The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1922-11-15
HANCOCK COUNTY NOT
EXCITED BY wealth Of OIL
CharIy McAdams Had a Time
Persuading His Neighbors
to Develop Their Wells.
(BY RALPH CoGHLAN)


local oil business--present and flu
ture-is a monument to the efforts
of one man-Chas c. McAdams, of
Hawesvile.
Old Charley. as he is called. began
twenty years ago to preach oil to
Hancock county. Today the oil in
dustry here is an infant in arms, but
a lusty infant with a strong constitu-
ton and goodly promise of long
life.
For long time McAdams got lit
tie sympathy when he exhorted ev-
eryone he met to dig wells and ere
ate outlets for Hancock county oil.
The business of being pioneer is
beset with many discouragements
But McAdams had faith and he
persevered. His faith was based on
knowledge. He knew there was oil
in Hancock. He could see it seeping
through the rocks. He had expert
geological assurances that oil lay be-
meath the surface.
Besides. in 1892 someone had
drilled for gas in Hawesville, gas
having been found TWO years before
in Cloverport, and had struck oil in
stead.
m J;cr,re F,r eac uaTap'f inf or
ested in oil, so the well was aban-
doned. For years McAdams saw oil
Ooze from the old gas well and run
down into the Ohio. And he saw the
farmers hereabouts come with pals
and cans to save some of it to dip
their hogs and lubricate their farm
machinery.
Thus fortified with the testimony
of his own eyes and with the rea-
soning of his own mind, McAdams
carried on. Now he has the satisfac-
ton of knowing that the industry is
definitely established.
If this were scenario or novel,
McAdams would be laden with mon
.ey and surrounded with liveried SER
vants. steam yachts and limousines.
Actuliy, he himself has made little
or no money from oil operators. He
is now "a years old and is hoping
that the leases he holds will yield
enough to keep him from want in
his declining years.
Others. however, are profting
from his twenty years of ground
breaking. And in time it is posi-
BILE that Hancock will he one of the
most prosperous counties in Ken
lucky as a result of the oil deposits.
No Boom in Hancock
Hancock has yet to experience G
boom. Perhaps it is fortunate that
q boom hasn't come, for booms cause
exciting and hysteria and are fire.
ouently the cause OF losses to many
who cannot afford to lose.
This is due largely to lack of mar
keting facilities condition recent
~ greatly. improved by the construc'
ton of an Indian Refining Company
nine lire from Haynes Station, in
Davies county, to Pellville. the
heart of Hancock's oil district.
The wells served by this pipe line
produce about $50 barrels daily
This. however. does not represent
Hancock's total production, fol
there are many wells not connected
with the pipe line. Nor is II more
than Just an indication of Hancock 5
possibilities, for. as has been said
the industry is still in its infancy.
Wells Are shallow
Hancock oil is of good quality j
IS equal 10 and fetches the same
price as the Bridgeport, H., variety
Practically all the wells now run
ming are shallow, extending on al
average TO a depth of ago feet TIL
oil ~ lOuNu III N4Ai'' t'Ni"t ~ -
groups-Chester. Waverley and De
woman.
SO far Hancock's paying wells al
draw from free sand al the base o
the Chester group. There are n
gushers here. On the other hand
whereas gushers frequently expen
themselves quickly. Hancock well
are expected to produce as mach oi
twenty and thirty years from now a
they are producing today. Thei
How Is slow and steady.
Because of the shallowness Of tn
deposits. oil operations here are
good deal less expensive than else
where. II costs between $1,000 an
$500 to drill and equip a TYPES
Hancock county well, while the COS
80 1fWofpo TgCner wells ClgpWler