In May 2002, Oil & Gas Journal will observe its first century.
To help the industry make sense of swirling events and conflicting reports, Holland S. Reavis began in 1902 a tradition of serving readers honestly. His Oil Investors' Journal, first published on May 24, 1902, became Oil & Gas Journal in 1910.
That inaugural Journal professes a mission for coverage that has never wavered: to adhere to "a strict policy of honesty and accuracy in its news reports. . . ."
Such a mission established a special relationship between Reavis and his readers. Evidence of this has recently arrived from dedicated OGJ subscriber A. Neale Gordon of Baton Rouge.
Gordon's father and Reavis contemporary, the late Amos K. Gordon, was active in the industry and knew in 1904 what industry professionals still know today-reading the Journal is an important part of keeping up.
'Office force'
On Dec. 3, 1904, Amos Gordon enclosed a check for $2 in a letter to "Dear Holly" for "two subscriptions of 'The Dope' beginning with [the] December 15" issue. Reavis' reply (shown below) is revealing:
"Dear Amos: 'We need the money.' Under the circumstances, your two bucks are received with thanks-and I hope you get your money's worth.
"Your subscription indicates that you will be with us for at least a year longer, and for this not only the entire office force of the dope sheet but the entire city is grateful. Perhaps at the end of the year we will get some more of your money.
"Stay as long as you like, old boy, we all love you."
Who was the "entire office force"? Reavis appends to his signature "Editor, Manager, Proprietor, Stenographer, Office-Boy and Final Resting Place of All the Coin that Comes This Way."
Almost 4 years later, sub rates had escalated.
Pages from Oct. 6, 1908, also supplied by Neale Gordon, indicate a rate of $2.40/year and an expansion of the "office force" to include a business manager. Foreign subscriptions cost another 50¢/year-for postage.
Ad rates were furnished "on application," but if you were in Tulsa, you could contact "John R. Reavis, Representative."
Moreover, the Journal was now available for sale in, among other locations, the Crosby Hotel Cigar Stand, Beaumont, Tex.; the Brazos Hotel News Stand, Houston; the Hooks Drug Store, Sour Lake, Tex.; the Postoffice (sic) Book Store, Okmulgee, Okla.; and-of course-the Oil City News Stand, Oil City, La.
Neale Gordon finds the Oct. 6, 1908, issue especially interesting because, he says, it contains "full page ads for Gulf Refining Co. and for The Texas Company, both of which were founded shortly after and as a direct result of the Lucas gusher, which blew in at Spindletop in 1901."
Connections
Amos Gordon became, says his son, "a friend and fan of Holly Reavis." And, after moving to Baton Rouge in 1909 "where he was one of the founding Directors of the Standard Oil Company of Louisiana, [he] retired in 1936 as Senior Vice President and Treasurer..."
"As for me, I have been a happy and satisfied subscriber to the Oil & Gas Journal for 48 years, having started my subscription in March 1952. Keep up the good work."
Thank you, Mr. Gordon.
As evinced by the recent reformatting of the magazine and start-up of a daily, online petroleum industry news service through OGJOnline.com, Oil & Gas Journal's editors are continuing to keep up the good work begun by "Holly" Reavis.