Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-03-28

sage of wagon. Here, on either side,
were almost perpendicular walls of
rock rising to the height of eighty or
ninety feet. Through this small
stream of water found its course upon
the surface of which we could readily
see
THE SIMMER OF OIL
With its changeable tints of yellow,
green and blue. In places where
sort of dam was formed by the boul-
ders, were to be seen thick coatings of
the real petroleum upon the surface,
resembling pools of melted tar, the
liquid being too thick to trickle
through the distractions and pass off
with the stream. Upon emerging
from this narrow defile, I'VE saw little
to our right and in small ravine in
the mountain side the object of our
search.
THE BORING APPARATUS
OF the Temple well comprises der
rick about fifty feet high, little port
able engine, covered by shed, and a
small shanty for the operatives. Eve
rything about the place has a sort of
mourning aspect, the drills, tackles, ma
chinery and structures being bespat-
tered and coated with the black, oily
petroleum. AS it was Sunday, the
men were not at work, and we found
only the cook of the party at home.
He knew about as much of the work
in hand as Kangaroo does of Chris
tianity, and our most persistent quiz
bilities concerning it. We learned af-
terward, however, that the we'll had
been sunk to II depth of 200 feet. On
the preceding Sunday the workmen
had struck oil and set to work pump
ing it out This procedure only lasted
about "A hours, however, and resulted
in securing
30 BARRELS OF PETROLEUM,
When the sand through which the
well was bored caved in, and put a
quietus upon further proceedings.
The operatives are now engaged in
taking out this obstruction and sink
ing pipes to prevent similar accidents
hereafter. The most sanguine hopes
are entertained that oil will be even
tually found in good paying quanti-
ties at this point, and the develop
ments thus far made seem to give good
grounds for the belief.
OTHER OIL CLAIMS.
A few rods down the caflon from the
Temple well, is another flowing we'll
or spring of petroleum, belonging to a
Mr.. Wiley, from which, we are assur-
ed, over thousand barrels have been
taken and shipped to San Francisco.
AS the market is unfavorable at pres
ent, no effort is made at further devel-
Opments, or even to secure natural
flow.
In another cafIon three or four miles
to the West, is the PicO oil spring,
which is said to produce a superior
quality of petroleum.; but, without de-
velopment, it is of small quantity.
On the opposite side of the valley,
and about three miles East of Lyons
Station, excellent oil indications are
also found. They are in deep cailon
and situated similar to the others
which we have mentioned.
CAPTAIN kRASZYNSKI
Is the original locator of these claims
-eightin number-and still retains a
controlling interest in them. At sew
eral places along this caf1on we saw
pools where the petroleum rose to the
surface and flowed slowly away. One
of these, high up on the mountain
side, is dubbed "1rhe Chimney" and
shows remarkably good indications.
Another, called '"The Danbury," shows
surface of petroleum about six feet
in circumference and is continually
bubbling with the gas which rises
through it.
IN GENERAL
We conclude that there is an Oil-bear-
ing stratum at least Is miles in length
running Northwest and Southeast and
underlying all of the springs and oil
claims which we have described. In
this there may be an immense basin
or chain of basins, which need only to
be tapped by the drill to pour forth
their endless wealth upon the fortu-
nate possessors of the claims and make
second Venango county of the re-
gion. But this event lies as yet in the
undeveloped future, and we can but
patiently await the results Of the in