The Glenwood post., 1924-03-13
uacIe TETS BED Tine Stories
Current Events for the Childrss
and Grown-ups, TOO
OLA BARREL IN A TANK Is
WORTH TWO IN THE GROUND

"Here comes Uncle Ted," cried
Jack, as he and Ruth spied their pop
ular relative coming up the walk. I'm
Gle Ted had been on trip to Washing
ton, but he had telegraphed his friends
that he would be back that evening.
They knew that every time he visited
the national capital he heard and saw
many things that would be put into
stories for their evenings entertain
ment.
"Hullo, children" called Uncle Ted
as he saw their eager faces. "Don It
ask me to talk now. I am tired and
cold and hungry after my long trip.
Just let me have a warm dinner and a
something of what I saw at Washing
TONI
1t was not long before the familiar
group was gathered around the fire
place. Jack began, "When you were
gone I saw lot of headlines about
navy oil, Teapot Dome, and tanks. l
didn It try to read about them, because
I was afraid I could not understand it
even if I tried. Now, won't you tell
us what all this talk about oil has to
do with our navy?"
"You are a very observing young
- Tol j.
"This matter of oil may decide the
next war in which the United States
may become engaged, but most people
do not realize the Importance and
know little more about it than you do
When I was in Washington 1 learned
some things that, I hope, will make
You understand it.
"Nearly all our battleships burn oil
instead of coal. During times of peace
it is easy enough to buy oil from pri-
vate sources, but in times of war they
cannot be depended upon, so the gov
ernment determined to have an oil
supply of its own. Some large tracts
of land in California and Wyoming,
known to contain oil, were therefore
reserved by the navy for its own use.
Those reservations were made by Pres
idents Taft and Wilson. It was
thought at the time that the oil could
stay in the ground, where it would be
perfectly safe until needed by the
navy.
''But all the ground around these
reserves contains oil, too. 1t is all
owned or leased by private companies
which have been busily taking out oil
and gas for several years. Now, the
oil is contained in sand several thous
and feet underground, and when a wei
is bored into that sand and the OF
from the sand in all directions. Ther
there is a great deal of gas in the
sand with the oil. 1t is under great
pressure and forces the oil part way
up the well where it can easily bt
brought to the surface. But the gas
after awhile, is all blown out, too, and
then it is almost impossible to get any
more oil,even with the most powerful,
pumps.
"With those wells all around the ma
val reserves, each one pumping out oil
and gas as fast as it could, the oil was
being rapidly drained and the gas pres
sure speedily lowered in the naval re.
serves themselves. In other words. the
reserves would soon be nearly wort
less as future source of fuel for the
navy. Everybody knew what was 90.
ing on, so what did the government
doY 1t made a contract with two of
the biggest oil men in the country To
dig wells all over the naval reserves
IN California and Wyoming and begin
to get the oil ont of them at once
They were Mr.. Doheny and Mr.. Sin.
clair. They were not only to dig wells
and pump oil, but were also to build
pipe lines to carry the oil to the sea.
coast, where big tanks were to be
erected to hold the oil until needed
The tanks were to be located at At.
lantic and Pacific ports and in Hawaii.
where our ships could just run up to
the dock and have it pumped aboard
ready for burning.
Payment to the oil men for all