t
: remove the line and rebuilt,
! again when production in tn
field warranted the expense
Cumberland county is still with
> out a pipe line, but more tina
: one company or corporation ar
; investigating the situation 9
present with a view to buildin
! a line to the fields on both side
i of Cumberland River, and e1
/ tending for several miles alon
{ that stream. Several good wei
{ have recently been drilled
u along the river-see furthe
. mention of these later on in tn
. article and production is read
y for the market to such an exter
70 that in advance of pipe line faci
: itiespperatOrs will be cOmpelle
g to resort to the old-fashione'
81 crude way of shipping by barge
- either up the river to BurnsiC
= on the Southern Railway, or
Nashville where they will con
IS in touch with refneries and Il
~ open market.
The Cumberland field vi
The Adair County news., 1921-01-05

same year two good Gas wells
were brought in on the Hadley
farm in the extreme southern
part of the county.
While the results named above
were not of very substantial
nature, still enough information
was secured to warrant the, ex-
penditure oftime and money in
development work, and within
the past few months an aggress-
i've drilling campaign has been
inaugurated and is being pros
ecuted very Systematically and
intelligently. The operators
who are now engaged in develop
ment work in the county, are:
The Roy Petroleum Company,
of Covington, KY, G. A. Roy
president and general manager,
drilling on the John Rector farm,
Damron's Creek, seventeen
miles northeast of Columbia; The
Palmer Oil & Gas Company, of
Cleveland, Ohio, Geo. H. Palmer
president and general manager,
drilling on the J. S. Royse farm,
two miles east of town; the Co.
lumbia Development Company,
Fink & Heilman, drilling on
the Bob Rowe farm, just
north of the corporate limits
of town; j. B. Doolittle, Wor-
cester, New York, drilling on
the Geo. Powell farm located
on Cedar Greek, near Joppa post
office, six miles southeast of town.
All of these operations are pro-
crossing as fast as existing con-
ditions will permit, and some
very fine formations are being
encountered; also, some good
showings of both Oil and Gas
have been found in the shallow
sands, but deeper drilling is be-
ling done to fully test the lower
sands, these being held by geol'
ogists who have made surveys
of this section as promi'
sing better returns than the
shallow sands. During tn,
past summer the Carnahan Oh
Company, Canton, Ohio, drilled
a well on the E. G. FlowerI
farm, near Zion Church, fou
miles southeast of town, to
i, depth of about 800 feet to tn
pencil cave formation, but coul,
60 no further on account of hav
/, ing exhausted the capacity : o
the drilling rig. This well wa
left so that it can be complete
. later on. At a depth of some
thing over 200 feet good flo,
. of Gas was encountered, an
q the supply has been piped to
near by farm house where it
= being utilized for heating pur
q poses. At this writing no wei
! have been completed by the col
, Germs referred to above, but til
= operations are being pushed I
- the limit, double towers" bein
% run in some instances, very Ell
!, couraging formations are bein
20 encountered, and good shows
both Oil and Gas have alreaG
! been found. The general su
"a position is that it will require
little deeper drilling for the be
- results in Adair county, than
- found necessary in some 9th
~ near by sections. but it is b
= lieved that the sands found he
8 ou;lI he hoth mora nroductivo al
The Adair County news., 1921-01-05

Continued On Page 3
Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-05-26
TO TEACH ENLISTED
MEN SALVAGE WORK

Following the policy of rigid econ
omy laid down by the Secretary of
War. and with his approval. the Quar-
termaster Corps hereafter will teach
enlisted men in salvage work. A
school for training the personnel i'll
the repair of clothing and shoes has
just been established at Camp jack
son, S. c., and another school for the
repair of typewriters at Fort McPher-
son. Ga
This training of the men will be
part of the routine work of the sal
wage shops. and additional schools
will be established as soon as pos
sible at convenient points in other
corps areas. In this way much ma
terial bought for the war can be re-
paired and utilized for the peace-time
needs OF the Army. saving thousands
of dollars TO the taxpayers.
Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-05-26
TELEPHONE COMPANY
TO BETTER CONDITIONS
ON ITS RURAL LINES

Action OF great interest 10 rural
Maryland was taken al the meeting
OF the Executive Committee OF the
Board of Directors OF the Chesapeake
and Potomac Telephone Company on
May %, when directions were given
for improving the condition of many
OF the overloaded rural telephone lines
throughout the State
The first two areas TO be affected
by the action OF the Committee are
on the eastern shore of the Salisbury
District and in the Baltimore Subur-
ban. Westminster. Havre de Grace and
Annapolis districts.
The project includes the stringing
of more than $50 miles Of wire in
Cecil. Hartford. Anne Arundel. Balti-
more. Carroll. Howard. Calvert county
and part OF Frederick county in addi-
ton TO a large area near and around
Salisbury on the eastern shore.
At Ihe time the Maryland Public
Service Commission granted the ches-
apeake and Potomac Telephone Com
pany a rate increase, the Telephone
Company agreed that existing over
loaded rural lines in the State of
Maryland would be relieved in order
that the improvements of this class
of service might be affected After
surveying the situation carefully the
c. g. p. Telephone Company experts
decided that the relief on the rural
lines to be handled in the present
job should be on the basis of maxi
mum of ten stations of rural lines
under five miles in length and twelve
stations of rural lines exceeding five
miles.
The work on relief of lines is TO
proceed at once and will be COM
pleted by September /.
Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-05-26
Cooking Suggestion

Many times in. cooking little -four
added 10 a dish is a great improve
ment. For instance. teaspoonful to
every pint mixed with the sugar and
cocoa or chocolate for a drink. gives
a wonderful additional richness and
smoothness, and is the secret of the
delicious chocolate served in Euro
pean cafes. In custards also, in
cooked salad dressings, and in all re-
cfpes depending on eggs alone for
thickening. little -four adds to the
dish. In some recipes calling for
cornstarch -four can be used as a sub
stitute. Added to the sugar and cook
ed together as the basis for sherbet
and water ices, the -four gives body
and delightful smoothness, besides
bringing out the fruit flavors to adj
vantage. No gelatin or white of eggs
are necessary when -four is used in
this manner.
Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-05-26
RECENT CONDITIONS OF
WEATHER GREAT BOOM
TO CROPS OF STATE

The sunshiny week just closed was
the most favorable of the crop season
TO date. says James II, Spencer, Sec
ton Director of the Weather Bureau.
1t was exceptionally favorable for
plant growth, and with the drying out
OF the soil farming operations made
excellent Roadway The warm wave
that began on the 21st terminated on
the 23rd with severe thundershowers
which gave light rain and in some
localities hail.
Wheat has improved in all sections :,
though rusted over the central and
eastern portions. it is now in good
condition generally: heading is begin
ming in western Maryland. and CONT
nues over the remainder of the sec
ton Rye and oats remain in good
TO excellent condition; rye has head
ed. and on the Eastern Shore II is in
bloom :oats are making good growth,
and in Garrett county are inches
high
Corn planting was resumed, and has
progressed rapidly From IS to 80
per cent of the corn to be planted
is now in the ground Early-planted
corn is comin9 up generally. although
some replanting has beer necessary
on low ground.
Early potatoes are in good condi-
, ton and growing nicely. Peas con-
tinue 10 bloom in the western and
northern counties. and are maturing
in the southern counties. Truck and
gardens have improved, and are in
fair TO good condition.
Pastures are good to excellent
Harvesting of Strawberries contin-
ues in the southern, and has advanced
to the central counties: they are ripe
Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-05-26
WOMEN'S MISSIONARY
UNION MEETING

The Baptist Womens Missionary
Union was most delightfully."- enter
tanned by Mrs Albert Krapf at the
regular meeting OF the society Tues
day evening.
This was a gathering OF special inn
portance--to receive reports OF the
work done last year by the Mission
airy Union OF the Southern Baptist
convention
This local Union went beyond its
apportionment last year. Three books
on missions were taken up success
fully completed The Annapolis
Union led all the unions OF Maryland
In the educational department and in
creased its membership 81 per cent.
Mrs. John s. Sewers and Mrs. Fred
Bausum, who were delegates TO the
Southern Baptist convention. made
reports on the sessions of the Wo-
mems Missionary Union. Their re-
ports showed that in fifteen years the
gifts OF the Union have increased
from s103 900 to s31l5,000
Last year there were added 1854
new organizations to this Union
bringing the tatol organizations "a
l9.4S5.
Missionary Study Glasses reporting
this year were 1924
IL was decided TO raise fund to de-
fray the expenses of the delegate ia
the annual convention.
Miss Viola Jones was appointed
chairman of the Personal Service
Committee.
Music for the evening was In
charge of Mrs NJ +. Fullerton. The
meeting closed with consecratior
service. conducted by Mrs. John )
Sewers. Refreshments. consisting OF
ice cream, strawberries and cake
were most tastefully served by the
hostess
Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-05-26
M|DD|ES GOT ONLY 5
RUNS ON ST. JOHNS
Uncle Sans Naval Wards Take
Last Game OF Season On
Home Grounds
BOTH WEAK WITH STICK

The Navy baseball team wound up
its schedule on home grounds yester-
day afternoon by defeating St. johns
College, the local institution, 10 o;
and they are all set now for the sea
sons climax on Saturday with the
rival West Point cadets. 10 be played
up the Hudson on Saturday.
The collegians did well against the
middies, though there was not much
spice In the play OF either team. The
Iniddies got three runs in the second
session and two in the sixth. and all
were largely the result OF errors The
two In the sixth were forced home by
The wildness OF Tall. who was on the
mound Tor ST. Johns. Although the
little cadet twirled a good game, for
in spite OF the fact that he issued 5
free passes, he allowed the sailors
only four hits and retired batsmen
on strikes Billy Lush's stan OF pit
cheers were given a workout in the
game. Gaines pitched 3 innings;
Peterson. 3; Fleming. 2. and Reiter. /.
All were effective, the eollegians col
locting only three scattered hits.
Here il how Navy scored it's runs:
In the second Stubbs was safe on
Porter's error. and stole second.
Barchet drew base. and both run
ners advanced sack on Poole's
sacrifice Stubs and Barchet scored
on Hogan's hit. and Hogan got home
when Engelke juggled Harris's
grounder In the sixth. with one out,
Barchet walked. advanced on Poole's
single. and stole third. Hogan walk
ed, filling the bases. Thach. batting
for Peterson. walked. forcing Barchet
In Harris grounded. and Porter
threw Poole out at home Pine walk
ed. forcing Hogan home. With the
bases still filled. Rawlings flied out to
center field The score:
Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-05-26
AT THE CIRCLE TONIGHT

\ murder mystery with most un-
expected solution forms the basis OF
the plot of a Voice in the Dark"
which comes to the Circle Playhouse
tomorrow and Saturday. II is Frank
Lloyd production. and declared TO be
a masterpiece.
The principal scenes of the story
are laid at the private sanatorium Of
one DR. Hugh Salisbury where. among
other patients are Mrs. Lydiard. deaf
wheel-chair invalid Joseph Cramp-
ton. an aged. blind man and Adele
Warren. a society girl.
DR. Sainsbury makes love 20 Adele.
and wins her promise 10 wed him.
Her sister Blanche, in nearby city.
engaged TO Harlan Day hears of her
sisters affair with CONSERVATION. for
some years previous Or. Salisbury had
attempted 10 take advantage of her.
and she barely escaped disgrace She
decides TO go to the sanatorium and
attempt to break the match.
The following day the papers tell
of the murder OF DR.. Salisbury. Sus-
picion points first at one, then at the
others of four persons who might have
had motive for the crime. II is
through the testimony of the aged
Mrs Lydiard. who could see but could
not hear. and the invalid Champion,
who could hear but could not see.
that the innocent are finally relieved
of suspicion. Amelia. a nurse, COM