Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-01-13
The San Fernando Oil Regions.

Saturday morning bright ana carry,
Messrs. White and Gearing, the Penn
vania men who have recently erected
Gas Works in Sacramento, and are
now in thit city with the view of do
ing the same thing here, together with
Doctor Gelcich, NJ. w. Childs, Colonel
Peel and Frank Howard, of this city,
and NJ. H. Williams, HERALD report
err, left this city in two carriages for
the San Fernando Oil Regions. The
route followed was the line OF the
Telegraph Stages, through the Ca
huenga and Fernando passes, to Lyon
Station. At this point we find the
new Oil Refine =, now In cor1r'' of
erection by the retroieum henning
Company of this city. These works
are of an experimental character, and
are intended to demonstrate the capa-
bilities of this region. for the produc-
ton of Illuminating oil. The still
has capacity of of fifteen barrels, and
is located in very convenient spot
about hundred rods from the Sta
ton, at the base of the hill, and will
br ready for operations in about a
month.
The existence of oil in this region
has been known for years, but no ex-
tensive steps have been taken to de-
velop it. 1t flows spontaneously from
crevices In the rock, and the streams
flowing from the cations are covered
with the crude petroleum. BY build
ing temporary dams to back up the
small streams, considerable quantities
of oil have been obtained, and it is
calculated that without any additional
development, sufficient amount OF
oil can be secured to keep the refinery
in operation. Some effort has been
made to test the productiveness OF the
oil bearing rock, and several shallow
wells have been sunk. These wells
and springs are located in the cafions
some five or six miles from the station
to the left of the stage road. The
Tousely we'll is five-inches bore and
one hundred and fifteen feet deep. 1t
was bored six years ago and Oil has
flowed steadily from it all that time.
A tank holding sixty barrels built at
the time the we'll was sunk, is now
full of oil. This well is owned by
Messrs. Wiley and Caswell, and gives
every indication that when finished it
will equal in productiyeness any of the
far-famed wells of Pennsylvania.
The Gelsich we'll, owned by the Los
Angeles Petroleum Refining Com
pany has been sunk about sixty
feet, and is also flowing well. The
Little Mower owned by the same
company, is about the same depth,
and shows equally good indications.
The Pico we'll has only been bored a
few feet into the rock, but it too is
bubbling out oil and gas, and prom
Uses to pay well for further develop
ment. In fact all these wells are
nothing more than mere scratches on
the surface, and are only valuable as a
proof that petroleum does really exist
in paying quantities. In this view OF
the case they are perfect success. Old
oil prospectors from the Pennsylvania
Oil regions go wild over the abundant
indications and declare that the most
favorable spots in Pennsylvania and
Virginia do not begin to show such
prospects for oil, as are visible all
around these wells; and enthusiastic
oil men say that thousand barrel well
can be obtained by simply going down
after it.
Messrs. White and Gearing are in
ecstacies over the character of the oil.
They say that the petroleum as it flows
from the springs is Superior in quality
to that in the Eastern States; and
specimens of it that they collected, in
appearance is almost like the refined
oils sold for Illuminating purposes.
There is any quantity of material from
which gas can be cheaply and easily
manufactured. This is of the utmost
importance to our city, and one that
presents itself directly to the mind.
We are now paying 81 so per thous-
and cubic feet for very inferior quail
| ity of gas. To be sure this is an eX-
orbitant price, even if manufactured
from coal; but to materially and per-
manently reduce the cost of making
it, so that an opposition COM
pany may hope to live and make mon
ey, it is essential that cheap and re-
liable supply of material shall be Sc
cured. This supply is found in the
San Fernando oils, and nothing re-
mains but to organize company and
build the necessary works to insure
forever to this city supply of good
and cheap gas.
In view of the vast fortunes that
have accumulated by the business in
Pennsylvania, and the far-reaching
and profitable commerce that is found
7 ed on this one article, it is little sur
prising that such promising region
as the San Fernando, should have
been so entirely neglected. tits quite
certain that if located anywhere else
but on the Pacific Coast, among gold
and silver lodes of fabulous richness,