Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-07
descriptive of the sol, and the social

descriptive Of the sol. and the social
life Of the region in which all roads
lead to Lexington.
Irvine, in Estill county has become
a = substantial town, but mainly be-
cause of large railroad yards eAab-
lished nearby after the oil develop
ment. Beattyyille, the county seat
of Lee, the largest oil producing
county in Kentucky, and among the
largest producing sections In Amer
lea, is little changed . The station Is
three-quarters of a mile from the old
fashioned mountain tavern that has
been the leading hotel since the large
modern hotel became a school when
the boom subsidized. No light burns.
in the office Of the tavern late at
night. "The boys have been doing
some shooting lately" vas the ex-
PLANTATION. Elaboration Of that ex-
PLANTATION revealed survival OF old
conditions under which 1t was deemed
attracting attention of village terror
lists full OF moonshine whiskey and
the spirit of sport.
Many Lee countains. beneficiaries
Of oil, left the roadless section Of
the state never to return. The effects
Of the exodus are less apparent In
Monticello. in Wayne, the oldest oil
county in Kentucky, because Wayne
is a foothills county in which there
Is good land and a modest mileage
of roads fit for autom obiles. Yet
Monticello, an old oil center, remains
a small town.
Two Classes Enriched.
Kentucky oil enrichcs two classes,
the landowners who are wise enough.
or lucky enough. not to miss their
opportunity to participate in the prof
its of wells drilled on their farms,
and oil companies which as a rule are
not founded upon capital owned in
the oil region.
Kentucky's oil are as yet
not fully known. Much Of the ter
ritory has good agricultural resources
destined perhaps to produce more
come from oil wells. But immediate
wealth from oil has caused many
farmers whose soil Ia fertile to lose
interest in farming and to neglect
their farms.
Tmossearch for oil Is not unlike, in
point of excitement and h~ardships en-
dured, the search for gold. OIL rigs.
cumbersome equipment for drilling
wells. are dragged in by oxen or mules
to points 40. so, so miles from rail-
roads in wildcat fields where the
drilling may or may not pay. Such
experimenting. done sometimes by adj
follows failure to strike oil, Is ex-
tremeiy costly. but gusher Is re-
garded as good ground FOR belief that
others will be found in the same ter
ritory. The prospect is always APP
pealing Because striking q sDoutine
flow Of oil IL like striking pay dirt
In an Alaskan gulch.
Oil development brings about all
of the types of humanity found in a
goldfield. including the adventurer
who must make good Or walk away
from the scene of his failure, the
gambler who comes to fleece the for
youthful, whose like followed the
army OF Xerxes and the rush Of Roid
seekers to tho Yukon, and whose sis.
ters-in-adventure flock to Louisville
when the Kentucky derby 10 run for
$4,000 at Churchill Downs.
Agricultural development IL a
healthier growth and d more lasting
source of welfare. In the Cumber.
land oil pool, there is large opportun-
ity for agricultural development
which at present IS impossible Be-
aus OF lack Of transportation by
railroad, highroad or river.
Along the Cumberland River there
lis . block OF eight counties whoilv
untouched by railroads! and almost
wholly without improved public roads
q strangely retarded hut potentiaiiy
fruitful REGION Oil wells win MT
make II populous, but with }agricuI.
lture and adequate TRANSPORTATION IL
would blossom like the rose.
ANswERs no QUESTIONS.