Eleven Oil Claims Filed Near Rattlesnake Gas Well
Prospectors scramble to file claims as geological interest in potential oil deposits spikes.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The oil rush is on. Clark Bros. Klein, by their explorations in the vicinity of the gas well in the Rattlesnake district, have started something. The auditor yesterday received filings on eleven claims and it is reported that another bunch of at least fifteen will come in today. Yesterday’s filings included colorful names such as the 'Sagebrush Annie Gusher' and 'Hail Stone Gusher.' A. C. Klein, H. A. Slee and Geologist C. M. Edgett are still camped at the well and are continuing their investigations. When asked to verify the rumor that his company had ordered two outfits and would start drilling immediately, Mr. Klein said the report was without foundation, noting they were still waiting for the geologists' final report.
“The oil rush is on.”
The 'oil rush' to the Rattlesnake Hills demonstrates the classic boom-time fervor of early Washington, where hope for untapped resources could quickly drive local speculation. While the oil boom never materialized as hoped, the area remained significant for its natural gas reserves and ongoing geological survey work.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.