The Alaska daily empire., 1922-10-16
CREWS ON COLD
 BAY OIL FIELD
 READY TO DRILL
Work to Start m Thirty Days Says Representative of
 Standard Oil.
(Seattle Times, Oct. 9.)

cable crew of the Standard Oil Com pany and the other by crew of the Associated Oil Company, will star simultaneously biting into Alaska soil in search of oil Not beforeS late next summer will the true status ot the northern territory as a producer of one of the worlds greatest-if not be established.
 In the meantime, this timely notice and warning is given to those whc would be first" in on the expected worlds newest and greatest oil field Keep outi"
 w. l. Mclaughlin of San Francisco the Standard Oil Company's repre- sentative. returning from establish ing the drilling crews for his com oany in the Cold Bay oil field, told of work being done today. /
 Work Only for Few
 Standard Oil and Associated Oil are almost ready to begin drilling test holes for oil in the Cold Bay dis trict on the Alaska Peninsula" Mr Mclaughlin said "They will begin in about 30 days They will no; know what oil. if any, is there until late next summer. In the meantime theRe is work for only the two cable crews engaged in the drilling of the two wells; or about 20 men to each crew. all skilled men.
 These two drilling operations em brace every bit of work that is be ing done. or which 1t is possible tc do for many months in the Alaska oil fields. Others who go there. hop ing to pick up riches, or even a liv ing. are going to seek privations and even suffering" he said 'It is not like scratching among the gravel for nuggets of gold"
 Then MT Mclaughlin described a condition that has already arisen and of which he is genuinely alarmed This relates to the estab lishment of stampeders' townsite at Kanatak, on Portage Bay, the land ing point of oil camp supplies from Seattle.
 Rueh to Cold Bay
 According to the Standard Oil Company representative. Alaskans are natural "stampeders," and when tne two oil companies entered the Cold Bay district to set up theii drilling outfits there was a rush from many parts of the Territory. with soAle cthers coming in from the Outside.
 These men settled at Kanatak where the drilling outfits and crews and supplies we're landed about si, weeks ago. There about 150 of them have established themselves, at con siderable expense in the purchase of building sites and building ma terals. The type of shack construc tion, said Mir. Mclaughlin, is of such flimsy character that he expects them to be blown away this winter.
 "One man 'has spent s3.000 and is broke" declared the Standard Oil representative. "Others have spent every dollar they possessed. The majority of them are broke and they have a hard winter ahead of them with no prospects of any employ ment. I ams afraid" concluded MT Mclaughlin, that this winter we are going to hear sad news of priva tions and actual sufferings from this town of Kanatak."
 For the first time, MT. McLaugh lin brings out from the northern territory a statement of actual oil development conditions in the Cold Bay district. of which much is ex pected in adding to the wealth oi Alaska and from which Seattle would in turn. reap the benefits of comple mentary business.
 The Standard Oil and the Associ ated Oil Companies, two of the larg est oil-producing companies in the country, sent their drilling crews machinery and supplies into the Colo Bay district six weeks ago, an actior based on the encouraging reports o geologists and engineers, private ant governmental.
 Each company is attacking tht test holes with the intention of go ing down 4.000 feet, which would mean drilling until late next sum mer
 sWe have no precedent to go by said the Standard Oil representative We are being guided by what thu geologists and engineers have de clared they believe exist; based ol the surface conditions and geological formations they have discovered. w may find the dasired--and predictes