The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-11-14
Subscriptions Make Certain
Monument to Northern Okla
homd's First Oil Operator

epfflFl 70 me world
PONCA CITY. Okla. Nov. IA
The band played, the whole town
turned out, all the surrounding ru-
raj population came to town and
even the trains were crowded, bring
Ing folk from other towns up and
down the Santa Fe railroad when II
was emblazoned everywhere that a
gas well had been brought in at
PonCa City. Speeches were made.
The crowds hurrahed. the glee club
90, IN action and everybody was
happy The speakers painted a rain
DOW future for this entire commu-
nlty, intcrmingled with smoke
stacks and long payrolls. and then
all OF a sudden some killjoy In the
crowd asked whether or not the mist
rising from the hole lr the ground
was really gas
In absolute silence the drilling
crew rigged up pipe, so that the
mist could flow\through IL, and one
OF them lighted match. The mist
!. ignlted and bright flame followed
mat continued to burn. II was
really natural gas and the celebra-
lion was renewed. including addi-
uonal speech making and band
playing.
ANA Now Monument
The well was drilled to depth
or s25 feet and It made about
LOCO 600 cubic feet of natural gas
daily' II was drilled with an old
style rig but with good equipment
ana II cost the Ponca City Oil Gas
Mineral Co. $4,000. To sell the
SOCK In the company. when It was
urst organized in 1908, was almost
an lHlpossibility. II was even to la
boring men sold at the rate OF SO
uoWn and 81 month and the peo-
PIE who bought IL believed they
were Just donating, There were more
nan 200 stockholders in a $4,000
concern.
But now monument, the cost tn
oe borne by public subscription and
coming principally from oil men
VINO have followed the clue found
oy mat first company, is to be
Ieeted here to the man who organ
1ed lt--C. II. Ruby, native OF Wis
t,vohSlhi O A. II. veteran and one OF
He original wildcatters whose death
pcurred here so days ago. After
i,uuy organized the company he was
o"cyed us president and the work
"a Ca pacing the stock and getting the
'"st test drilled was started
nunys leases did not cost him
a"y'hlng Many farmer gave him
lease on an entire quarter section
or dollar, lie spoke an unknown
Jnsusge 10 a majority Of the peo-
W lhen living there-it had TO dc
~ ~ anticlines and such things. lie
u mere was one that ran down
i"ough this district and he proved
~, Later II was TO develop the Mer.
,sae held, northeast OF this city. and
s south Punca field. as we'll as tc
,bI.oufage wildcatting throughout
80 entlre portion OF the state. They
sun drilling on that anticlint
N'r sun getting production.
has. sdS tleld that Ruby uncovered
~ nearly twenty years ago proved
co, a shallow one and IL didn't
Auhue long time, but It brought
msbher drilling, more gas and even
y OIL The company drilled
tbs. wells, all close 10 town, and
for furnished the first gas supply
80, - this city
Ne move to erect a monument tC
lbs, was lnaugurated here the daN
ue veteran passed away by r
pr,e'oeflins, oil man, and thii
Of member Of the lower hous'
o,AMe we legislature. Immediatel,
Graz Joined with him.. J. Me
Gsors T. W Marland. Lew wentz
"a w - Miller Of the 10i ranch
Ar, y. MeFadden, John 8. Alcorn
monnnsan and others, and now th'
stood dnt @ Is assured. IT, Is under
site loo' that the city will offer
Aa crowded It is decided to plac,
monument UP fown here. anC