Tye, Bill 1983-11-14

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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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