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How Did the Boom Affect Beaumont?
Spindletop brought many changes to Beaumont and its surrounding areas. Before the gusher, only about 9,000 people were living in Beaumont. Within three months after the Lucas Gusher, the population had grown to 30,000 people. What brought all these people to Beaumont? People stuffed every dollar they had in a suitcase and headed for Beaumont in hopes of buying a piece of land near Spindletop, drilling their own oil well, and becoming rich. Others rushed to Beaumont to get a job in the oil fields and learn a new trade. Still others came out of curiosity and excitement which created a carnival-like atmosphere.
Many problems occurred due to the rapid increase in the population in such a short period of time. First of all, there were not enough hotels and cafes to handle the enormous increase in population. People slept in tents, on pool tables, in barber chairs, and any other place they could find. Grocery stores and restaurants stayed open 24 hours a day in order to feed all the people. Housewives made sandwiches and sold them on the front porches of their homes. Also, fresh water was scarce. At one point, a barrel of fresh water sold for more than a barrel of oil!
Another problem that occurred was the lack of medical care. There were only a few doctors in Beaumont in 1901. They could not handle the increase of illnesses and injuries. Many people that came to Beaumont became ill because of unhealthy water, diseases caused by mosquitoes, and poor living conditions. In addition, the dangers of fire, explosion, and accident were always a major threat. Nevertheless, these poor conditions did not stop people from coming to Beaumont.
Not only people who wanted to make an honest living were drawn to Beaumont by the oil boom. Pickpockets, gamblers, and thieves also came to get their greedy hands on other people's money. Con artists were on every street corner trying to sell fake oil leases. Because of this, some people called Spindletop, "Swindletop."
The words Tracy Byrd sang in his song about Spindletop at the Centennial Celebration are so true:
"Some folks went broke;
Some folks got rich;
Poking holes in the ground;
Out here in the sticks;
That black gold was spewing way up in the sky;
Spindletop blew into town;
And Beaumont came to life!"
What Was It Like the the Day of the Boom?
Well folks, January 10, 1901 was a day that people will never forget. It started out a clear and cold day in Beaumont, Texas. Out on Spindletop Hill, three men were working on an oil derrick. Curt and Al Hamill along with Peck Byrd put a new bit on the drill and lowered it back into the 1,020 foot hole they had been drilling for months.
Suddenly, they heard a hissing sound. Then they had to run for cover because mud shot out of the hole, along with four tons of drilling pipe. After everything quietened down, the men returned to the oil derrick to clean up the mess. Next, the earth began to shake as oil erupted out of the ground. The roar of the geyser of oil was deafening. The oil shot 100 feet above the derrick. The men were covered with mud and oil.
People in Beaumont raced out to Spindletop to see the gusher. Their hair, skin, and clothing was soon covered with oil. Someone dropped a match and a fire started in a field next to the well. The drillers worked hard to put out the flames to prevent an explosion.
Captain Anthony F. Lucas was in Beaumont getting supplies when he heard the news. He jumped into his wagon and raced to the hill. He was so excited that he stood beside the gusher and let it "rain" on him. Later, they named the gusher after him.
It is estimated that nearly 3,000 gallons of oil were being spewed into the air every minute. It covered the hill and ran down into nearby streams. Animals, trees, and houses were covered in oil.
From January 10, 1901, through September 30, 2000, Spindletop has produced 155,700,000 barrels of oil. A barrel of crude oil amounts to 42 gallons.
The graph below compares the production of Spindletop to other early oil wells in the United States. As you can see, the graph speaks for itself as far as how Spindletop ranks in the production of oil in the United States.
Some interesting facts to note are:
- Spindletop produced twice as much oil as all the wells of Pennsylvania combined.
- During the first year, 1901, Spindletop produced 3.6 million barrels of oil for sale. Many more millions were wasted to evaporation, seepage, and fires.
- Within the next few months after Spindletop blew in, other wells were drilled and other gushers were produced. By the following year, 1902, 235 producing wells were drilled around Spindletop. The "Texas Oil Boom" had begun. Well #282 is still pumping today!
How Do You Drill An Oil Well?
Drilling for oil is a tough and risky job. It takes strong and skilled workmen. It also takes patience and time to drill an oil well. However, drilling for oil can be a very exciting adventure. If you would like to drill an oil well, get a general idea of what you will need to do below:Obtaining Leases &
Permits /
- Ask permission to drill on a site
- Obtain a mineral lease
- Get a drilling permit from the government
Preparing the Site /
- Clear land
- Take special precautions, if necessary, due to climate or terrain
- Build roads
- Obtain electrical power
- Develop a water system
Setting Up the Rig /
- Constuct the derrick over the spot where the well is to be drilled
- Install the engines that power the drilling machinery
- Assemble the various pipes, tanks, pumps, and other drilling equipment
- The rig is now ready to be "spudded in" or started
There are two basic types of drilling methods.
- The first oil wells drilled in the United States used cable-tool drilling. It is still used to bore shallow holes in hard rock. Cable-tool drilling is a simple process. This technique works much as a chisel is used to cut wood or stone. Steel cable repeatedly raises and drops the bit. The sharp edges of the bit breaks the rock into smaller pieces.
- Rotary drilling is also a simple procedure. This drilling method was made famous by the Hamill Brothers. The Lucas Gusher is the result of the Hamills using rotary drilling. The drill bores through the ground much as a carpenter's drill bores through wood. The bit is attached to the drill pipe. The drill pipe is rotated by a turntable called the rotary table located on the floor of the derrick. Rotary drilling works best in softer rock formations.
Below is a simple diagram of a rotary drill rig.
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1. Traveling Block-Steel cable runs over the crown block, a large pulley at the top of the derrick, and down to the traveling block, which hangs inside the derrick. The drill pipe attaches to the traveling block with a giant hook. The drill pipe can then be lowered or raised.
2. Hook-The hook is a giant piece of iron that attaches the drill pipe to the traveling block.
3. Swivel-The swivel is located at the top of the drill stem and connects to the hook and mud hose.
4. Draw Works-The draw works is the heart of the equipment. It is a hoisting mechanism that is used to raise or lower the drill stem in and out of the hole. It operates much like a fishing rod.
5. Bit-The bit is a piece of heavy equipment that attaches to the end of the drill pipe. It is the bit that pounds and breaks the rock into smaller pieces. There are different types of bits for different types of rock formations.
6. Drill Pipe-The drill pipe is the lower end of the drill stem. It is the part that attaches to the bit and is lowered and raised during the drilling process. In a rotary drill, the drill pipe is turned by the rotary table. The rotation makes the bit bore into the hole.
7. Casing-The casing is a kind of protective lining for the well hole. It is made up of heavy steel pipe. The pipe is held in place with cement.
8. Rotary Table-The rotary table is a heavy steel turntable. It is located on the floor of the derrick. The rotary table is turned by an engine which turns the bit.
9. Mud Pump-The mud pump circulates the drilling mud in the hole. The drilling mud cleans the bit, carries pieces of rock to the surface, and coats the sides of the hole. The mud coating helps prevent leaks and cave-ins.
10. Kelly-The kelly is the uppermost part of the drill stem. It is a hollow steel tube about 40 feet long with four or six sides.
11. Mud Hose-The mud hose attaches to the mud pump at one end and attached to the drill stem at the other end. The drilling mud circulates through the mud hose.
12. Crown Block-The crown block is a pulley located at the top of the oil derrick. Steel cable is run over the crown block down to the traveling block. This system of pulleys is used to raise or lower the drill pipe in and out of the well hole.