davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
A Race to Oil Sands Is
On Between Many
Rigs Section Of
Discovery
Well.

There are now seven STANDARD
derricks erected in the vicinity O.
the discovery well.
Sunburst Oil & Gas Co., No. {
derrick, thus making nine new wells
started in the west and north part
Of the field this spring.
1t appears it will be a race between
Russell Hurd, superintendent of drill
ing operations for Gordon Campbell
(, and Ralph Chamberlin, field manag-
er for what is believed to be big
oil company, as to whose crew will
start drilling first. Both wells are
spotted on section 10-35-3W. Camp
bell-Kevin syndicate we'll No. 2 over
the corner from the discovery well
and the Chamberlin site on SW Of
Sc Of 10.
Both ought to spud in within a
few days now.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
REFINERY AT GREAT FALLS

A $1,000 order for tank equip
ment was closed Saturday by the
American Refinery company of Great
Falls with the Kaw Boiler works OF
Kansas City, makers Of refinery
machinery, through George Lee Rufe
chief engineer.
The order for tankage included
eight 1900 barrel run down tanks,
80 feet diameter and Is feet high
with umbrella roofs, and one 5000
barrel tank, 35 feet in diameter and
80 feet high. The company also
made preliminary arrangements for
10000 barrel tanks for future con-
tract. The cost of erection of the
nine tanks ordered was placed at
$4,000.
The large tanks will be used for
crude storage and will be on the up
per side of the refinery lot, near the
road while the small tanks will be
on the 900 foot spur track and will
store the commercial product.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
6. 600 ACRE DEAL IN
FIELD BY ROMESTAKE

Control of some 5000 acres OF
leases, the holdings of the Kalispel1-
Kevin company, have been taken
over by the Homestake Exploration
company, the deal being closed Tues
day, according to an announcement
made by ogicials of the Homestake.
This is the largest deal in the
amount of acreage involved that has
been turned in northern fields in
several weeks.
Under the terms Of the deal, o.
600 acres of the leases are taken ov-
er directly by the Homestake ExplO-
ration and $4,000 acres are con-
trolled. Reconsideration was not
made public other than that it was
cash payment and sliding scale
royalty based upon production. This
deal gives the Homestake control of
$500 acres in the -Sunburst
field, the company having held g.,
200 acres prior to the deal with the
Kalispell-Kevin.
The Homestake is placing it's geo.
logist, E. B. Hall of California, at
work on the field at once, and opera
tions will follow Immediately ire
completion of his Investigations
Operations will be started by July /,
to e. B. Coolidge Of the
The company has several rigs
which will be available for its oper-
ations in the Kevin-Sunburst field,
it was announced.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02

with d. L. Thompson and Co.. OF CO.
lumbus, Ohio was present through
out the afternoon, estimated that the
we'll was capable at this time. of
producing 1000 barrels in "a hours.
He said that this might even increase
for short time and that the we'll
would settle from 500 to 700 barrels
a day. He said that the gas In the
casing head under compressor
would produce three to five gallons
OF gasoline per hour.
| Among other geologists who visit
ed the we'll during the afternoon
were Charles Eamons, geologist for
The Troy-Sweet Grass company: A.
J. Collier and N. w. Boyer of Wash
ington, members of the United States
geological survey
Mr. Campbell announced that pre-
parations would be made to market
the production within three weeks.
A pipe line, four miles to Kevin. has
been surveyed and four inch pipe for
that distance has been ordered. Five
2b0 barrel tanks now on the
ground at the well will ] 9 used for
measuring tanks. A SO horsepower
natural gas engine has been ordered
and will do the pumping on the pre-
sent we'll.
The tank farm will be located on
the south end of Kevin townsite.
The piping, tanks and installation
represent an investment OF $4,000.
OIL will be sold from the we'll for
drilling operations in the field, the
price to be charged to be based on
{ fers OF refineries for the production.
The pump test was started at 2:30
o'clock in the afternoon, one or two
members of the crew, Mr. Campbell,
James Rocke Of Kevin and a repre-
sentative Of The Great Falls Tribune
being the only persons present. In
a few minutes after the pump was
started, string Of automobiles be-
gan coming into camp and during
the afternoon the well was visited
by several hundred persons coming
from every part Of the lied.
Pumping was begun on "a inch
stroke, and after about 15 minutes,
the stroke was heightened to 80 in
ches There was several short stops
for adjustments.
There was some water In the oil
during the early pumping but this
in ashort time. During
the first two hours OF pumping the
oil came in spurts with the p1unger.
After that there was a slight contin-
ual flow. Mr.. Hurd said that the
we'll would undoubtably flow for Is
or 20 minutes without pumping.
Tom Stout of Lewistown fiscal
agent for the Gordon Campbell Roy
llties, Inc, G. W. Weise of Lewis
owntown and Shirley Ford Of Great
Falls arrived at the well late in the
lfternoon and were interested spect-
tors until late in the evening.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
BUYS FIVE LOTS.

J. H. Billings of Spokane, Wash.
was so well pleased with Kevin after
few days inspection this week
that he purchased five lots for him
self and an associate on First ave-
nue. south, including corner lot
Four were bought from the townsite
company and one from w. SeabrOOk
Mr.. Billups says that oil men from
many parts of the country with
whom. he has talked predicted a
great future for Keyin and the new
oil field and that when acquaint-
ances in his city found he was bound
for Kevin he was nearly mobbed with
persons desiring him to advise them
as to conditions and prospects here.
He says Kevin is the best advertised
city in the country today.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
Campbell Well
Stands the Test

The test of the Campbell discovery
well by the pump test last week. az
reported in The Courier has dispell-
ed any fears that had been entertain
ed by the skeptical and has already
put new vigor in development work
which promises to go ahead under
! full pressure from now on. An ac-
count Of the test by a special cores
| pondent of one Of the most conserv-
ative of the states big daily news
papers is given below is a fair state
ment Of the results of the test.
With steadily increasing flow,
the Gordon Campbell Kevin syndicate
we'll No. l, first producing we'll Of
the Kevin-Sunburst field, hcd more
than 100 barrels ia the tank Thurs
day night, after eight hours on the
pump. There was a noticeable flow
after the gas had been agitated, and
1T was estimated that the pressure
would be sufficient to cause flow for
sometime without pumping.
Estimates on possible production,
formed on the showing Of early pump
settled production of from $50 bar
rels a day to more than twice that
amount. The results of the first few
hours of pumping will show a basis
of more than 800 barrels day and
the opinion was that production
might increase and later settle.
The test will continue until the
1880 barrels storage capacity at the
well is filled, an event which is
rega rded as decisive.
Mr.. Campbell's own estimate was
ducing from four to six hundred
barrels a day with probability Oh
this increasing under pumping. Att
II o'clock Thursday night, oil was
coming steadily from the pipe with
spurts in response to the plunger of
the pump. A 80 inch stroke, 23l
strokes to the minute, was being US i
ed, this pace bringing greater amoI
unit of oil, due to the natural flow,
han did 80 strokes a minute as was
1sed earlier in pumping.
Mr. Campbell announced that at
the time the pump was installed,
some time ago, the oil flowed over
he top after few minutes pumping,
put as it. was not then connected
With storage tank, it was immedi-
ltely shut off. l
Russell Hurd, in charge Of the pump
estimates that the level
# the oil in the well is being main
aimed. The gas was coming in spurts
if oil were low the gas
would come in Il steady flow.
The pumping which will be con-
inued, will be in part experimental.
0 determine un1er wliaC pumping [
onditions the max IN ow is on ]
aimed. {
]. E. foreman, consulting engineer
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02

be part Kangaroo. Anyhow they
preferred their hind legs to walk on.
There will be new car in town
next week that will be the finest
syecimen ever seen ON our streets,
eight cylinder, 1872 inch wheel-base
and can make rs miles an hour.
Owners name withheld by request.
L. Halter has came to town with
48 head OF mixed steers and heifers
and large felt hat and we antici-
pate that he will be successful in his
new business venture.
When the train crew unloaded
fox terrier dog on this town Satur-
day we thought the Sweet Grass
bunch had put up job on us. We
get cats from Sweet Grass and dogs
from Kevin, but it was false alarm.
The dog is really valuable. There Is
not better bred fox terrier in the
state and any time you Sweet Grass
people do not want him he will find a
home in Sunburst.
Kate and John Tilley had a mar
row escape Monday when the train
frightened their team while enroute
to Sweet Grass. Kate with bucket
of milk on one arm and basket of
eggs on the other and her new sum
bonnet with the blue ribbon on 1t,
flying madly in the air, held firmly
to one line and John holding frant-
.
steer the team into a fence.
John E. Dawson, manager OF the
largest insurance company in Mon
tana came in Saturday to look over
the oil fields. He still insists that
his Sam Stevenson Bank Of Great
Falls compares very favorably with
0ur Sunburst institution.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
FAST WORK ON RIG
FOR STANDARD OIL

The fastest job of rib building yet
| to be done in the Kelvin field was
started last week when unbeknown
to the most energetic followers OF
the oil game here big standard
derrick raised its towering frame
skyward on site about half mile
east and over the section line north
Campbell discovery well, on what
the Courier reporter judges is the SW
Sc Of section 10-35-3w, and two big
tanks and other equipment was be-
ing rushed to the site and put in
place, and it looks as though the
well would be spudded in at an early
date. This work followed a rumOr
that the STANDARD company was to
start a. drilling campaign, it is be-
ing said that they were to put in
at least three rigs, the Montana Oil
Journal having this to say of this
report:
"The most important development,
outside of preparations for a pump
test, was the movement of rig to
the field for the Standard Oil of
California. Details OF this newest
move of the Standard Co., are not
public but it is understood that the
Standard is now dealing with Gordon
Campbell or his associates, and that
the Standard is preparing to drill
in the west end of the field.
"A derrick purchased from the
Monarch Lumber company by the
Erik rig builders and moved out to|
location east OF the Campbell we'll
is now known to be that of the
Standard Oil. Ralph Chamberlin isl
in charge of operations. 1t is under
stood that the Standard will drill
and validate the Lincoln permit.
"The Standard is said to be oper-
ating through several individuals
whose wells will eventually be-
known as the Standard property.
''Nor is the Standard alone in its
activity, for Independents are begin
Ing to move rapidly. From now on
things will begin to speed up and
The Independents will have things
less their own way than was pos
'ible during the last few weeks"
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
OIL FIELD NOTES

Morris G.. Leonard, attorney {
Chicago and said to be Representative
of capitalists of that city, is arrane
ing to operate in the Kevin fiel
for his company.
J. X. D. Schaffer of Oklahoma Citr
Okla, president of the Shaffer Oh
Co., is reported to be actively inter
ested in the northern Montana oi
fields.
L. E. Lincoln, geologist who assist
ed in the survey of the Kevin-Sun
burst field and who has been witt
Gordon Campbell, left for Great Fall
Monday
President L. c. Stevenson of tn.
Sunburst Oil and Gas Co., has beer
at we'll No. l most of the weel
watching the drilling which is re-
ported to have disclosed the gas al
a depth approximately where it was
predicted it would have been hit
He is reported to have stated that
drillers will be to the oil depth with
in three weeks from the tine of spud-
ding in.
The Homestake Oil Co., commenced
drilling on its holdings in the Brown
ing structure last Wednesday and it
is reported that the drillers are work
ing "a hours day, Manager Coolide
of the company personally direct
ing the commencement of operations.
Great Falls men have secured
government permits in sections 6
and 17-32-2w and 12-32-3w.
An early spudding in of the well
OF the Holding and Royalty com
pany on section 21-35-3W., being
on Campbell government permit, is
promised Judging from the activity
The roads have been in such bad
shape that work necessary to field
work has been greatly retarted and
likewise information from the many
sections of the field is slow coming
in and hard to obtain first hand.
W. M. Fulton and ]. F. Mcknight
who operated in the Sun River sec
tion and are said to have completed
their derrick in section 1-34-2W
and the Star rig shipped to Kevin
has been un1oaded. The location is
in the next section west to the Big
West holdings.
1t is reported that the crew on
Sunburst we'll No. l have had excep-
tional good luck and that the only
fishing job for tools necessary was
last Friday when they were recov-|
cred in three hours. A new cable
is expected and with this no furth-
er trouble is anticipated.
Oil men coming to Kevin who
have visited the keystone we'll near|
Vaughn claim that the showing
there is very promising, sowe OF
them even saying that oil is quiteI
certain to be found.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
MOVIES FOUR TIMES WEEKLY

After a weeks delay in the sched-
uled opening the Goeddertz hall was
opened as a movie house by George
H. Brewerton Of Shelby last Friday
night with local manager r. E. Addy
in charge. The initial attendance
was satisfactory and light plant
furnished first performance with
but two slight stops and is now In
shape The management announces
that there will be four shows week
ly: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and
Thursday nights, and the attendance
this week would indicate that it will
be but short time before the sched-
ule will be made for nightly shows
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
.Sunburst No. /
Down 1900 Fl.
Gas indication
(The Sweet Grass Advocated

(The Sweet Grass AdvOcate)
L. G. Stevenson and DR.. H. Beau
pre-, heads of the Sunburst Oil ant
Gas company, were in Sweet Grass
yesterday and today. Naturally
with a million dollars or more star
ing them in the face, the suspense
of waiting a few days for an oil
well to come in is no small matter
No doubt it is the same feeling that
theToole county farmer has had for
the last five years, waiting for 'his
crop to come in
Mr.. Stevenson. while a caller at
the Advocate this morning said that
he thought the drill would be down
close to 1900 feet by o'clock to-
night. All indications for flow
ing well are good he said. Gas is
getting stronger as the drill goes
deeper. When asked as to what de-
pth he thought they would have to
go to get the oil, he said it would
be either 1900 or 1900 feet
The drillers can not go as fast
with the work as they did at the
start, but it is thought about SO
feet a day will be made if nothing
goes wrong.
Material is now being hauled for
well No. 8 which will be located a.
short distance from we'll No. l.
With the coming in of well No.
Mr.. Stevenson says that his company
will at once put six more rigs in the
field, and pipe line will be laid
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
LOUIS COMPANY PERFECTED

The proposed company for the
drilling out of the E. A. Louis per-
nit east of the discovery well, news
of Which was given by the Courier
some weeks ago, has been perfect
ed, Mr.. Louis of Kevin being in
charge as manager of field opera
tions. The incorporators are as fol-
lows, Mr.. Louis and Arby Boards
lee forming a temporary board of
directors with the incorporators:
w. T. Greedy of the Greedy elev-
ator company; ]. w. Sherwood, pres
ident of the Royal Milling company;
H. B. Lake, of H. B. Lake & Co;
Shirley S. Ford, vice president of the
Great Falls National bank; Lee M.
Ford, president of the Great Falls
National bank; George F. Suther-
land; R. P. Jackson, land attorney;
F. c. Lampen.
The company has a capitalization
of 100000, to be known as the
Louis Oil Company. And it is under
stood that all stock has been sub
scribed
The permit taken by the new
company is quarter section in IA
35- ssJ1and the first we'll, derrick
for which is now being erected and
rig and equipment rushed to the
site, has been spotted on the north
west quarter of the company's hold
ngs, one and one-half miles east of
he Cambell well and considered
proven ground. The rig is the one
,wned by Mr.. Beardslee which has
)een at Kevin since last fall and will
,e operated by H. e. Whittekind of
4ewistown.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
NEWS ITEMS FROM
BUSY SUNBURST

Miss Viola Folk of Devon has re
turned to this section to teach II
school district No. AZ.
James MacGowan has returned
from Choteau where he has beer
surveying.
Anil Smith of Aylesbury, Sask
is looking after local affairs Of the
Stevenson Oil Co.
Contractor Nicholas Engel is haul
ing ten inch casing to the Dick Davey
oil farm.
Mrs. John Franklin Runnels has
returned to her ranch after spending
the winter in Canada.
Sunburst town lots are higher than
cats back, but new commers seem
to want them at any price.
Stevenson Brothers, one quite fat,
the other tall and slender spent
Saturday in Sunbust.
Glen Cox, the best county treas
urer that Toole county ever had
spent day in Sunburst.
The Monarch Lumber has shipped
in a new supply OF lumber and are
now in position to take care of
all orders from shingle to stan
dard 80 foot derrick.
Mrs. Gordon and family are guests
at the O'Haire home.
John Stanton of Great Falls who
makes a speciality Of land litigation
was visitor in Sunburst last week.
George s. Clark Of Lusk, Wyo.,
was a week end guest at the w. s.
Burke home. Mr.. Lusk is an old
timer in the oil fields and his side
partner says he placed little bet
on number one we'll.
Agent Michaelson says that bust
ness is SO active that the company
ought to furnish him messenger
boy with brass buttons.
March Laveryato who claims he
never saw the shores of sunny Italy
has bought Ford super-six that
sounds like several.
VIII Halter drove into town be-
hind team Of animals that must
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02

Great Falls Tribune: Two drilling
rigs are reported to be on thei1
way to the Kevin-Sunburst field
said to have been shipped by the
California company, Montana sub
sidiary of the Standard Oil, to open
the operations of that firm in north
ern Montana.
Although the California Co., is
known to have taken over consider
able acreage in many parts of the
field, it is not known where these
two rigs are to be placed.
A derrick being erected on the
southeast quarter of the southeast
quarter of section 10, township 35
range west, part of the Lincoln
permit, is thought by oil men of
Kevin and Great Falls to be the
work of the California company.
The operations on this site have
been under the direction of Harry
L. wilson, attorney for L. E. lincoln,
and the materials were hauled to-
location by trucks belonging to the
Campbell interests, leading to re-
ports that the Campbell interests
may be planning the work.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
TROY-SWEET GRASS
HAS OIL IS RUM0R

| A rumor was circulated in Kelvin
at II o'clock Wednesday night to
the effect that the test hole being
put down by that company had 200
feet of oil in the casing at depth
of from 1900 to 17UU feet. The
Great Falls papers yesterday carried
the story with some credence, but
no confirmation of the strike has
been given by officials of the COM
pany, although Kevin man said
it came from someone who knew of
conditions at the well. Until con-
frmed by officials Of the company or
by subsequent events will remain
but a rumOr. .-sot
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02

dad" Bracket is dead and bur
ried. There were few printers who
did not know dad" in Montana and
the northwest. The editor knew
him when he was devil in print
shop in Washington some Is years
ago. In 1917 he helped out in this
Office for a few weeks and became
known by different ones In Sweet
Grass. Seward Warren Bracket,
which was his right name, died at
Great Falls Friday and was bun led
the following Monday. He was 66
years of age.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
Development Activities :
KEvIN-sUNBURsT FIELD


Gordon Campbell-Kevin No. /. M
NE 1868 w, {awaiting pipeline. ]
Drilling
SunDurst Oil & Gas, Sc SW 1896
u W.
Three-in-One, SW SW 1851 w.
Troy-Sweetgrass, NESW 21-34-1W
Rigging U,
Black Magic, SW Sc 1858 w.
DR.. U. G. Coe, SW NV 1852 w.
w. M. Fulton, NV Sc 1-34-2 w.
Gordon Campbell-Kevin No. 2,SW
SW 10-35-3 w.
Holding and Royalty, SW NE FL
35-3 w.
Harry L. Wilson, trustee, Sc Sc
1895? w.
Louis Oil Co., NV Sc 1853 w
Rainbow Oil Co. No. 1, NV Sc g.
35-3 w.
Rainbow Oil Co. No. 2, NV NV
1858 w.
sunburst Oil and Gas No. 2, Sc Sc
5-352 w.
Spotted
Apex Oil Co., SW Sc 3-35-3 w.
Big West, NE NV 6-34-1 w.
Sunburst Oil and Gas No. 3, 10
and 1852 w.
Potlatch Oil and Ref. No 1, Sc
NV 27-34-1 w.
Potlatch Oil and Ref No. 2, NE
NE 27-34-2 w.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02

The Shelby newspaper gives this
information relative to progress al
the Troy-Sweet Grass we'll some 1s
miles southeast of Kevin. "On
Thursday morning at 400 O'Clock
the Troy-Sweet Grass Oil Company
resumed drilling at the Gas ranch
where they had reached a depth OF
1910 feet before drilling was stop
ped by break in the machinery. 1t
is expected that rapid progress will
be made, onsidering everything,
and the officials of the company are
very optimistic now that actual drill
ing has been resumed. This loca-
tion has drawn considerable inter-
est from the many oil operators and
everyone is now deeply interested
in the successful completion of this
well.'
Shelby, May 27.-The Shelby Oil
and Gas syndicate has been organiz-
ed to develop Toole county oil fields.
Directors are Otto L. Lyon, G. A.
Henderson,, l.. E. Lyon, Arthur
Frantzke, w. D. Harness, c. G. Rus
sell and M. A. Lyon.
Entrance of the Gladys-Bell Oil
company, a. $10,000,00O Oklahoma
into active drilling
work in the Sweet Grass hills, 30|
miles from Lothair in the south
west quarter Of section 19, township
81, range 4 east, has been announced
by L. M. Roame, who handles the
drilling operations in the company.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02

Packers law OF 1921, is held con-
stitutfonal by the highest court, with
those buying livestock in stockyards
subject to interstate commerce. Con-
sumers may not know it but they will
pay just as before.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
BOXING MATCH JUNE 3

Jimmie Rookie announces an eight
round boxing match between "Kid"
McDerrmott and Jack "O'Dorthy" in
the Goeddertz hall June 3, with two
preliminaries.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02
SUNBURST LOTS SELLING.

VIM. O'Haire, owner Of the town
site of Sunburst reports that he has
averaged sale day on lots and
that if the favorable showing
at the Sunburst Oil & Gas Co.'s well
results in finding of oil, he predicts
that every lot in the present town
site will be sold Immediately.
The Kevin courier. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1922, 1922-06-02

The id-Northern continues its
activity north of the Kevin-Sun-
burst field, where it has some 10000
acres well blocked up. A well is tc
be drilled in township 27, range 2,
or east.