Houston News
by Aadesh Thirukonda and Josh Park
Spindletop Discovery
A new industry is here! On January 10th 1901, The Hamill Brothers, who were hired by the Anthony Lucas drilled and were able to shoot oil around 100 for 9 days in a place where geologists thought barely any oil was found. The “Lucas Gusher” as they called had made the United States the leading country in oil.
Palito Higgins had a dream of striking oil in Texas. He was a businessman making bricks. He thought near Spindletop Hill there was oil. Despite, geologists saying there won’t be oil; Higgins still continued his dream by buying Spindletop Hill and created Gladys City Company. Its purpose was to locate and drill oil. One of his employees was Anthony Lucas, who had experience with oil. Next Lucas assigned The Hamill brothers to Spindletop Hill to drill oil.
When they were trying, they failed many times due to the sand. They tried and got many wrong gases. Finally on January 10th after failing 2 months the Hamill brothers gave one last try to get oil and succeeded by pumping out 100,000 barrels a day!
After 1901, many wildcatters started drilling oil and produced more than 17,500,500 barrels the next year. Spindletop had created about 600 oil companies. Due to this oil, many towns near Spindletop including Beaumont, Houston, BATSON, Borger and many others. Now “Black Gold” which men called oil is now Texas and the world’s #1 industry.
Letters on Boom Towns
Letter on Boom Town Support
Dear Editor,
I am here to support boom towns. Boom Towns have made our economy expand, because now cause of oil, our state as now made USA #1 industry in oil. Now other people can be together really well. Next other towns have been increased very well. Some towns such as Batson is now one of the most populated cities in the US! This is why boom towns are success. Stevie Patel once said, “More success is good success” I hope you take my letter as success.
Josh Park
Letters on Boom Towns Opposing
Dear editor,
I oppose the spread of oil boom towns. I feel that the all of a sudden building of a town and economy around oil will seem good at the beginning but think of the after effects. When the oil runs out in that area the economy crashes because the economy depended only on the oil and there is no more of it. Then the town becomes abandoned and the people who worked and lived there will have nothing after the supply runs out. Then this leads to an unstable economy for the whole state because the towns pop up everywhere seems the economy is doing well. Then all the oil runs out and the towns are abandoned and the economy falls because they had been dependent on the oil production of these towns. Clell Reed said this, "People is better than economy" Thanks and I hope you have a nice day.
Sincerely,
Josh Park
Clell Reed interview
We were able to talk to Clell Reed for some evidence on Lucas Gusher on Spindletop. Reed was the second oldest son and had a great interest on oil. He and his two brothers were hired by Anthony Lucas to help drill oil at Spindletop Hill. Here are some questions to answer.
Question- How much oil did you expect?
Reed- We only expected oil for 2.5 days
Q- How much money did you make from Spindletop
Reed- Millions
Q- How did you feel about Spindletop?
Reed- Fascinated it was amazing
That is the interview with Clell Reed.
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