Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 158, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 July 1916 — OIL FEVER CONTAGION WORKING AT THAYER [ARTICLE]

OIL FEVER CONTAGION WORKING AT THAYER

Operations Start At Once On What May Result in Big Field—4,ooo Acres Leased For Oil. With 4,000 acres of land in Lake and Newton counties leased for oil privileges to the Thayer Oil and Gas Co., and machinery in process tion for drilling, the Kankakee river district for miles around is the scene of activity that may result in the opening up of extensive oil fields. The oil fever has spread in the past week until some owners of land around Thayer think of nothing else. Drilling on land leased from Tho 3. Grant, the ex-sheriff of Lake county, will start at once, it is announced, within four hundred feet from the well that produced 250 barrels of oil a few years ago and led to the formation of the present company, which incorporated as a million dollar concern late in April. As the field is within 30 odd miles of Whiting, where the Standard Oil Company maintains its largest refineries, the promoters state that once they get the oil on top of the ground, they should have no trouble in getting a market. Oil is selling at $1.60 a barrel today. The gas is of great value, also. For six years ex-Sheirff Grant has used gas for lighting, heating and cooking at the house he has on his holdings at Thayer. John L. Walker is representing the Thayer Oil and Gas Co., in Hammond. The company is incorporated to sell a million shares, which are now on the market.