Pawhuska was transformed during the oil rush. Credit 25He returned to the first bidder, the man with the map, who said,
“Nine hundred.”
Another nod from the gray-haired man with the unlit cigar.
Colonel belted out the words: “One million dollars.”
Still, the bids kept climbing. “Eleven hundred thousand now
twelve,” Colonel said. “Eleven—now twelve—now twelve.”
Finally, no one spoke. Colonel stared at the gray-haired man,
who was still chewing on his unlit cigar. A reporter in the room
remarked, “One wishes for more air.”
Colonel said, “This is Burbank, men. Don’t overlook your
hands.”
No one moved or uttered a word.
“Sold!” Colonel shouted. “For one million one hundred
thousand dollars.”
Each new auction seemed to surpass the previous one for the
record of the highest single bid and the total of millions collected.
One lease sold for nearly $2 million, while the highest total
collected at an auction climbed to nearly $14 million. A reporter