The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-08-31
Drake Day Observed on Site
of OriginaI Wen

Drake day was observed last Sat
urday on the site OF Americas orig
inal well with elaborate ceremonies.
Concerning the event, The Oil CITY
Derrick OF August 2S, said In part;
All the pleasant anticipatlons Of
members of the Drake Memorial as
| ISOLATION and visitors alike were
realized on Saturday when more
than 1000 persons Joined together
In an ideal observance of Drake
day.
Weather conditions were perfect.
| Electric and rain storms tho night
| before had clarified tho atrnos-
| phere, tho skies were bright but the
temperature was not unduly high.
Roads leading into the Beers
| property, Cherry run mile east OF
| Housewife now in the hands of con-
| tractors were put In good repair and
permission to drive at the drivers
| risk was given.
The center Of attraction was the
replica of the original Drake well
| drilled for T.. H. Butler, OF New
| York. motion picture promoter, and
who has sold the production to the
| Sinclair on corporation. who IL is
asserted Intend to present the films
TO the United states Bureau OF
minea Almost az great an attrac-
I Alhh was AUt lhA~rllilllt bl Nllt Olu
| spring pole apparatus for drilling
oil wells, adopted by the early day
oil operator. because the method
was less expensive than the uEo OF
= boiler and engine for motive
power. These two relics of the
birth OF the great industry are close
TO the banks OF Cherry run, where
n pond has been formed that pic
lures might he taken to duplicate
the famous pond freshet by which
enough water was collected in old
on creek to permit tho production
or tho early day wells, In bulk and
In barrels to he carried down the
stream to OH City from whence
most OF II was taken to Pittsburgh,
towed by steamboats,. Immediately
adjacent Is the site OF the famous
Yankee well, tho first paying propo-
sltlon on Cherry run.
Old time oil men, boatmen and
teamstcrs. who were active in tho
business a half century or more ago
were unanimous in their approval
of these designs declaring them 20
be exact repliCas. To the younger
generation, to whom only the stand
ard derrick or still later drilling RIG
are alone known, they were a revela-
ton and constant source OF delight
and wondermeut. They were also
object lessons by which these same
old timers impaired information and
education and answered innumerablC
questions, the devices proving d
wonderful stimulation OF the mem
p ories OF these pioneers In tho busi'
ness.
Motion pictures OF these visitors
In action in singles, intlmates, IN
' groups and as a panorama, were
taken by Butler and his expert
camera man. Bradley
Group Of the Old Guard.
ono Of the groups taken, But.
l Ter classlfies as priceless, IL includ-
cd II men who had been identified
: with tho oil business in the latter
Sos and the early COS as follows
Samuel Smith, who, as a boy, haC
z worked with his father, William
: | Smith, q driller on tho origlna
I Drake well In 1873.
Lyman ID, Rhoades, who came I,
+, the oil country In April, 1861, an,
y put the second boat for transport
+" ing crude, on oil creek. The firs
was owned by John Anderson
. RhGadCs, 80 resident uf Oil city, FOL
lowed boating oil and teamlng col
the creek for 10 years. and ais
operated I'm a small way his firs
J, being a working interest In wei
II Captain William Hasson, dean o
u the banking business OF the earl
= oil country ana still active In tn
!, business as the head OF the Firs
II National bank. drilled hts first we
10 in 1860, lie was one OF the FEY
living today who saw tho origins
Drake well In action.
y B. T., McCracken. another OH Cit
l. resident. drilled his first well on IA
4 . | buchanan firm In IGG1 Iln
10 l.. -. Rhoades were among the man
hundreds OF people who saw IN
burning OF Rouse wen IN Apr
1851, whore almost two score WEI
burned, among them the owner, wh
A. died from his injuries about Nv
n, weeks later. and who left a fortur
n TO build and endow the Rouse no
", pital near Warren, Pa,
George McCrackcn. another prom
o. inent feature In this picture OF n
ot older OF the old timers, came In