Lassen Oil Exploration Hopes End as ‘Official’ Skips Town Owing Money
December 30, 1955
Reported plans for oil exploration in the Honey Lake Valley to start shortly after January 1 were proved groundless last week. William H. Ray, who posed as a representative of the Ashworth Drilling Co. of Houston, Tex., left Susanville and it was learned from the Ashworth company that he was unknown to them.
The Ashworth Company told the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce that it had not undertaken any drilling work in North Dakota. Ray had told local people that the company had been engaged in work in the Minot area for some time and that’s shortly after the first of the year crews and equipment would be moved to Susanville for work in this area.
An inquiry addressed to the Minot, N. D., chamber of commerce brought the following reply on December 24: “Ray unlisted Williston Basin Oil Register. Unlisted Midwest Petroleum Register. Ashworth Drilling unheard of here. One member local petroleum club believes man same name and description seen Columbus, N. D., last 90 days representing Texoto Company. Sorry, unable to learn more.”
It is understood that Mr. and Mrs. Ray and their daughter, who had rented a local home, left here on the weekend of December 18.
Four local stores reported that they had delivered merchandise to Ray on credit terms and that the items had not been returned.
