- Eureka 1910-1919 - (Part 6 of 12) -
“In August, 1915, there was a large trade between J.D. Thompson, of Texas, and Fred Kessler of Corder, MO., for the Thompson ranch of 1,400 acres southwest of Hamilton. Mr. Thompson taking cattle in exchange. The ranch is put in at $60,000. It is understood that the ranch will be cut up into smaller farms, and occupied by at least four families, of German extraction.
Not many knew that Greenwood County was the prize “twin county” in Kansas in 1915, but such was the case. The census found forty pairs of twins in Greenwood County on March 1, 1915. A larger number than in any other county in the state.
The desire of long years’ standing for a movie house worthy of an enterprising town like Eureka was finally realized in November of 1915 when the new Princess Theatre was formally opened. The new theatre is located on Main Street and occupies the south half of the G.K. Jackson building north of the Collins Block. (G&W store now occupy the building) The new structure is attractive outside and particularly are the interior decorations pleasing to the eye. W.L. Shively, the proprietor, who has lived here but a few months, has shown that he knows how to fit in to the life and ways of the community, and his enterprise merits marked success. It is understood that Mr. Shively put up a guarantee of $500 to “The Third Degree” management and that he made good on the show.
Fredonia defeated Eureka 40 to 7 in November of 1915, but the big story was the team went down in cars and had tire troubles and it took five hours to get there. The team returned the next morning about 4:30 a.m., due to more tire trouble.
In January of 1916, Greenwood County was in the midst of an oil boom the likes of which has never been seen in this part of the country, although on numerous occasions during the past fifteen years there has been some excitement over the prospects of finding gas or oil in paying quantities in this vicinity. The hotels at Eureka are filled with wildcatters, speculators and representatives of large oil companies who are keen for leases on land in Greenwood County. The great oil finds at Augusta and El Dorado, together with the striking of a big gasser on the Granville Lewis farm, fifteen miles southwest of Eureka, have caused the excitement and rush of fortune hunters.
Until a week ago those who got in on the ground floor had no trouble in getting leases on land at one dollar per acre per year, payment to be made at the end of the first year, if development was not begun before that time. This gave the lessor the right to hold the land for twelve months without cost and in case he cared to cancel the lease at the end of one year he would be out no money. This week prices on leases have advanced materially and a number of property owners in South Salem, Spring Creek, Otter Creek, Eureka and Bachelor townships have received substantial cash payments in advance for leases on their land. Leases have been signed up at from 50 cents to $2.00 per acre in advance.
The Carter Oil Company, the Gypsy Oil Company, both said to be subsidiaries of the Standard Oil Company, and many independent companies and speculators are making headquarters in Eureka and taking lease in the county.
The Lewis gas well, the first big gasser in this territory, is said to be a 3 million foot well and those who claim to know say it will furnish Eureka for years. Lewis received $2 per acre bonus on some of his land.
A big standard rig is being built on the T.F. Riley farm, two miles northeast of the Lewis well and drilling will begin there soon. There is a rumor that Mr. Riley received $5 per acre bonus for the lease of the land where this drill is located and has other land he is holding at a higher figure.
That Greenwood County is in the oil belt seems assured and with the opening of spring great activity is expected in developing this territory. With the fact that a flow of gas was struck in the first hole drilled in Otter Creek township, is sufficient evidence that those who are informed on the subject feel confident oil in paying quantities will be found here.
In June of 1916 the Eureka Board of Education voted to ask for a special election to vote $35,000 bonds to build a grade school building in Eureka. The reasons are as follows: 1. The Board proposes to abandon the East Side school in the event that bonds are voted for a new grade school building as the East Side School is not desirable for school use for the following reasons: Rooms and parts of room are poorly lighted, the heating plant does not afford good service, and it is not deemed advisable to install a new heating plant in such an old building, as the building is an old one and is in bad repair, the Board regards it a wiser expenditure of money to build a new one.
2. The increase in the grade school enrollment has made it imperative that the Board hire an additional eight-year teacher for next year. The best place now for this eight year is on the third floor of the High School. The Board regards this, however, as a temporary arrangement for two reasons: First, the rooms cannot be sanitary as they are poorly lighted, poor ventilated, hard to heat, and too difficult for eight-year pupils to reach unless they are in the best of health. Second, it adds further to the already cramped conditions of the High School as it will probably be necessary to conduct both the sewing and cooking in the domestic science room until relief is provided.
3. The Board recognizes the fact that owing to the steady increase in high school attendance each year it will probably be compelled by the fall of 1917 to remove the eighth year from the third floor of the high school in order to provide a place for the increased high school enrollment. In fact, the high school was compelled to use both the Superintendent’s and the Principal’s office for regular recitation work this last school year. High School classes could use the third floor for recitation without working any particular hardship as they would be there only forty-five minutes at a time, while the eighthyear pupils are compelled to remain there all day long.
Three ladies were badly hurt and a number of others received slight injuries in an accident which happened in Eureka on the morning of the Fourth of July, 1916. The ladies of the Royal Neighbors had prepared a float to take part in the Fourth of July parade. They were all seated on the float and had just started to the park when a wheel ran off the wagon and the ladies, twenty or more in number, were thrown to the ground. One lady had a deep gash in her scalp that required stitches, another lady’s right shoulder and side were badly bruised and was unable to get out of bed for two days. The third lady sustained a dislocation of the bones of her right wrist. In the back of the wagon the tap on the end of the axle became loosened and when the team started forward the wheel ran off.
The football game between Fredonia and Eureka in November 1916 was called off on account of Fredonia not being able to pay the expense of the Eureka team down there. ( Team expenses were partly paid by home team in 1916.) The Fredonia High School seems to be financially embarrassed as they stated that they could not give over $40 for expenses, while the expense would be about $60. The Fredonia team is supposed to be a strong one in athletic circles and a school of that size should be able to pay expenses of a visiting team. The Eureka school pays double that amount for their games. The Eureka team has been defeating most of the teams that it has played this year and it is thought by the football boys that Fredonia does not want to play Eureka.
In November of 1916 Walter F. McGinnis, oil king and town builder purchased the three-story brick building on the southwest corner of Main and Second Streets known as the While Building. The lower floor was occupied by the Hover & Mustard harness shop and Dr. E.J. Norman’s offices. The Eureka Commercial Club rooms are on the second floor and the entire third floor is occupied by the Masonic orders. (The third floor is no longer on the building, due to structural problems) Mr. McGinnis and his brother, S.A. McGinnis are members of the McGinnis- Hastings Oil and Gas Company which has leased ten thousand acres of land in this county for gas and oil purposes.
An article in the December 21,1916 edition of The Herald found that Greenwood County had 177 silos as of March, 1914. As of 1916 it is believed there maybe 275 silos in the county. The average capacity for the silos is 120 tons. Investigation found the cost of filling silos is 87 cents a ton and the cost of growing the crop is $1.58, thus making the net cost of ensilage in silo only $2.45 a ton. C.R. Phipps, professor of agriculture at the Kansas Normal School at Emporia, says, “The farmer, who builds a good silo is making a money saving investment and silage is an excellent substitute for any kind of green forage.”
“Big Wages in the Oil Field “was the headline of the article talking about the hazardous calling for men who handled nitroglycerin in the oil country. Yet there is scarcely an instance wherein some man has paid the price but what another is ready to take his place before a curious crowd had finished picking up the scattered remains.
The wage paid men who handle “nitro” is above the average, but when the danger in handling “stock” is considered, the wage is a small matter. The average oil well “shooter” or “stock” hauler says there is something fascinating about the job. No one ever heard a “shooter” or “stock” hauler express fear or the desire to quit the business.
Of late years there have not been as many accidents in the oil fields of Oklahoma resulting from the explosion of “nitro” as in other fields in days gone by. The “shooters” and others engaged in handling the explosives are growing more careful.
Oil well drillers and tool dressers are the highest paid laborers, organized or unorganized in the country. Drillers receive $8 a day and tool dresser $7 a day. Many work “straight time.” Even at these figures there is a scarcity of this class of labor.
There is not a branch of the oil business where employees are organized. There are no “walking delegates” and wage disputes are little known in the oil country. Not a class of laborers receives less than $2.25 a day, the wages of ditch diggers. Rig builders, whose work is almost as dangerous as that of the men who handle nitroglycerin, average $4 a day.
Teamsters are paid high in the oil country, receiving $6 a day. There is talk of their demanding an increase to $6.50 a day because of the high cost of feed and material. But there will be no strike. When the time comes for them to make the demand it will be met without any trouble. Ten hours a day is the average time most oil worker’s labor.”
