A Gas Boom in Benton County, Complete With a Camp Lit by Its Own Well

Although the feverish excitement which surrounded the community a few months ago, when everybody saw visions of wealth in gas and oil holdings, has subsided, there has been no flagging enthusiasm among the men who are actively engaged in developing the productive gas and oil field in this county. Rather the enthusiasm of these men has been growing as nothing has happened to weaken their faith in the great possibilities of the district.

Word has been received here that the Yakima Natural Gas Oil Company has resumed drilling on the Knudson ranch after a shut down of several weeks to await the arrival of casing. This well is now down below the 800-foot level and the operators have every reason to believe they will tap the gas strata in a very short time.

The Walla Walla Oil, Gas Pipe Line Company are drilling an 18-inch hole with a big standard rig and are down 150 feet.

Herbert G. Harris, manager of the Walla Walla company, was in Kennewick yesterday. He is more than optimistic over the prospects. His company have leased the old gas well and have piped the gas to the new camp where it is used for driving the big engine and for heating and lighting the driller’s houses, and they still have all kinds of it left over for demonstration purposes. Water has been piped from a spring on the hillside, a distance of two miles, and the camp, which has been given the name 'Hill Notch,' enjoys the distinction of being the only place on the map of the state of Washington that is lighted and heated by natural gas.

'We have meant business right from the start,' said Mr. Harris. 'We have some of the state’s most substantial men interested in our company and at no time have we been handicapped by the lack of capital with which to operate. We have installed the largest and most complete drilling outfit it is possible to buy and we are sinking the largest hole that has ever been drilled in the Northwest. We have the equipment to go to a depth of 4,000 feet if necessary and we are going until we get oil. We may not get it in this hole but we are not going to stop with one. Even though we do not get the oil we are certain we will have a big paying proposition in gas. If no other gas is ever struck the one well now flowing will prove a good commercial proposition. We have already made preliminary surveys for a pipe line to Walla Walla by way of Richland and Kennewick and we have far more gas than is necessary to supply all the needs of these four towns. The present flow of the well, if sold at the regular commercial rates, would in seven months pay for the cost of piping it from the well to Walla Walla.'

Mr. Harris’ purpose in visiting the city was to interest the Kennewick business men in an excursion which is to be run to the well December 7. Mr. Harris recently addressed the Spokane Chamber of Commerce and so many of the Spokane men expressed a desire to visit the field that plans were at once begun for an excursion. Mr. Harris is now carrying the excursion idea a little further in that he is endeavoring to get delegations from the commercial bodies of Walla Walla, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser to make the trip the same day and meet the Spokane men at Hill Notch.

When it comes to enthusiasm Mr. Harris has nothing on W. R. Crawford who has just returned from the Yakima company’s well. 'Drilling at our well has been progressing slowly but surely,' said Mr. Crawford. 'We are now down 817 feet and the indications for both gas and oil are excellent. We have not been saying much lately but—'