Black Gold, Texas Tea OIL IN TEXAS

THE EARLY YEARS OF OIL Texans had found very little use for oil until the 1880’s when trains began using it as fuel. Early wells in Texas were not very productive; producing only about 10 barrels a day. In 1894, drillers hit what was then considered a big oil well in Corsicana, Texas.

OIL PUMP

ROAD TO SPINDLETOP Patillo Higgins was businessman who was convinced who could discover oil near his hometown of Beaumont, Texas. He drilled on the salt dome of Spindletop Hill, but he was not able to find any oil. He was convinced that oil was located in this area, so he placed ads to find other people to drill in this location.

PATILLO HIGGINS

ANTHONY LUCAS Anthony Lucas, a salt miner from Louisiana, was convinced Higgins was right, so he leased land from Higgins on Spindletop Hill. Lease- to contract to use something for a set period of time in exchange for money. Lucas drilled to 575 ft. and his equipment collapsed. Out of money, Lucas got the help of the company that drilled for oil in Corsicana. He began to drill again.

ANTHONY LUCAS

SPINDLETOP HILL On January 10, 1901, Lucas drilled into the largest oil well that the world had ever known. When the oil was discovered, the force of the gusher shot 12,000 pounds of drilling pipe from the ground. This oil well produced between 75, ,000 barrels a day. It would lead to many rushing to this area to drill for oil.

SPINDLETOP GUSHER

OIL IN TEXAS Because of the discovery at Spindletop, new industries came to Texas and switched to oil for fuel. Oil was used for fuel by the growing car industry, mills, railroads, and other factories. At the time, oil was a cheap fuel source. A barrel of oil would cost 3 cents in Oil today costs about $102 a barrel.

BOOMTOWNS Boomtown- a town which receives a great deal of growth in population because of sudden economic growth. Because of the success of oil drilling, boomtowns would pop up almost overnight. People were searching for the next place to get rich quick. Some boomtowns disappeared as quick as they came while others remained somewhat successful.

BOOMTOWNS Many boomtowns had problems Lack of infrastructure such as roads, sewage systems, and legal systems led to many problems. Streets so muddy that people would get stuck. Water was often unsafe to drink and led to diseases like dysentery. Oil sold for 3 cents a barrel, but a glass of clean water would sell for 5 cents.

WORK ON RIGS Life working on a rig was usually very hard and dangerous. Most people worked at least 12 hours a day. Slick surfaces, long hours, and dangerous gasses made life difficult If workers did not like the conditions, bosses had many more willing workers to choose from.

NEW INDUSTRIES Oil refineries were new industries that developed because the oil had to be cleaned to be used by machinery. Tool repair companies were created to fix oil rigs and tools that were required for these industries. Sawmills developed to produce lumber to help create oil derricks.

THE SEARCH FOR OIL Wildcatter- a person who drills for oil in places not known for oil in search of new sources Wildcatters discovered oil in north, south, east and west Texas.

OIL DERRICKS

TEXAS OIL ACROSS THE WORLD Texas was producing more oil than anywhere else in the world. During the Great Depression, Texas was overproducing oil. To keep oil prices up, The Texas Railroad Commission regulated the production of oil.

EFFECTS OF OIL Oil created many businesses in Texas Produced fuel for cars and planes Petrochemicals from oil are used to create plastic and synthetic rubber Cars and planes became huge industries in Texas as the 1900’s progressed and transportation became much better.