The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-01-14
General Pershing Reminded
Of the Battle Front

MEXlA. Texas, Jan. l3.-Mexia "
the greatest oil field in the world
according to Gen, John j. porshinr,
VINO was the guest Of y. G.. Dawes.
president of the Pure OIL company,
and Col. A. Il. Humphreys, president
OF the Humphreys companies. allied
Interests In the development of this
now Texas field. General Pershing
stated IL was the first time he had
seen anything like France during the
World war With teams and tractors
and men jamming the roads, crowd
Ing and rushing to move materials
70 the fields; with digging and drill
Ing and building, fevcrishly active
IN every direction, he stated IL was
reminiscent OF the organized energy
that put forces and materials in the
field to stop the Germans.
What has been accomplished at
Mexia Is really n marvel In building
and development, that may be com
pared as second only TO the World
war. In four and one-half months,
the little town of Mexia which, on
September first, had a population Il
little more than 1900, has grown to
a congested, crowded city OF 80, 900
In this same period OF time, produc-
tion in the adjacent oil fields has
increased from $1,000 barrels daily
to 10000 barrels daily. The num-
Der of rigs that may be seen from
the environs of the city, has in
creased from so to more than five
hundred. On September first, there
were no loading racks in this
vicinity, where now there are 36
Storage facilities for oil in the Mexla
pool, on September first, comprised
only a few small tanks of about
500 and ] 1000 barrels capacity: stor-
age facilities now represent upwards
OF 30.000,000 barrels capacity, COM
pleted or under construction.
The growth Is reflected in the
business OF tho railroads, as indi-
Gated by the increase in the number
OF employees. As an instance. the
Houston & Texas Central railroad,
September first, had IL employees
whore now they have approximately
100. In the four months periCS
this railroad has been compelled to
extend its yards and trackage six
miles. Prior to September first, the
receipts OF this railroad station
averaged less thas $4,000 a month.
Now, they are more than a million
dollars n month.
The Trinity & Brazos Valley rail-
road, which on September first. had
four employees, now has 40. It has
added switch track, aggregating 10
miles. The oil boom promises to
lift the receivership under which the
Trinity & Brazos Valley railroad has
been operating for some time, This
is promised by reason of an increase
in it's receipts from approximately
$4,000 month to nearly half a
million dollars a month.
1Tnl 1-nI 4,
company had one office at Mexia
prior to September first. with three
employees They now have several
offices. employing As people. The
Southwestern Telephone company
which had 81 employees on septenls
ber first, now has 60, and has been
compelled TO greatly extend its
facilities and add TO its equipment,
The Mexla postofflce, which was
small general delivery. call-for-
your-mail postofflce, has increased
the number OF It's employees from 13
to 40 and has installed city delivery
service.
Since September first. there have
been 1,400 building permits issued
for new construction in Mexia.
These were for buildings within the
corporate limits OF the town. and It
is probable that there has been as
much building outside the corporate
limits as within. Aggregate deposits
of Mexia banks have multiplied by
four In this four months period.
This is the record or achievement
terminated by the vision of one
man: Col A. r. Humphreys, who
had the courage TO spend over $780,
600 in drilling the first we'll to dis
cover this pool OF oil.
Since the Pure Oil company be-
came interested in the Humphreys
properties last fall, development of
these interests Is representa- by 36
wells completed or drilled to the top
of the sand and shut in, after prov
ing production, and which have a
potential capacity of between $4,000
and 10000 barrels daily; SO ad-
ditional wells drilling and 40 ad-
ditional locations, where work Is
starting. IL Is estimated, from the
area proved and competitions made,
together with work under way, that
the Humphreys-Pur oil interests
may have production of considerably
over 100000 barrels daily within the