 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
The big fun day will be Saturday, June 11 at the Creston Community Building. Those who wish to help should be at the meeting on Tuesday, June 7 at the Community Building. The new playground equipment is now up and functional for those younger readers who like to play.
Lots of folks were in for Decoration Day. While some visited the graveyards others rode motorcycles, four wheelers, visited family and such. Roger Meadows was among those calling on Mr. & Mrs.. H. Wayne Nida.
Charles Russell was consulting his optometrist and with Dr. Larry Jones at the West Penn Burn Center in Pittsburgh. Dr. Jones said that he did not need to come back again.
Alvin Engelke was consulting with an Elizabeth driller, namely Dr. Doug Mills.
Rev. Keith Belt filled his regular appointment at the Burning Springs M. E. church.
Several area residents checked with "the weatherman" and then laid down hay. In the fertile bottoms along the West Fork & The Little Kanawha some hay has already lodged but with the constant rain and soggy fields not much could be done.
Last Wednesday was to be blasting day at the Annamoriah bridge project and out of state folks were on hand early in the day for the "boom boom". However, the dynamite truck lost it's tailgate at the foot of Nicut Hill (Purdy) and explosives were dumped out onto the highway causing an awful mess. Finally the wrecker pulled the chariot down to the bridge after "special experts" were called to pick up the explosives that might otherwise end up in the hands of Moslem terrorists, etc.
A number of Creston area residents attended the centennial celebration in Elizabeth for the Wirt County Court House. Lots of visiting dignitaries were on hand and the military band provided patriotic music for those present. It was noted that there was quite a bit of politicking done after the ceremony while folks were drinking the punch & cake that was provided by the Daughters of the American Pioneers.
Jewell Boice, age 80, passed away up in Ohio. He was the son of Thomas E. & Marie Bell Boice who formerly lived at Riverview. Jewell was famous for making pickled peppers. Burial was in Ohio.
Bobby Hildreth, age 73, of Vienna passed away. A retired Air Force man he was the son of Leon & Dessie Webb Hildreth and a descendant of Jonathan & Malinda Boggs dePue.
On Sunday morning just before 9 A. M. a black bear crossed W. Va. 5 just a short way down the road from where Okey J. Campbell formerly lived.
Margaret Lynch fell down the stairs and broke her leg in more than one place. Once her sugar stabilizes, etc. she is scheduled for surgery.
The New York Times reported that large amounts of crude oil had been discovered in Texas in the Eagle Ford shale as well as the Bakken shale in North Dakota. The New York newspaper cited Mark G. Papa, CEO of Enron (EOG or Enron Oil & Gas) saying that they had got in early and picked up thousand of acres in both pays on the cheap to be followed by Chesapeake, the Norwegian government and the communist Chinese. Recently the Big Eared One stopped drilling offshore Alaska because "smoke from the diesel drilling engines might pollute an Esquimeaux village 70 miles to the south."
Charles Heilman, a spokesman for Equitable (EQT) said they were paying $1000/acre but only 1/8th (net) but others said that, when pushed, EQT would pay 17 1/2% and $1250/acre for bonus. JayBee, Triad Hunter & Petroedge are also looking for leases to the north of the area & are offering bonuses & discussion on royalty rates. It was learned that the new Chesapeake division orders state that royalties are "burdened" that is to say they are subject to operating expenses, capital costs, etc. One leaseman for PDC said they were going to have to raise the amount of royalty they offered to 14% so that, after expenses, royalty owners would have something left over. EQT also noted that they are pushing for "forced pooling" which means that they will not have to negotiate with land and mineral owners -- they can just take what they want on their own terms. They are pushing hard for certain W. Va. politicians who, apparently, are in their pockets.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude oil fell to $95/bbl.
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