14 E. E. ROSAIRE 
sonal opportunity for observing, in the history, aspirations, and suc- 
cesses of the Geophysical Research Corporation, one particular 
strategical approach, that of E. L. DeGolyer. His has been chosen, 
not only because it is more familiar and so more personally interesting 
to the writer, but also because therein are found excellent examples 
of effective short and long range strategies. 
The chronology that follows is certainly open to the charge of 
being incomplete, but is not intentionally biased. With apologies for 
the gaps, and with a premium upon brevity, DeGolyer’s strategy 
appears as follows. 
Some time before 1914, study had convinced him that the high 
cost of crude was fundamentally due to the increasing cost of success- 
ful exploration. In that year, in London, he heard of a device which 
had possibilities of mapping subsurface structure while operating at 
the surface of the earth. The trail led to two torsion balances, one in 
Germany, the other in Austria. By that time, the war had intervened, 
and nothing further could be done. After the cessation of hostilities, 
arrangements were made with the firm of Ferdinand Siiss, at Buda- 
pest, for the delivery of two such devices, and for the training of an 
observer in their manipulation. By arrangement, one was to be used 
in Mexico by the Mexican Eagle, and the other in the Gulf Coast by 
the Amerada. 
Dr. Donald C. Barton was chosen to receive this training, and 
on his arrival in Europe, found the delivery dates postponed. This 
additional time was spent, at DeGolyer’s suggestion, in checking into 
the state of applied geophysics on the Continent. Barton was able to 
secure some information on the possible use of the refraction seismo- 
graph as an exploration instrument. Meanwhile, DeGolyer, through 
his association with the Mexican Eagle, had witnessed an unsatis- 
factory demonstration of the seismograph in Mexico. 
On his return to the United States, Barton made the first torsion 
balance survey at Spindletop, in 1922. There he was able to observe 
a marked anomaly with the torsion balance, but other known domes 
did not consistently show the same pronounced effects. However, a 
success was scored with the confirmation by the drill of the gravity 
anomaly at the Nash salt dome in Fort Bend County, Texas, although 
at least the next two tries were failures. 
About this time (1924), Mintrop appeared on the scene, and under 
the patronage of the Marland Oil Company and the personal super- 
vision of Alexander Deussen, introduced the refraction seismograph 
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