The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-01-12
OIL AND GAS
IN CHARLESTON
Found at Depth of 2.047 Feet.
Question of Quantity is Not
Established
DRILLING OPERATIONS
TO BE CONTINUED
Operators and Drillers Are Quite
Confident Of the Early Re-
suits
(News and Courier, Jan. So

(News and Courier, Jan. So
Crude petroleum and natural gas
have been struck on the eastern out
skirts Of Summerville. So much is es
tablished, but the question Of guam
tity Is yet to be determined.
1t is the fact that petroleum and
gas are coming from the Mabeleanor
we'll operated by syndicate head.
cd by Mr.. Maurice G. Burton, acting
as trustee. This we'll has been sunk
TO u depth Of 2,047 feet.
Mr.. Burton told The News and
Courier last night that he was called
Friday because Of small showing
OF petroleum on the surface OF the
water. Saturday, the slush pit was
balcd and less lubricating oil than
usual used on the machinery. Every
effort was made to insure against a
seepage.
Monday, the showing increased, but
still those In charge waited before
letting announcement escape, desir-
ing to make absolutely sure. Thurs
day oil came and there were small
ebullitions Of natural gas which con-
vinced the operators that crude oil
and gas had been encountered.
Mr.. Burton e, ID that the oil was
showing up agL-hst a water pressure
of about thousand pounds, which is
about ten times as much as the
pressure in an ordinary steam boiler
The operators and drillers believe that
II the well were baled and the water
pressure removed, it would be q pro-
ducing we'll now.
However, Mr.. Burton said, the only
way 10 tell is through proper test.
So far. the commercial indications are
net known although they are very
promising. The showing Of oil ap-
pears to grow steadily stronger.
1T Is the purpose of the operators to
continue the drilling, probaly to g.
500 feet If the indications warrant.
"A sample of the crude petroleum
.;as been sent to the Parker labora-
tory for analysis. In preliminary
report. 1T is stated that in the labora-
tory's belief, it is crude petroleum., but
1t is not prepared to report on it's
quality.
The syndicate which is drilling the
we'll is headed by Mr.. Maurice C.
turton. acting as trustee. He re-
Gently came back to Charleston of
which he was formerly resident.
During four years while living in Phil
adelphia. Mr. Burton became inter-
,sted and investigated the Pennsyl-
vania oil fields. He came to the con-
clusion that some indications are
common TO producing fields.
He interested a number of Char
lesion and Philadelphia people in
testing out his theories. Mrs Bur
ton accompanied him on many of his
trips.
When a guest at Pine Forest Inn,
Summorville. she walked with a
friend to the eastern end of Sum-
iaerville. She noticed peculiar indi-
, cations and called these to Mr.. Bur
tons attention.
Although not then considering
South Carolina as d probable oil pro-
ducing field. Mr.. Burton made further
investigations and found to his satis-
faction that Mrs. Burton's conclusions
wore correct.
Being already interested in South
carolina. Mr.. Burton decided to drill
well in this state, with the results
mat are related in the foregoing.
The well. the Mabeleanor. is go
named in recognition OF the Chris
tlah names of the two ladies who
really located this oil field il such it
works out to be.
Reports reached Charleston yester-
day morning that oil had been strucl,
near Summervile and very lively in
terest was displayed. To a late hour
last night many telephone Inquiries
about these reports were still COM
ins to The News and Courier