The Washington times., 1925-10-27

trip, and | proceeded to gather
data and Illustrations, for the first
number.
Coincidently Il wrote several
prospectuses for different oil pro-
motion companies, receiving 500
or $3.50 for each one. The Burk-
burnett and Ranger and BESIDE
mona oil fields were all booming,
and hundreds of oil companies had
been organized and were selling
stock all over the country.
Bearing on Downfall
Personally I knew several per-
sons who had grown rich over
night, and I was honest in writ
ing very convincing and flowery
arguments why people should in
vest money in oil. I didn't realize
it at the time, but this work for
the oil companies was to play
vital part in my decline. I was
obliged to spend good deal Of
my time in Fort Worth, where
some of the companies occupied
entire floors of large office build
ings, and where saw money and
checks come in by the basketful
every mail.
I made several flying trips
through the oil fields, and saw
wells being drilled by the hun
dreds, and men working like
beavers, night and day-at night
by the unearthly flare of natural
gas that had recently been
tapped.
Within two or three weeks /
had much more work than I
could possibly do, and was obliged
to decline many attractive offers.
Mildred kept telling me / ought
to organize an office force to take
care of the mechanical part of
the work, the tipping and re-typ-
ing and proof reading and run
ming back and forth, and I knew
she was right. With such an
organization at that time I could
have made a great deal of money.
But / was too busy with actual
orders and things to be done to
give the time necessary for eff
fecting an organization.
Going To Fast
Several times on my trips
through the oil fields l took
drinks. Booze was everywhere.
But I was going too fast to stop
for a spree, and the few drinks
did take seemed like so much
water. I was away from home
a great deal, and sleeping in the
most outlandish places imaginable
often to the deep "ker-chunk-
ker-chunk" of the heavy oil drills
and in the fitful flare of the
snake-like gas Vets, some Of those
several feet long, and burning
night and day because there was
no way to extinguish them.
/ was making lots of money,
and spending lots. had solemn
ly promised Mildred that / would
keep in touch with her every DAY,
no matter where I was. To do
this sometimes had to telephone
two or three hundred miles, over
newly constructed, private lines
and paying enormous bills.
Accommodations in the oil
fields, such as they were, were
shy GACH Tic OdyS
trading in leases and the nights
playing poker. Scarlet women
fitted through the picture every
where.
On my trips for the oil men I
got write-ups on the various new
towns and settlements, some Of
which had organized chambers of
commerce and gave me as high
as $50 for quarter-page advertise
ments in the forthcoming South
western Industrial Survey" which
was keeping in mind all the
time.
Ex-ActOr in Charge.
On my frequent trips int Dallas
I found letters from Hicks, in
closing checks and advertising
copy and some write-ups from
cities and towns he was visiting.
/ was forced to open an office
in Dallas, and / put in charge
a man named Johnson, a tall,
thin, watery eyed, shaky-voiced in
dividual. He had ben recon-
mended by Hicks, and was an
ex-actOr.
Ito Be Continued Tomorrow