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The Neighborly Way. But when C.M. & M. was ready to sell to Natural Gas Pipeline and asked FPC approval, they ran into trouble. Rival Lone Star Gas fought the case before FPC for so long that C.M. & M. was faced with the expiration of its land leases upon which drilling had not started, thus might not have big enough gas potential to satisfy FPC that the yield could supply gas for a long enough period. C.M. & M.'s answer was to throw a $5,000 chicken barbecue last summer for Wise County landowners, and explain in neighborly fashion why the sales of gas on their land was being held up. The disgruntled voices of Wise County were heard all the way to Washington, and last week the FPC granted its O.K.
Thanks to Jackson's plugging of his idea, C.M. & M. should make about $150 million out of the gas fields. The landowners of Wise County will pick up about $1,000,000 a year in royalty payments. For their 5% interest, Partners Jackson and Miles will get $200,000 a year apiece for at least the next 20 years.