It is not right that man should be required to go to such expense when every good purpose to be achieved by the requirement can be reached in another and less expensive way. Tanks can be made by excavating in the ground that will hold the oil perfectly. Where there is a clay subsoil that will furnish an absolutely impervious bottom for the tank, then if the sides are built of wood, with clay tamped in back of the wood, the tank will hold every drop of the oil. Such a tank can be made at one-half the outlay it would require for an iron or wooden tank of equal capacity. So far as safety is concerned, they are not only as good as the iron or wood overground tanks, but they are better.
Lightning is less apt to strike the ground tank than the metal or metal-hooped tanks.
If it strikes an overground tank, the oil will be scattered around the country, which would not be the case with an earthen tank. Now here is a photograph of such a tank in the Bakersfield area. And Guffey and Galey would not have done so, had they known or even suspected that they would strike a gusher. The earthen tank, however, is entirely sufficient, when properly constructed, and I hope the legislature will not pass the bill requiring anything any more expensive. Dr. Forward was asked if he disapproved of the requirement that valves should be provided on wells.