Tye, Bill 1983-11-14
Bill Tye discusses his career in the drilling of irrigation wells on the South Plains.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Bill Tye
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: November 14, 1983
Location: Floydada, Texas
Interviewer: Richard Mason
Length: 1 hour 25 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Background,
Born: Floydada, Texas (1918),
Anecdote: moving rig to Des Moines, New Mexico,
To Borger, Texas (1926),
Roads,
Cable tooled drilling rigs,
Fort Worth Sputter,
Rotary Rig (1940),
Reason for change to rotary method,
Drilling test formations,
Plains irrigation,
Texas Land and Development Company (1910s),
George Green and D. L. McDonald,
Early wells drilled,
Floyd County,
Stringer estate (1934),
Floydada city well,
Lovell Jones,
Drilling activity (1965),
Crews,
Drilling process,
Well formations,
Heavy irrigation districts.
Tape 1, Side 2: Increase in wells with advent of spacing,
High Plains Water District,
Assessment,
Awareness of water depletion,
Caprock,
Recovery from playa lakes,
Good water areas,
Future water availability,
Sand formations,
Gravel packing wells.
Tape 2, Side 1: Financing of wells,
Cost,
Fuel for wells,
Turbine pumps,
Changes,
Marketing,
Retirement from drilling business,
Reasons,
Work load,
Boom/Bust of irrigation on Plains,
Reasons for changes,
Compared to oil boom,
Borger (1920s),
Hale County wells.
Tape 2, Side 2: Blank
Range Dates: 1910-1983
Bulk Dates: 1910-1983
Access Information
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Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
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