FROM DAYS GONE BY May 8, 1920

May 8, 1920.

Further investigations into the prospects of oils in the lands of Mr. E. R. Spell and that community reveal bigger possibilities day by day and to the inquiring throngs of people visiting the scene the prospects appear more and more encouraging. It is plainly visable anytime but is best shown oozing out when the sun is shinning. The odor emanating from the seepages discloses this fact and relieves any doubt on the minds of those looking into the proposition.
Just this week a long stick was thrust into the earth and quickly withdrawn. Guzzling up from the bottom came a steady flow of the liquid substance closely resembling engine oil until the opening was mostly filled. The stick entered to a rocky foundation and from the strata surrounding the top of the rock came this fluid mixture, undoubtbly showing that gas and oil was there in some shape and quantity.
California men, Texas boosters, Louisiana experts and Georgia chemists agree on the fine prospects found around Mr. Spell's home and neighborhood. So the reasonable believe that when an oil weel is sunk at the right place this community will have a full-flow gusher, issuing with violence and rapidity. It looks good on paper. It looks as well on the scene. Mr. Spell invites everyone to come see first hand. If Johnson County hasn't oil in abundance in it then it is a fairy tale.
Friday night a fire broke out in the storage house along the railroad track used by J. M. Burris for storing seed, barrels, iron junk, rags, etc. The fire crew put the hose to it but the fire spread rapidly into adjoining storage houses and for a time looked as if the whole row along the tracks would go up. But it was stopped before it reached the old depot building which was filled with buggies and wagons owned by the Wrightsville Hardware Company. J. T. Fulford received the heaviest loss, just receiving 25 tons of nitrate of soda. The noise from the combustion was deafening at times. Other losers were Mr. George & Lee Barnes, E. E. Sanders, U. R. Jenkins and Tennille Oil Company.
Sunday night about dark a hard wind and rain stormed across the southern part of the county doing damage to trees, fences and houses. On the farm of Thomas Carter the house of Berry Smith lost its roof. A lot of fruit trees were destroyed and rail fences put on the ground. Also some reports of heavy hail.
Saturday morning early, revenuers E. C. Pierce, M. L. Jackson, Cordie Tindol and George Crawford raided the entire paraphernalia of a moonshine still on the plantation where E. K. Smith, Dick Smith and Lon Smith, white men, and Gordon Wright, colored, about 7 miles west of Wrightsville. The outfit was found in the head of a branch between the homes of the parties and evidence of it being used within the last few hours before the raid. Warm ashes and the still was still warm. One officer saw a man leaving the other side of the branch as they raided.
A bonfire was made of the 125 gallon still, which was partly poplar and part copper, and the 31 wood barrels with their contents. A quantity of liquor was seized at the still and up the hill at Wright's house. He had it hid he thought in jugs, bottles and jars around in every nook and corner and went as far as to bury a jug full. The copper bottom of the still was brought and exhibited on the streets of town. Warrants were sworn out against the 4 men. This was one of the largest raids in many a day.
Player Rd Martin left for Virginia to play ball with a team there. Green Brantley killed a large rattler with 19 rattles on John R. Rowland's farm. Capt. Kemp is at Sumner's crossroads working the roads in the Spann district. The Confederate Veterans of the state meet in Dublin on the 12th, 13th and 14th. Mr. W. C. Tompkins has the agency for calcium arsenate for cotton to kill the boll weevils.
Have you a big skylight in your store? Better watch it. Theives are breaking through taking the glass out. No matter the business if the robber wants to get in he will find a way. Skylights now seem to be the way.
A shocking death to many was that of Theran Carl Hall. He had only been sick a few days. He was just 13 years old. He is survived by his father, B. E. Hall of Alamo and two brothers, Merrill and Cortez Hall. He was buried in the Dent cemetery.