Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1922-04-06
TEST WELL WILL
Be DRILLED
Prospects For Test Well Brightens
With the Arrival of Machinery
And Expert Drillers and Oil Men.

With all that has been said in the
columns of the Oxford Eagle, and
the smuci1 talked of prospects for
putting down a test oil we'll near
Oxford, nothing has had such a re-
viving and enlivening effect on the
general public around Oxford as did
the arrival ON Tuesday of the drill
ing machinery to be used in putting
down the first test we'll in the Ok
ford oil field. The people around
town, some of them, were almost
overcome with emotion, excitement
ard fervency when the news of the
arrival of the oil well machinery was
being, passed from mouth to mouth
Tuesday morning.
And it may mean the beginning
of the development of one of the
richest oil territories in the United
States. Hixson is on record as pre-
dieting that veritable lake of oil
would some day be tapped in La
fayette county, near Oxford. Hixson
did not have the money to put down
test wells, but he is due the credit
for sowing the seed which may
bring forth millions in wealth within
our midst. Other geologists passed
over the territory explored by Hix-
son-they stopped-exclainled coil
here, sure" Then many more geolo
gists were called in toy pass on the
structures and indications, of oil in
the Oxford territory, all of whom
not only gave encouraging reports
but most flattering reports of their
findings-save one-the State geolo-
gist-who was not altogether sure
that a trace of oil ever existed in
our Lafayette county territory.
Hartsfield, McCharen and others,
men VINO have the courage of their
conviction when it comes to a gamble
on oil, have kept the atmosphere
smelling like oil for, the past two
years, and to them too is due the
credit for the arrival of gigantic
machinery, cables, boilers, pumps,
etc, which will be used in making an
actual test.
The striking of eil in this territory
would mean what it has meant in Ell
Dorado, Ark, Mexia, Texas, and
other places; it would mean an in
flux of thousands of people from the
four points of the United States; it
would mean that Oxford would be-
come a city in a fortnight, and that
property values in Oxford and near
proven territory would jump by
leaps and bounds; that buying and
selling property would be an activity
worth while. Homes, lands, leases
would change hands possibly half
dozen times day. And the peo-
pie of Oxford would not have time
to speak to their best friends when
meeting them on the streets; the at
mospheric condition would be chang
ed from that placid, pleasant state
to that of chaotic, excitement and
fervor.
But, let US wait and see what we
really have before we say or do too
much; let's take an inventory of our
wealth below, or beneath the soil. If
we find that we have oil, then will
l1 nh, 10 cfo vi
seculative campaign.
The machinery has arrived. Trucks
and wagons were put to work Tues
day hauling it to the proposed oil
well site.
The derrick was completed last
week.
Work will be pushed as rapidly
as possible in setting up the ma
chinery. A full equipment of expert
oil men and drillers are in charge of
erecting the rig, and no time will be
lost in getting the drill started.
The Eagle will publish the log of
the well as it progresses, and will
keep our readers posted as to the
news of the oil field each week.
The next day after the spudding
in of the oil well, if such should be
our luck, the Eagle will appear daily
on the streets, instead of weekly, as
now. We have the machinery and
equipment for turning out an eight
page daily. All we are lacking is the
force of men, and we will get them,
if we strike oil.
We understand that the company
at the head of the oil prospecting
here has ample capital to carry the
work to completion. This, Of course
means great deal, in wild cat ter
ritory. We have not been able to