A blanket approach to oil

North Fork oil headlined the Hungry Horse News in the Oct. 17, 1947, issue. Mel's story quoted editor John W. Pace in the Jan. 7, 1892, issue of the Columbian stating, "On the North Fork, many gallons of oil have been gathered from the surface of water bodies, and samples sent east have been pronounced of the best quality."

Editor Pace was quoted as "first newspaper knowing of white settlers tales of 60 years ago about Indians using oil from North Fork seepages in their hair."

First refineries were Indian blankets placed in Sage Creek; next step was to wring the blankets out, and there was oil." First oil stories would have been told about 1887, according to this story.

Mel's story continued, stating "then followed likely the first prospecting for oil in the state of Montana. On the old Dan Doverspike place, between the two Kintla lakes in what is now Glacier National Park, shallow test holes were put down. A flow of natural gas resulted."

The story, written 57 years ago, termed the oil field as the world's most scenic. First derricks in the 15-mile wide Rocky Mountan trench were "in the shadow of white-capped Glacier and Waterton national parks' alpine peaks." It was reported Sage Creek, across the line in Canada, outside the two national parks, became the center of drilling.

The Flathead Petroleum Co., of Wyoming, put down a test well in 1913.

Old timers recalled that "old Andy Anderson, the trapper, drove his Model T for 15 years on seepage from that early well."

Only road into the area was up the North Fork. The rest of Canada was separated from the development by mile after mile of the Fernie-Cranbrook primitive area. Mel commented "groceries and pipe came in from Columbia Falls (as it does today) and the town hoped that oil would come out."

Except for the two wars, there had been drilling up the Flathead's North Fork. There was the Butte well, the British Columbia and the Crow's Nest wells, and the "Columbia with its 122-foot steel rig that employed 27 men at one time."

The Columbia went down to 8,007 feet, "but the drilling was sideways, and the estimated depth below the surface, 4,400 feet."

It's amazing to realize how equipment was taken to the North Fork on the high, narrow, winding road. Earliest childhood memories include our family going to Polebridge to visit Bill Adair. Mother would honk the horn before going around the narrow, high corners.

I also recall the story about the late Floyd P. Jones driving the rough North Fork Road. He saw a wheel and tire rolling down the road ahead of him and realized it was off his vehicle.

Another is when the late Fred Boss, mail carrier, was delayed for hours on the road when a large moose would not let him pass.

Gladys Shay is a longtime resident and columnist for the Hungry Horse News.