The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-05-24

True to his Scotch ancestry, per-
sistence and courage, combined will
remarkable vision, typify Gordon
Campbel's personality.
Montana discovered that he was a
fighter and a sticker when he brought
in the first commercial well in the
state-the Van Duzen well of the
DEVILS Basin field in Musselshell
county on November 6, 1919. The en-
tire state was eIated with that success,
and it quickly forgot the four years
of heartbreaking effort made by Cor
don Campbell to accomplish this sue
cess.
Tipped Off Cat Creek
1t is also remembered now by many
of his friends how he gave the tip to
4 gcologist which led to the discovery
nf the Cat Creek field. he was drill
ing at the Van Duzen well; he was
short Of funds; he had a few friends /;
s'leptcs crowded around to tell him he
did not know whnt he was doing.
While engaged in this work a geo'0-
gsst came by and asked him II lie
knew of any other fields near there.
Tie waved his hand toward the north
and said. "you will find one up there
i Little ways"
The geologist jumped in his car,
went 40 or so miles north. looked over
The Cat Creek field, reported favorabiy
,n it. kept it secret until the Federal
Oil Land Leasing bill was passed. when
Cat Creek came in with spectacular
ooom His geology was demonstrated
in the Burk-Burnett (Texas) Held TO
the surprise of many of the oldest ge-
ologists in the United States. Many
IF them were unable to determine
where the structure. was They could
not find the proper indications on the
surface which they sought. GORDON
Campbell brought two quartz miners
from San Francisco; they snnk %
foot shaft. Gordon Campbell went
Down the shaft inspected the wallis OF
he shaft and came up with sHf1lclent
geological information to enable MN
q make the Burk- Burnett field sue
cess.
Persistence Wins
His persistence was demonstrated
IN the DEVILS Basin field when three
lines he had the capital raised to com
1iete the drilling of the well, when one
,r another circumstance occurred
which swept away his promise of the
means to succeed. He never stopped
trying in spite or criticism and skeptl-
ism and sarcasm, and when he did
hring in the well. made but small,
l,altry sum for his four years OF effort.
When he was free to enter the Cat
Creek field, he discovered thar me
available acreage had been gohhlod up
ny Il rush of Montana men. money ana
,nergy. which resembled the early gold
rush of Montana and the klondlke-
IT was then that Gordon Campbell
turned nOrthward to the now famous
sweet Grass Arch He surveyed and
mapped this entire great structure.
He finally decided on the Rocky Ridge
lome as the most favorable place for
his venture. This field lies about 20
niles south of the Canadian boundary.
in Toole county. Montana; it is tapped
nv branch of the Great Northern run
ming north from the town of Shelby
TO Sweet Grass on the G. p. r.
Repays Handsomely
After completing the survey in 1920
he made strenuous efforts TO raise the
eapital to permit him TO drill one well.
In doing so he gave 90 associates in
I,ewistown and Great Falls a few
hundred acres for S10,00OOO, with
which he erected the derrick for the
original discovery well. Those men
formed a company which has paid
within year after the completion OF
The discovery well, 1000 per cent in
dividends from the sale of small
mart of their small original holdings.
Gordon Campbell handled the deal
which brought them their returns lie
included part of their acreage III MS
when he sold few hundred acres for
a total of s396,eO0O0. at the rate OF |
e4OO per acre, to the California Com