Reading 3940-5

TEXT OF READING 3940-5 M ADULT

Text

Date: 11/13/1922 Sex: M ReadingID: 11584

This Psychic Reading given by Edgar Cayce at the Tutwiler Hotel, Birmingham, Alabama, this 13th day of November, 1922.

[Edgar Cayce; Frank E. Mohr, Conductor; (?), Steno. [3940].]

Time of Reading 11:30 A. M. St. Claire Co., Alabama.

1. FEM: Now Mr. Cayce, you are going to sleep. Now Mr. Cayce, you are asleep and all of the organs of your body will function properly, and you will hear me and answer all of my questions.

Your will have before you the body [3940], and the body is present in this room. He wants you to tell him how to finance the drilling of a well for oil, which you specifically located at 10:30 P.M. Nov. 12th.

Now Mr. Cayce, give us a plan by which we may have this land drilled and the oil gotten out and sold satisfactorily. Will you give us plain unmistakable instructions as to the very first steps to be taken that will prove effective in this matter and will it be feasible to sell leases to the amount necessary for the development of a single producing well, thus enabling Mr. [3940] to retain controlling interest in his lands, and what is the first and best step for Mr. [3940] to take at this time relative to obtaining a paying well of oil on the land he owns, in St. Claire County, Alabama, also, what business are the men engaged in at present, who will help or who will finance the drilling of well on Mr. [3940]‘s land? Should Mr. [3940] finance the drilling of the first well, if he should have to finance it? Will this well be drilled on the spot designated by and about when?

2. EC: Yes, we have the proposition here as to how to finance the proposition for the development of the oil in this location. Now there are more than one manner in which this may be financed or handled to as satisfactory result to all concerned. These we will outline as we would have from here: First, as we have given, there are others that are interested in the proposition. They will be willing to furnish the finances necessary to make a complete and satisfactory investigation of the possibilities as shown here. Under this condition, we would find the least chance for a very large return according to the way the contract would be made for the more interests as held in the individual, that is [3940], you see, the more returns naturally that is to come, yet this is from the purely financial possibilities would or could be, were the contract made specific before [and] binding as to make a forfeiture if contract is not carried out to the completion or it may be handled in this manner and form: The lands would be laid out giving the maps and local conditions and the possibility of development on locating oil, here from all its sources that he, [3940], has in hand. The acreage would then be checker-boarded and for each parcel or tract of land obtained that is sold, you see, there will be issued to this body the acreage that is lease on same, and an interest commensurate in the outcome of the developments on these lands, then we have each individual as interested would be not only interest in their own holdings, but also, in all of the developments carried out by a prospective Company. Either of these present a very feasible working plan. We would use the former, see, for the best results with an individual understanding of the kind of formations encountered and for the possibilities of the extra large returns. The last might be or could be made to be the very best. Do that as we would finance this proposition.

3. (Q) Mr. Cayce, do you think that Mr. [3940] should undertake to finance this proposition from his own resources. (A) If we had felt that, that were the better plan, we would have given that. The more that are interested in the development of the country and of the specific indications as shown, the better will be the handling of the proposition throughout than financing individually under the conditions. It is too great a risk for one individual unless one understands, as it were, all the interests of the game, as it were, of oil’s parlance.

4. (Q) Mr. Cayce, what business are the men engaged in at present, who you believe will help finance the drilling of this well on Mr. [3940]‘s lands. (A) Don’t find these, only impressions of dealers in estate, real estate and kindred conditions.

5. (Q) Have you any thing further, Mr. Cayce, to say on this proposition? (A) Follow that of those lines, that is, one or the other, you see.

Reports

Reports & Follow-up

R1. 8/24/28 [3940]‘s letter:

HOTEL ST. JAMES Times Square 109 to 113 West 45th Street New York City Personal Management W. Johnson Quinn

Mr. Edgar Cayce Va Beach Va.

My Dear Mr. Cayce:-

About the lowest thing any man can be guilty of is ingratitude, and that I may not be suspected of such guilt I want to tell you, your dear wife, your son, your father, Miss Davis & the others how grateful we are to EVERY ONE of you.

The wonderful kind treatment bestowed upon us while we were in Virginia Beach will be remembered - not for a day - a year

• but ALWAYS.

Please give our love to every one of those dear ones & don’t forget dear Mrs. House & doctor House. We will remember & love all of you always. We expect to return to Birmingham about the last of next week.

[3940] & wife, 3203 Highland Drive, Birmingham, Ala.

R2. 12/24/30 [3940]‘s wife’s letter:

Alicia Joel Towers 3203 Highland Drive Birmingham, Alabama

My dear Mr. Cayce:

Back in 1922 you made four readings for us on our lands in St. Clair County Alabama. Those readings were encouraging and we went to work securing leases which were to extend over a period of ten years. It is our recollection that a Mr. Rice was associated with you who said if we could get up 5000 acres under lease he would take the matter of drilling up. We only secured slightly over 4000 acres, and thus were never in a position to trade with your party.

Since that time the matter has rocked along with sporadic efforts by prospectors to get the field drilled. At one time the prospects looked very bright for activity, but a backer in Oklahoma got in bad in his home State (so it is said) by running afoul of the blue sky laws. We did not join in with these parties, although they got up in the neighborhood of 40,000 acres.

A year ago, Mr. J. D. Linthicum was passing through the county by rail and observing that the territory looked promising as to oil and gas, he returned later and has been there now over a year and has secured a solid block of 20,000 acres which links up with and joins our acreage. Know we are ready for capital to come in and put down drills and make the test. The field is open to the first comer. This man, Linthicum has been over foot of the field and has found more fossils and evidences of oil and gas than any of his predecessors.

The gas seeps near Pell City are very good. I saw one in an artificial pond where the bubbles were coming up so fast as to give the appearance of a shower on the surface of the water. After digging and prying around I have learned that scarcely any hole has been put down in this district [Jefferson County] without encountering oil sands, but the claim is made that it is not here in commercial quantities.

Mr. T. H. Aldrich, an old operator here (brother to the one interested in mind power), told me he had brought up cores which dripped oil. But the trouble is that the coal barons, I think have the State tied and sewed up so that our State Geological Department will not endorse drilling for oil and have discouraged every effort in that direction. Mr. Aldrich also said he took out a barrel in one place. All the geologists agree that there is gas here, but say in pockets. I saw one well burning a flame fifty feet high on Aldrich dome [Jefferson County]. That all quieted down and nothing was done.

I enclose the log of a well which I learn was drilled at Cook Springs [St. Claire County] four miles from our place. Also an extract from a letter written by J. D. Linthicum. He has not seen your reading but it is noteworthy that he thinks there are several pools and in the direction which you indicated.

The claim is that the sands here are not thick enough or porous enough, but Linthicum contends that every well has its own individual formations, and why not say that if Jefferson County has no oil in commercial quantities, all that is necessary to do is to send down a drill in the adjoining county, St. Claire, and get sands deep enough and porous enough to hold the oil.

Linthicum has exhausted his funds and is now having a pretty rough time making ends meet. He married a Jewess, and the little woman is valiantly trying to help out his cause by clerking in a store in Pell City, pawning her diamonds, and economizing in every way possible. They are hoping to hold out until some one with capital will come in and find the oil.

Now you will recall that you are interested in the first well that shall be drilled on our property and if you can steer a driller down our way, you are going to save the day. Get out those readings and show them to some one who has income tax money to be used in this way instead of its going along into an already overflowing treasury.

Please think this over carefully and do what you can to help us.

With kindest regards to Mrs. Cayce and your household,

I am cordially yours, [3940] & [3940]‘s wife

R3. 1/21/31 EC’s letter to [3940]‘s wife:

Mrs. […] 3203 Highland Drive, Birmingham, Alabama

My dear Mrs. […]:-

Yours of December 24th came in due time, and here it is almost a month later and I haven’t written you! First of all, I had a severe cold which lasted about two weeks and made everything go wrong for the time being. I’m sure you are like all the rest and will say “What on earth do YOU want to get sick for?” but when I disobey the laws, I suffer the consequences as everyone else.

It certainly is an interesting proposition there in Jefferson and St. Claire Counties. I haven’t known what has become of Mr. Rice for a number of years. In fact, I haven’t heard of him since 1923. However, there are two friends of mine - one I have known for several years, and the other is a physician from Ohio that I met several months ago - who are seemingly very much interested in the development of oil territory. I haven’t seen them since a few days before Christmas, when they came through here. They are at the present time in Washington, D.C., working on some proposition. Whether it is a development in Kentucky or Florida, or both, I am not able to tell you just now. When I see them again, it might be well for me to show them the data you sent me and acquaint them with the information given some years ago. I think they might be interested in the undertaking there. The amount suggested that has been gotten together by Mr. Linthicum, with the operators and prospectors in that territory, would seem to be sufficient to interest speculators. However, as we all know, under the economic conditions, this seems to be a very poor time to interest such capital. I assure you I will do whatever I can to interest such capital. I assure you I will do whatever I can to interest Mr. Preston and Dr. Snyder in this proposition. I will write them at once and acquaint them with the circumstances, and shall expect to see them in the next two weeks in person.

I hope that both you and Mr. [3940] are feeling the very best. Hoping that I will have some good news for you when I write again, and with kindest personal regards from all here, I am,

Sincerely, EC:GD

P.S. Mrs. […], would you be interested in subscribing to our weekly paper here - the Virginia Beach News? Every other week it carries one of Mr. Cayce’s talks. We started out with the new year and expect to furnish them with twenty-five talks. The first two have been published - Astrology and Subconscious Mind. The next will be Dreams, the next Mind As Related to Healing, and so on. The subscription price for a year is $2.00. I’m sending you a copy of the paper under separate cover. Kindest regards to you and Mr. [3940]. GD.

R4. 1/27/31 [3940]‘s wife’s letter:

3203 Highland Drive Birmingham, Ala.

Dear Mr. Cayce:

We were over joyed to get your letter of recent date. Also the copy of the weekly news paper. Tell Gladys that I promise to buy out the plant when resources warrant. Just now, things are pretty slow and money comes in at a snail’s pace. Real estate is picking up and some is moving, although we have been unable to dispose of any of our holdings. Things are better and we have some deals pending.

Your reference to your friends renewed our hopes of the oil situation. You will pardon my importuning you to do all you can to get them to come without delay for the situation is desperate for Linthicum. We received a letter from him this morning and he said, “I am holding on by an eyelash and with my weight (he is a fat man) you can imagine how long I can last.” He is one of the most cheerful individuals under adversity I ever knew and can always joke. This, of course is his salvation.

Kindest regards to all your household and greatest appreciation for yourself, we remain

Sincerely, Mrs. […]

R5. 2/5/31 EC’s letter to [3940]‘s wife:

Mrs. […]

3203 Highland Drive, Birmingham, Ala.

Dear Mrs. […];-

I have yours of the 27th, and have asked Mr. Preston to communicate with you and Mr. [3940] direct regarding the proposition there. You will no doubt hear from him soon. I certainly hope they can do something to save the situation, and to enable you to get started on the proposition in the near future.

We are having quite enthusiastic reception of the talks, both by the local attendance on Sunday afternoons and by the number of subscriptions to the paper that carries the articles.

With kindest personal regards to both you and Mr. [3940], I am

Sincerely, EC:GD

R6. 5/9/31 [3940]‘s wife’s letter to EC:

3203 Highland Drive Birmingham, Ala.

Mr. Edgar Cayce, Virginia Beach, Va.

Dear Mr. Cayce:

We never did hear from the two gentlemen whom you thought probable might be interested in coming to Alabama to investigate oil prospects in St. Claire County. Can you not stir them up in this matter? It is likely that drilling will commence in one section of the block in the next few weeks.

The Pell City Oil and Gas Company have incorporated and made arrangements with drillers and have money in the bank to begin operations. Our acreage is linked up in boundary with theirs, but we are not in the company. The fact, however, that we gave permission to block our acreage with theirs was the means of their securing many thousands of acres under lease.

We recently had a fight on in Alabama with a bill introduced in the legislature which would have been a serious detriment to wild cat drilling in the State. The bill is enclosed and would have put all authority in the hands of the State Geologist who is not at all experienced and must have been in some way interested in getting control of the situation. This in the face of the fact that the State Geological Department has always given an adverse opinion as to the oil and gas possibilities in the State.

Dr. Walter B. Jones who holds the office of State Geologist was in Montgomery and made a speech advocating the bill before the legislative committee. He was grilled by those who were present determined to defeat the bill. There is a great deal of activity in the State oil circles now and a big crowd was there to defeat the bill. This was done in committee by a vote of 12 to 4. It seems that the railroads, the big four oil companies and the Federal Oil Reserve Board were doing all they could to get this kind of legislation across, before the people were aware that something was in the wind. It is said now that it is positively known that there is oil in Alabama otherwise such a bit of legislation would not have been contemplated.

Now you know you are interested in the oil on our place and we want you to send us the addresses of your parties and we will write them all we know of developments in the State. Of course, the big operators will decry all efforts to get oil saying it cannot be marketed. But it remains that if there were not so much foreign oil shipped in, and that free of duty, there would be no over production at home. While we are conserving our oil deposits, it may be flowing away down into Mexico and even Central America and we will wake up to find we have none left.

Write us. Our leases expire in a year and some a little longer.

Sincerely yours, Mrs. […]

R7. 5/16/31 EC’s letter to [3940]‘s wife:

Mrs. […] 3203 Highland Drive, Birmingham, Alabama

My dear Mrs. […]:-

Yours of the 9th received. The gentlemen in questions are:

Dr. O. H. Snyder, 612 So. 5th St., Ironton, Ohio,

and

Mr. A. C. Preston, New Amsterdam Hotel, Washington, D.C.

I saw them, but they have been on a deal with some oil properties and developments, and with the financial conditions over the country you know just how hard it has been for such developments, with the low price of oil and the cry for conservation - especially in this line. I’m sure, though, if you will write to them direct you will get their angle on it; for both of them have told me they were interested in the district and would be glad to take the matter up with you just as soon as possible. It seems quite wonderful to have developments going on in the district under existent conditions. It’s too bad to have the State attempt to make or pass such laws outlined in the bulletin, but such are the interests of the larger companies who have holdings in many portions of the country where developments have not openly been carried on. I think most of us who have had any experience with these feel that they are the ones back of it all. I am hoping, however, that you will be able to get developments on your own property. I wish that I were able to be of more direct help at this time, but we are in the midst of forming of a new organization here to carry on this work and it is requiring all my time at present, and every bit of thought I can possibly give. We are to have the organization meeting on June 6th in Virginia Beach. We are hoping to very soon be able to establish the study groups we have so long planned in various parts of the country. To be sure, we will want one in Birmingham. When we have an outline of what we expect to do, I’ll be glad to submit one to you and to have your candid opinion respecting the plausibility and feasibility of presenting it to any group in your district or vicinity.

We often think and speak of you, and hope that you and Mr. [3940] are enjoying the best of health. Let us hear from you whenever possible. I certainly hope that you will be able to get Dr. Snyder or Mr. Preston on the ground there.

With kindest personal regards to you both, I am

Ever the same, EC:GD

R8. 1/4/32 Mr. [3940]‘s wife’s letter:

Brompton Springs Leeds, Ala. Rt. 1

Dear Friend:

Your lovely Christmas card received. It’s unique and representative of your Section and we must compliment you on your taste.

We lost out in the depression in Birmingham and have been living here since last July - have purchased a beast and shall raise a crop of corn, hay and tobacco. Work - more work - and hard work is ahead of us but we shall don overalls and broad brimmed hats and go after the early cutworms. What do you think? Shall we succeed? One thing is sure, there is plenty to eat on a farm if one can keep teeth enough to chew with. The dentist has to be paid in hard coin so we have hit upon tobacco as a money crop. Cotton sold for five cents here this fall.

The State Better Business Bureaus, et al have put the Kibosh on all oil operation in our section. We think the coal interests are at the back of it. The State owns lots of coal land - and the coal business is breathing its last. Electricity and gas pipe lines have dealt the deadly blow. Are you ever coming South again? Drop in to see us sure if you do. We are on highway from Atlanta to B’ham. Lots of busses, but no railroad station now.

Affectionately, The […]‘s

R9. 1/9/32 EC’s letter to Mr. [3940] and wife:

Mr. & Mrs. [3940] Brompton Springs, Route 1, Leeds, Alabama

My dear Mr. & Mrs. [3940]:-

I am very glad to have yours of the 4th, but sorry indeed to note what you have to say about how the depression has affected you. I rather envy, however, your ability to have such a beautiful place to retire TO. If I were able to have such a place as that, I believe I would be perfectly happy. Never will I forget the very pleasant days I spent with you there, though I am sure one of those days Mrs. […] [[3940]‘s wife] was feeling very badly. I certainly agree with you when you say work, work, work, when you speak of raising tobacco, for that’s the one thing I know a LITTLE about. I was raised in a tobacco patch. I don’t know just what the prospects would be for your particular type of soil, or what type of tobacco you would consider there. If you could raise the WHITE tobacco, or the Burley, or the light one sucker variety that is used for fillers, it will be fine. That, I imagine, would be the best type for the soil there, though I am sure you will have it tested before making preparations for it. Don’t have too much of it, though - yet if you don’t have enough to enable you to get a market for it, that’s still very hard. It’ll certainly be very interesting to hear from you from time to time. When you go to talking about tobacco, you bring back the old days when I was growing up. In the dark tobacco district very heavy firing is necessary, but that you won’t have - I am sure - for there’s only a very small district that’s adaptable to that particular type of tobacco, and that’s the kind the Germans and Italians CHEW. I will be very interested to hear how you progress.

We have started a study group here, Mrs. […], to study the information firsthand, and as a group - not as an individual

• we are preparing lessons. We hope that sometime in the near future we may have such a group in Birmingham. One was organized there, as you know - but they were never supplied with any of the data that was proposed to be sent. We are preparing the data first this time. Do you keep in touch with any of the groups there now? The psychology clubs, Unity groups, Theosophist Society, or the like? Some of them MIGHT be interested in this, don’t you think? I believe you could organize a group that would be very much worth while. What do you think of it?

Let us hear from you. Thanking you for your letter, and with all good wishes and love to you both, I am

Ever the same, EC:GD

R10. 2/10/32 She wrote naming others in B’ham who might be able to help with the A.R.E. Groups.

R11. 7/7/32 She & husband referred Mr. [370] for 370-1 on Alabama lands.

R12. 9/12/40 HLC’s letter:

Mr. [3940] Brompton Springs Leeds, Alabama

Dear Mr. [3940]:

Our records show that in 1922 you secured four readings from my father. We are endeavoring to bring our reports up to date, and I will appreciate it very much if you will give me a report on these readings. In what specific details were the readings accurate? Through the years and especially during the early development of my father’s work, he gave a great many readings of this type. While there were many details in them which could be checked, such information has never proven as helpful as have the life readings and the physical readings. We are anxious to know just why this was true, and I believe that a study of such information as you received will give us some basis to work on. Therefore, I hope you will be kind enough to give me a full report on the information you received. What parts of it were you able to check? How far was it carried out? What were the final results?

You may be interested to know that my father’s work has continued to be of help to hundreds of individuals each year. I would like for you to know about the Expansion Program which is described in the enclosed leaflet. We would like for every individual who has had experience with this work to have an opportunity to take part in this program.

It will be a pleasure to hear from you again.

Sincerely, Hugh Lynn Cayce, Manager HLC:EM

Background

Background

B1. See 3940-1 through 3940-4.

Mentioned Entities

Alabama, Virginia Beach, Ohio, A.R.E. (Association for Research and Enlightenment), Astrology, Dreams, Florida, Gertrude Cayce, Gladys Davis, Healing, Hugh Lynn Cayce, Kentucky, Mexico, New York City, Subconscious Mind

Source: The Complete Edgar Cayce Readings, A.R.E. CD-ROM (2006). Reading 3940-5, ReadingID 11584.