Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-26
THREE TEST Wells
DRILLING ON DONE
EAST Of MALTA
Homestake Exploration Co. Is
One Of Large Concerns to
Enter Field.
TT WAS THE HUNT for museum
specimens of skeletons of prehis-

toric animals. moi the hunt Tor OH
that led to the visit to the boWdoln
structure near Malta in northern Mon
tana several years. ago OF n Of the
first prominent biologists to make Il
survey of the area.
Barum Brown, q prominent geolo-
gist, was sent to northern Montana by
the Museum of Natural History and
the result of his study of the region
was the location south of Glasgow OF
the skeleton remains of many NAM
mails that inhabited the earth before
the rise of man. 1t was then that
several of the business men and stock
men of the district came TO know MN
and in the summer of 1916 they raised
a pool to bring him again to the state
to spend 80 days looking over the
country with the view of ascertalmng
its possibility as an oil structure. Inc
result was a report on the BoWdoln
dome, which had impressed the east
ern %geologist. Government BIOLOGISTS
were even then entering the district
with a view to making a survey.
Although interrupted by the war.
the structure has seen some actlVlty
almost since that time, but the great
impetus to development came with the
discovery Of oil in the Kelvin unburst
field. Like the Kevin-Sunburst field,
Rowdoin dome is what is known as a
.tfIat'' structure. The dips are com
parativelyt slight compared with what
biologists had come to expect IN other
work in the Montana and Wyoming
fields.
Three Wells Being Drilled
When the success Of operations IN
the kevin-Sunburst field became as
sured. however. the operators OF
northern Montana almost at once
turned their attention to the Bowdoln
as offering similar possibilities. me
result has been a rush of independent
and big companies to the region that
had it not been for the scenterlng OF
attention on the kevin-Sunburst,
would have made n pronounced boom
for the northeastern part of the state:
Today three wells are being drilled
within what is now believed to be the
high of the structure. The drilling
operations are the most extensive that
any single structure Of northern Mon
tana with the exception of the Kelvin
Sunburst field is now enjoying. Inc
Phillips County Oil & Gas is drilling
on nwhne4, section 6-32-33 e; the
Bowdoin Oil & Gas on s12swA, sec
ton 35-32-32 e: the Homestake Tx
Dloration on 2-32-32 e.
The subsidiary of one of the largest
Montana Independent companies, the
Homestake Exploration company. IS
drilling on Bowdoin, having obtained
several thousand acres of leases and
placed itself in an important position
in the field. Other independents that
have been active this summer III leas-
ing on the structure include the Con-
solidated Exploration company, headed
by several of the prominent bankers
and business men of Great Falls, a.
NJ. Kent, a wealthy individual opera
tor in Montana and Wyoming fields,
and other interests represented by
some Of the leading lease brokers of
the northern fields. The Standard
companies that have been most active
include the California company. oper-
ating company in Montana for the
Standard of California; the Midwest
Refining company. and the Mutual and
Frantz organizations.
Among the many who have been ac-
tive in lease and land holdings in the
area are: ". A. Bower of Great Falls,
formerly a well known newspaper man
in the state; Frank NJ. Bell of Butte,
who has holdings, with his associates.
throughout northern Montana; b. +.
SandIie of M..lta. county attorney of
Phillips county: H. +. Robinson, pres
ident Of the Malta State bank; Fred
Whiteside. an operator in Montana
end Wyoming; w, +. Kroeger. a bust
ness man of Malta; A. L. Eastman.
druggist: G. T.. Taylor. a large land
owner; Louis Skala Of Malta. who has
been active in leasing; John SarVant, a
business man and merchant of Malta;
and many others Of northern Mon
tana.
Structure Described
The area included in the structure
as worthy Of prospecting should any
of the present wells prove productive.
gives a tremendous area for lease
operations and activity has extended
well down on the flanks.
The principal geological reports on
the structure have been made by A. j.
Collier of the United States geological
survey, consisting of a preliminary re-
port in 1916 and n later revised report
based on the drilling results after that
time; that Of Barum Brown, made in
1916; and one by Roswell II. Johnson
Of the firm of Johnson. Huntley q
Somers of Pittsburgh, made in 1920.
The structure is described by John
son as d dome definitely closed on
all sides and is not faultcd at any
place. II represents an almost ideal