The Oil Venture at Shale City
by Wayne H. Breeze June 6, 1961
a term paper presented to Dr. F. Haines, in partial fulfillment of the course requirements of History of the Pacific Northwest
Shale City founded on basis of oil-bearing shale in Dead Indian area, as part of desire for wealth
founding, development and failure of Shale City
1922 H.W. Hartman came to Ashland, OR with idea that oil could be obtained from the oil-bearing shale in the Dead Indian area; he set up model he called the Hartman Retort (made of cast iron)
Pacific Lumber and Shalieries, Inc. spent 2 years revulidng Hartman Retort with employees paid in stock, but again, Hartman Retort melted itself into a pile of junk
1930 Charles D. Crouch went to Salem, OR, to get backing for a new try, but was killed in auto accident on his way home.
Lawerence Coder was involved and preferred to forget about it, having spent 30 years forgetting about Shale City and not wanting to refresh his memory.
Articles of Incorporation of the Hartman Syndicate Incorporated included, witnessed by Wm. D. Bennett, Francis Weisser, H.W. Hartman, W.J. West, James Barrett, and Alice E. West and G.H. Billings
February 9, 1925: Vice President George W. Barron requested waiver of royalty and rental from the Secretary of the Interior, noting that during 1923 and 1924, The Hartman Syndicate, Inc., invested a large sum of money in construction of a road, erection of a 250 ton retort (Hartman Retort), buldings, residences, store, cook-house, bunk-house, shops, operation of steam shovels, and purchase of equipment, so by February 9, 1925, the Syndicate had already spent an estimated $200,000.00.
copy of Oil Shale Lease
map included