The north Mississippi herald., 1921-04-29
OIL ACTIVITY IN cHIcKAsAW
COUNTY

The most promising field for oil de-
velopment attracting attention since
the bringing in of the Ell Dorado,
Ark. gushers in the lime rock section
OF Northeast Mississippi. Especially
Is the territory around Okolona, Miss,
attracting considerable attention and
is favorably looked upon by geologists
OF known repute.
1t has been long believed by the
older residents of Okolona that oil, in
quantity, lay under the surface. This
belief originated in the fact that the
town bears the name, Okolona, which
to the Indians who inhabited these re-
gions, meant "No Water" Before
the advent of deep wells, ranging
from four to eight hundred feet in
depth, water for man and beast was
hauled in wagons for miles around.
The Selma limestone lies from the
surface to four hundred feet below
the surface, after passing through
which water is found. The water
from large number of wells is al
most entirely unfit for use and when
allowed to stand for short time, a
skum of an oily appearance forms
over the top.
The deepest we'll in this section is
situated on Main Street, right in the
business section of the city, between
eight and nine hundred feet in depth,
at which point a rock was struck
which the drills then in use would not
penetrate. This rock is believed to
overlay the Woodbine sand from
which come the gushers of the Louisi-
ana field.
Quantities of sea fish and shells
may be picked up along the lime rock
banks of running streams, and even
on the highest points of the surround
ing surface. A complete ossified
fish was recently found in the solid
lime rock thirty feet below the sur
face at the State Lime Crushing Plant
located about two miles southwest of
Okolona.
Several years ago a farmer living
just one mile north of Okolona found
on his mornings visit to his field a
large pile of rocks, totally unlike the
lime rock, which had been thrown up
during the previous night. This
stone was extremely heavy and hard,
and careful inspection showed it
contained sea shells.
These facts, with others, caused
some of the business men of Oko-
Iona to take the matter up with a
view of having a test made in this
territory, and to this end the Missis-
sippi Petroleum Corporation was or
ganized, chartered under the laws of
Delaware and is now authorized to do
business in Mississippi.
Mr.. B. B. Brown, formerly Of
Wichita, Kansas, an experienced oil
man, together with Prof. ]. M. Lang
ston Jr., formerly chief geologist
for the United States and Mexican
Petroleum Company, are now on the
ground, and, with the cooperation of
the organizers Of the company,
Messrs. George w. Cole, J. G. White
side and A. L. Jagoe, who have as
sociated with them Mr.. L. L. Dortch
and other business men Of Aberdeen,
nearby city, it seems now assured
that test well will soon be started.
There is comparatively unlimited
field for development in this section
and 1t Is attracting the attention of
oil operators from almost every field
in the United States.
In addition to the Mississippi Pc
troleum Corporation the Golden Rule
Oil Company has been recently or
ganized under the laws of Mississippi,
the Pioneer Oil Company has opened
Offices under the management Of
Msaars. Nelson and White. Ia the