Official report to the House of Representatives of the 58th Legislature of Texas Page: 36 of 94
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didn't think enough about that and were not concerned enough
to report it to the sheriff or the district attorney or the law
enforcement officials in Gregg County?
A. I didn't.
Q. You didn't?
A. No, sir.
Q. Why not?
A. I saw no reason to.
The witness had plenty of recommendations for the legislature. First he
stated that financial institutions in Dallas had lost over twenty-five million dollars
on these oil loans and that, therefore, the legislature should pass laws to protect
lenders so that 90 days after a well was drilled and no contest filed by an offset
owner, then that lease and all activities on it should be closed from inspection.
Second, he thought the RRC should be completely reorganized.
To these recommendations, Mr. Hollowell inquired:
Mr. Harrington, you express quite eloquently your feelings about
how the Railroad Commission could have all this going on and not
know about it, yet you have operated slanted wells for 13 years and
tell us the first time you knew it was when you got sued.
Harrington conceded that some good had been done by the investigation,
stating:
I think directional drilling in this state for the future is a thing of the
past. I don't think there will evet be another directional well drilled
in Texas.
Herrington did not believe that it is a violation of the la^ to produce oil from
a lease belonging to another person.
You mean it is your opinion that a present condition of the state
laws, there is no violation of producing oil from the lease belponging
to another person?
No, sir.
When asked about his suggested 90-day period of limitations on prosecutions
for slanted wells, he was questioned by Counsel:
Q. And perhaps if that had been the law in Texas, you might
not be th d4efend4at in 15 znill!ion d4qltrs Worth pf lw suits ?
A. I think that would follow, too, yes, sir.
The Committee Counsel found it strange that no discussionwas ever had concerning
the plugging of his wells, and he said:-35
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Texas Legislature. House of Representatives. General Investigating Committee. Official report to the House of Representatives of the 58th Legislature of Texas, book, 1963; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5869/m1/36/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .