What Stocktonites Were Doing 98 Years Ago
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Stockton’s opportunity for an oil well has gone “blooy.” Drilling at the Low Test stopped the first of the week. The drill had penetrated to a depth of 3,504 feet with no oil showing. It is expected by the latter part of the week that work will begin to pull casing. It could not be learned what motive the Marland Company has in mind—whether they contemplate a further development of the field at this time or withdraw from it. It is authentically reported that the Marlands and other companies have been turning back leases in that vicinity as fast as the leases become due. Whether that means the companies are quitting this field remains to be seen. The Minx Oil Test will not be completed to the proposed depth of 4,500 feet, according to Father Mattingly of Zurich, one of the trustees of the fund of $7,000.00 raised among residents of Zurich and Plainville who were eager to see the well drilled deeper in search of a lower producing stratum of sand. Water sand was encountered shortly after drilling was resumed, and the flow was so strong it was thought inadvisable to attempt to remove it. It is now planned to plug the hole back to approximately 3,400 feet where the ten-barrel showing of oil was found and shoot the well to create the flow.