During the early part of the winter of 1906, DeWitte T. Finley located a well on the Shire farm about six miles southwest of Robinson and successfully drilled Shire No. 1 to a depth of about 1,000 feet. For two or three months the well remained an enigma while leasing rapidly progressed in that section of the county. When the well was finally shot, it produced about 2,500 barrels of oil per day, immediately establishing the fame of the Shire pool. Treat, Crawford and Treat, managed by superintendent A.M. O'Donnell, then leased 80 acres from Dr. E.L. Birch adjoining the Shire tract on the east and began drilling a well there, which also proved to be a gusher. Before long, some two or three hundred rigs stood in that section. Oil was now an assured fact, drilling had begun in earnest in this portion of the field, leasing spread rapidly across all sections of the county, and large bonuses were paid to landowners, especially in Oblong, Robinson, Martin, and Prairie townships, although producing operations were largely confined to the Shire District.