, 1922-06-08
Teapot Not jackpot

TEAPoT DOME, an oil structure. in Natrona
Il county, Wyoming, for the past ninety days has
occupied considerable public attention. Yards and
yards of space matter have been printed IN news
papers throughout the country. Those who knew
and those who did not know, wrote upon the sub
iect. Some were honest in opinion, others thinly
yelled selfish motives; still others were inspired by
fear or jealousy. Some even had graft %uPpermost
in mind Partisan politics and personal advance
ment were not omitted in the publicity purveyed to
the people -.
The smoke screen occasioned by the burning of
such quantity of Greek fire has been dissipated.
The public mind has been cleared of confusion by a
better Understandings; and the leasing of the Tea
pot now bears less semblance to the opening OF
a political or economical jackpot than certain well
meaning but uniformed people world have us
believe
The Teapot dome, as most everybody now knows
is a structure adjoining the famous Salt Creek
oil field. 1t is officially known as Naval OIL he
serve No. 3, withdrawn from the operation of all
laws by presidential proclamation in 1915 for the
uses and purposes of the United States navy to IN,
sure an adequate supply of fuel oil. 1t is Il fleld
supposedly as rich in oil as Salt Greek. Fully
tested but in no sense exploited. Its location pre-
vented development, as a source of fuel supply, on
the part of the government. The quality OF OIL
underlying the dome is of higher value for other
purposes than for fuel. There was no outlet for
the product, or possibility of transporting 1t TO the
seacoast even if the federal government ever de
cided to embark in the business os producing oil,
which the people have long since determined, along
vith most other industrial and public utility eff
forts, to be n matter for private enterprise
When no feasible plan could be devised to secure
the oil underlying the Teapot the matter was laid
bfore the congress. That body, in its wisdom,
PASSED an act entitled "An Act Making Appropria-
tion for the Naval Service for the Fiscal Year End
ing June 80, 1921, and for Others Purposes" which
was approved by the president June a, 1920. Among
the features of this act was the Authority granted
to the secretary of the interior with the consent
and approval of the secretary OF the navy, Tor the
leasing of naval oil reserves to private persons, TO
secure a proper supply of fuel oil for the navy; and
for storage of same at proper bases or exchange
upon proper terms as in the judgment of the sec
retaries seemed best
Tor than a wear no person OF aQeQu1Ie
means in capital and experience appeared to un:
dertake SO vast an enterprise as the leasing and
exploiting of Teapot dome entailed. Shortly pre-
vious to April of the present year Harry h. SIN
clair of the Sinclair oil and refining interests or
yanized the Mammoth Oil company, an ~independ-
pnt concern, applied for and was granted a lease OF
the Teapot dome involving something like 9,32l
acres. The lease was executed on April z OF this
wear by the secretaries of the interior ana navy
with the approval of the president of the United
States. under an act of congress, and deemed by
these public servants to be for the best interests
and advantage of the people.
The lease is carefully drawn, as all government
ENGAGEMENTS are drawn, and by the best legal
minds of the nation is held a perfect document
fully protecting the interests of the people. The
lease carries a royalty to the United States up TO
so per cent according to production and spectre
gravity. So much for the history of and the record
in the case.
The lease to the Mammoth Oil company is in oper
alton. and the company is now engaged IN prepare,
lions to drill the land. IN a very brief time oil
viii be flowing from the Teapot instead of the
tempest of the past ninety days. There is not the
slightest doubt that the Mammoth company viii
not fulfill to the letter the contract made with
the United States. :,
So far as the people of Wyoming are concerned
whether the coming of the Mammoth company is
an advantage or a detriment to them, they have
these things to take into consideration. The de-
velopment of another new and large oil territory,