Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-09-24
Onr Oil Interests.

roI elSut VI uiue louS years, III Iue
face of determined opposition and dis
heartening failures, either intentional
or caused by want of skill or proper
appliances for operating, few earnest
and intelligent men have been en-
deavoring to have our district fairly
tested. Through their efforts and the
visits of numerous parties familiar
with the oil business, an interest has
been excited, not only here, but even
in Pennsylvania, which can be allayed
only by satisfactory test of this ter
ritory. This is question in which
every man in Southern California is
specially interested. We will endeavor
to show a0hy. In the first place, pc
troleum is to be found in the San Fer
nando mountains; from each of two
or three springs more than two bar
rels per day has been and can still be
collected, and hundreds of springs
have been discovered from which oil
and gas are constantly escaping in
quantities with which the springs
which led to the development of the
Pennsylvania oil region bears no COM
parison. These springs are not hid
away in inaccessible mountains, but
near the great thoroughfare from Los
Angeles to San Francisco, so that any
one who wishes to see for himself can
go to Lyons Station, but two hours
l1de by rail and stage from the former
place, and in fifteen minutes walk the
Messrs. KRAsZYNsKI can show enough
to satisfy any one of their existence.
Orifh he has leisure, let visit be made
to the "Pico Spring." the Hughes or
San Fernando well, the Big Moore,
the Wylie, and the well now being
drilled on the Temple claim; these
will assuredly be sufficient. DWELL,
what of that? / don't want any oil.
That don't interest me-" Let us see.
If you do not use oil in your house.
hold gas or candles take its place, and
twice as much is paid now for gas as
would be if oil could be had in suffi-
cient quantities to manufacture that
article. Again, you either use wood
or coal, at enormous prices. Petroleum
would furnish you fuel in its crude state
for one-fourth of what you pay now.
This is an item of household expen-
ses; while the price of almost every
manufactured article is enhanced from
this cause alone. Perhaps you own
property, are engaged in transporta-
ton or some mercantile business, or
have some profession. The inflow of
inhabitants could only be numbered
by hundreds, and as the population in
creases, so does the demand for the
commodities in which you deal, no
matter what they may be. Who can
pay? The advantages enumerated are
certainly enough, but look at the mar
kets. Pennsylvania and West Vir-
ginia now supply the whole United
States, and Europe, Asia and Aus
tralia. The freight on oil from San
Francisco to Los Angeles costs almost
as much as the oil itself in Pennsyl-
vania. If it pays to produce 1t there,
at present prices it would bring
large profit here from the local and
coast trade, while the China trade
would naturally fall into our hands.
1t can be delivered at Los Angeles,
Wilmington, or any other point which
may be established, at cost of trans
portion not to exceed fifty cents per
barrel. Besides all this by the Car
reras process much larger percent
age of refined oil is guaranteed,
than by the ordinary method. Now
what is the duty of the citizens of Los
Angeles county? 1t is to lend their
individual aid and encouragement to
this enterprise. Let companies be
formed with stock at such prices that
all may have chance. Keep those
already started moving, and great
industry will be added to our present
resources. The above suggestion may
furnish food for thought. A hint to
L. I. ff.sA