Historical note:

            The Cave Company was a speculative oil drilling venture, proposed by New Mexico geologist Howard S. Cave. Much of the initial investment of $10,000 was financed by the Hazard family of Peace Dale, Rhode Island. The company was incorporated in the state of Delaware in 1941, for tax purposes. Its offices were in Rhode Island, but all of its activities were in the western United States. Cave served as president of the company for its entire existence. Other officers included Rowland Hazard III (1881-1945), Thomas P. Hazard (1892-1968) and long-time Hazard associate Earl W.G. Howard.

            The company was not successful, though it did produce some small returns. Cave was the company's only employee, and after joining the military in 1942 ceased to draw a salary. There were small returns from a South Dakota project in 1943 and 1951, and as late as 1954, Cave reported that "we may be on the trail of getting something done", but the company was informally dissolved in 1960.

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Scope and content:

            This collection consists of the Cave Company's tax returns, board minutes, stock records and other administrative documents. There is also correspondence, mostly between Cave and the Rhode Island offices, especially from 1941 and 1942. There is very little technical material on the business of oil drilling.

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Provenance:

            These records were part of a large body of Hazard family papers deposited at the library in 1975 by Thomas P. Hazard Jr., and formally transferred by him and his brother Oliver C. Hazard in 1985.

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Processing note:

            This collection is part of the Hazard Family Papers, which were processed with support from the Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities, the Beinecke Foundation, and the extended Hazard Family.

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Inventory:

Series 1: Correspondence

Box 1, folder 1. 12/1940 - 3/1941

Box 1, folder 2. 4/1941 - 12/1941

Box 1, folder 2. 1941-1942, Howard S. Cave to Rowland Hazard,

Box 1, folder 3. 1941-1943, re New Mexico incorporation

Box 1, folder 4. 1941-1943, re insurance for Howard S. Cave

Box 1, folder 5. 1942-1946 (none 1947-1950)

Box 1, folder 6. 1951-1962

Series 2: Tax records

Box 1, folder 15. Federal returns, 1953-1961

Box 1, folder 16. Rhode Island returns, 1942-1960

Oversized Box 4, folder 1. New Mexico franchise returns, 1942-1959; federal, 1941-1952

Box 1, folder 18. New Mexico returns, 1941-1958

Box 1, folder 19. Annual reports, Delaware, 1941-1959

Box 1, folder 20. Annual reports, New Mexico, 1942-1960

Series 3: Miscellaneous

Box 1, folder 12. Banking, misc., 1941-1957

Box 1, folder 11. Check book, 1941-1957

Box 1, folder 8. Contracts, 1941

Box 1, folder 7. Incorporation, by-laws, minutes, 1941-1946

Box 1, folder 13. Paid bills, 1941-1957

Box 1, folder 9. Stock transfer book, 1941

Box 1, folder 10. Stock transfer correspondence and notes, 1941-1947

Oversized volume 1. Stock certificate book, 1941

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Subjects:

Cave, Howard S.

Hazard, Rowland III (1881-1945)

Hazard, Thomas P. (1892-1968)

Howard, Earl W.G. (1894-1989)

Oil well drilling - South Dakota

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RIHS1822