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Mr. Jno.[sp?] Olle Racine, Wis. Nov. 5, 1923
Dear Jack: We wired you just now to the effect that if we knew positively
you would succeed on the deal we could hold pressing claims two weeks
longer if necessary (or perhaps still longer)
["longer" is a guess, looks more like "longun"] but to do so we
must know what to expect so can promise accordingly - I know you and
Tom are working and neither of you got where you stand except by
work - I know this job makes both of you an extra burden, but it
is worth while - If it succeeds I will take care of Tom in a fair way
as I told you, but don't want to hamper him by any direct promises.
Both of you know me - |
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Magnolia are now taking all Cement
oil & they would not do this if bottom was not reached. Other Okla
& Calif friends are dropping very fast as you probably know. All
of the operators are effecting []e, "ting" obvious, an overall guess]
and working to create a shortage of crude in 1924 so as to make up what 1923
has cost them - Corporation dept. of Okla say they will force Magnolia to finish
[???][might be 'pipe'] line to Cement if several land owners
will enter complaint and I am told such complaint is in process.
Deducting 55c per bbl. hurts the [???][sta??/slat?, possibly 'stake' or 'state']
income as well as others and Okla is not a friend of Magnolia or of any
Standard Oil Co. - and never was as you know from the old original Std. oil unit
[might be 'suit'] that broke up Std. - Weather is again fine &
sunshining - Regards to all of you Toomau [Toomace?]also - Think I can
throw line now, Yours Sincerely Geo. Gorton
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Dear Tom: - Nov. 29 _ 1923 _
I have your wire of yesterday saying you had turned papers over to Cahoon
4 weeks ago. Thanks - I was not doubting for a minute that you had done
all you could do Tom - There are some things I don not quite fathom - I
am sure Cahoon would also do all he could do, but there is one man in the saddle
(and his horse is getting old.) whom I do not and never will understand.
You know whom I mean - I am extremely sorry for him, and when a man studies
matters over he cannot help feeling sad and very sorry fro that kind of man,
even though sometimes it makes us "very mad" -
Yours Sincerely Geo. Gorton -OVER-
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[starting about two inches from the top]
Things seem to be simmering
away slowly and not getting us anywhere - They do not seem to realize
that we cannot hold out much longer - I have spent all the money myself that
I dare spend to save things and they are worth saving
and if saved will pay big. Conditions are better now than
in months past.
We have a suit that goes to trial Dec. 12 and it cannot be delayed, as have
had it set ahead 3 times before - this suit is against a drilling contractor for
some $25,000 - casing he took of ours & sold and we cannot fail to win at
least $12,000 - our lawyers say $20,000 - It takes in expenses &
lawyer fees - $1000 - in advance & I personally cannot see my way to put
up the amt. in addition to what I am now advancing each week - If Racine
does not hurry the suit is lost as we shall not have sufficient time
to get our lawyer properly posted at Amarillo, Tex. If you can put in a
word that will hurry Racine up [now writing up the right side]do so.
I don't know as you can however here is some more [now upside down at top
of page] good news - Magnolia are starting to connect up tank farm to line,
to Run Cement's Oil - W.R.Ramsey - Okla. City, a big oil
man & on the inside says, Cement
oil will be $3.00 by Feby. 1924
Cement crude has been found to contain a substitute for TURPENTINE, being
30% of such and it is the only known crude oil
[now writing along left column] in existence having this
It is very valuable therefore - GET THIS LAST TWO NEWS ITEMS
TO CAHOON PLEASE - ( I am clear around Tom, and can go no further - G.G )
[last in reference to being out of space on the paper]
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Dear Tom: - July 15 _ 1926
Replying to yours of 13th find enclosed (if you please) endorsed note. Did not
remember I had endorsed first one.
We got a nice little well 45 days ago #4 wagner [wogner?], which has paid
back to us a little more than $5000 - Quick it came in -
#5 wogner has been finished over a week but only got it pumping yesterday
It has about 8,000,000 Ft. of gas but did now flow
[slow?] oil it would produce as the oil gradually drained the gas out -
Pressure not enough to raise a column of
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oil 1800 ft. high -
I think it will pump about 60 bbls. 50 at least, and will net us
about $3500 or $4000 for 30 days as this is a lighter grade of oil than any other
in Cement - Started drilling #6 wogner this am. & down 300 Ft. this is
in the middle of Wogner north 40 I am expecting it will be same oil & as
large as #5. When this is done we will move 1/2 mile due north of office
on Marchand 160 which has no well on it and the S.W. corner where we will drill
is 1/4 mile from Magnolia well drilled 90 days ago that is still pumping 100bbls.
Hope to get as good in ours -
Things coming along very nicely as we will soon have our production
doubled - #6 wogner should do this - Have been a little under the weather last 30
days - Hope you are well Tom - My regards to you and everyone that needs
same - Yours G. Gorton
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At some point, litigation was started vs. The Gorton Trust, for reasons still
not well understood by this author.
This triggered a fairly complex series of events, which resulted in multiple
business entities being involved (the extent of which is not fully understood
by this author). However, based upon some records discovered in July, 2010,
some of the affected corporations included: The Gorton Trust, Betty G Petroleum,
Cala-Belle Oil, and Concrete Petroleum Co. At a guess, the latter is named
based upon the location in Cement, OK.
Some letters regarding the litigation have survived, and were recorded as
George Gorton Machine Co. form # 1931
The litigation was started by Clifton Strom, Joe Jagersberger, and
F.Lee Norton.
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