The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-03-06
Almost All Mid-Continent
Oil Field Was COUered bD
Surrey Made During Pres.
Arthur's Administration

PoNCA CITY, March 4.--Fcdcral
authorities knew as far back az 1888
that there was oil and gas IN okla
homa aud Texas and perhaps In
other portions OF the present Mid
Continent field. although tho first
oil production was not had until
early I'm 1901 whom the first well was
brought in at ltcd Fork, between
Tulsa and Sluulpa. Within "a snort
tlmc development was started tlso-
whore in this state and in 1903 the
first wells were drilled in northern
oklahoma, producing gas In Kay
county.
The word "Oklahoma' was not
even known perhaps at tho time
government commission scnt Colonel
Bowers OF the interior department
at Washington on an extended trip In
the west aud southwest TO locate oil
deposIa aud other mineral lnndH
and HE worl, extended as FAR west
as Boulder. Colo lie was u wen
know roologi4i OF that period, one VI
the most renowned iu hIs iiuD and 10
was for that reason thnt no was
selected TO head the intoatigation IN
this part OF the country llo ro-
maincd for sometime I'm thiA par
NIININI iN'.NINNH NIlN AAtN AAiNNflNFN ~
now ON record iu WnHhlnRtouu
.t was Fix years prior 90 the OPEN
ing Of Old Oklahoma Territory in
1889 that Colonel Bowcrs mission
brought him 10 this district, which
ne worked thoroughly and mapped,
u was about this time that captain
David I Payne, tho father of okln-
homa, was leading hls bands OF
homcseckcrs into the territory and
was just as frequently being arrested
on charges Of trespasslng on govern
mont domain. payne's headquarters
were nt Rock Falls. n point on tho
Chikaskia river, about 25 miles
northwest of this city and not far
from where Colonel Bowers men
were AZ work.
There are several Of the maps
made by Colonel Bowers and show
ing his geological findings scattered
over the country. The only ono in
this entire district. 80 far as known,
is IN the possession now OF Joseph
&. Hayes. one OF the pioneer oil men
of the state. Until recently he was
n well known farmer living north
east OF ponca city but at the pres-
ent time he II u resident Of Newklrk,
his headquarters for present day oil
development
Bowers Began Near Nnrdin.
In mapping this district back IN
1883, Bowers evidently began his In
vestigations near tho present Bte
OF Nardin. on tho extrome west
boundary OF this tlfny) county and
worked southwest across tho prese nj
Ponca city fields. over the Osage
county territory, outlining somewhat
the Gushing and Tulsa areas and
stretching on southwark toward
Beaumont, Texas. The map OF
Bowers shows n structure between
Nardin and Bodoc. n point about
four miles west NJ this city.
when at Nardin. Il IN now known
Bowers was on the eastern edge ol
the present day Deer Creek field
and the structure that no located he
tween that point and Bodoc, Is IN,
one that was uncovered fully within
a recent period by "Spot" Goyer. tn,
head OF the Marland oil companl
force, and now considered by IN,
Marland company aB one OF the bes
prospects OF the yet uudrllled Htruc
lures marked in the Ponca City dis
trict. In all Goyer has worked on
9s structures throughout this dis
trlct, 10 OF which have been drilled
and II OF the 10 are producing. Th
structure, west OF this city, which
shown by Bowers and where Maj
land will coon drill. lies along IN
Chikaskia river.
During Arthur's Term.
The visit OF Bowers 10 tho south
west was made during the admins
tratlon Mt Washington of Presder
Chester A. Arthur. and tho work WA
done under tho direction of the soc
retary OF the interior. The instruc
lions given 10 Bowers were to locat
and sketch out possible fields, and
is important TO present day oil an
gas Industry that he mapped III
future Oklahoma MS an oil producln
area. Latter day Eeologists haN
fully ana profitably worked out IN
districts, mapped by Bowers as POI
EMENzHzEnRGLs El.EnaEnzlNEEzE