The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-02-17
VENEZUELA'S OIL FOUNTAINS.
The Mineral Riches OF a south Ameri.
can state.

can state.
There is in Venezuela a sand bank
full of holes, out of which gush streams
of petroleum, mixed with boiling water:
E. H. Plumacher, Commercial Agent
of the United States at Maracalbo, has
described this phenomenon in report
to the State Department, adding to this
description an account of the petro-
leum resources of that country. The
asphalt mines and petroleum fountains
are most abundant in that part of the
country lying between the River Zulla
and the River Catatumbo, and the
Cordilleras. The wonderful sand IS
about seven kilometers from the con-
f1uence of the Rivers Tara and Sard-
inarte. It is ten meters high and
thirty meters long. On its surface can
be seen several round holes, out OF
which rises the petroleum and water
with noise like that made with steam
vessels when blowing off steam, and
above there ascends column of vapor.
There is a dense forest around this
sand bank, and the place has been
called " Ell Inferno" DR., Edward Nc
Gregor visited the sand bank and re
port to the Government that by experi-
ment he had ascertained that one of
the fountains spurted petroleum and
water at the rate Of 24O gallons per
hour. Mr.. Plumacher says that the
petroleum is of very good quality, its
density being that which the British
market requires in petroleum import
ed from the United States. The river,
up to the junction of the Tara and
Sardinarte, is navigable during the en-
tire year for fiat bottomed craft of forty
to fifty tons.
Mr.. Plumacher has been unable to
discover that there are any deposits of
asphalt or petroleum in the upper part
Of the Department of Colon, beyond
the Zulia, but he has been told that the
valleys of Cucuta and the territories of
the State of Tachira abound in coal
mines. There are coal mines near
San Antonio, in ravine called Ia
Carboncra," aud these supply coal for
the smiths FORCES in that place. Coal
and asphalt are also found in large
quantities in the Department of Sucre.
Mr.. Plumacher has seen, while resid-
ing in the State of Sulia, but one true
specimen Of Ignite" which was
given to him by a rich land owner, who
is Spanish subject. In the section
where it was found there are several
fountains Of peculiar substance. 1t
is black liquid of little density strong
ly impregnated with carbonic acid,
which it transmits to the water. which
invariably accompaies it. Deposits of
:, ,lct Of %lo >F
the spurs of the Cordilleras, and are
believed to indicate the presence of
great deposits of anthracite.
There are many petroleum wells of
inferior quality between Escuque and
Bettijoque, in the town of Columbia
Laborers gather the petroleum in
handkerchief. After these become
saturated the oil is pressed out by
wringing. 1t is burned in the houses
ofthe poor The people thought, in
1924, that it was substance unknown
elsewhere, and they called it the " oil
Of Columbia" At that time they hop
ed to establish valuable industry by
working it, and they sent to England,
France and this country samples which
attracted much attention. But in
those days no method of refining the
crude oil had been discovered, and
therefore these efforts to introduce pet
roleum to the world soon failed.
The plains of Ceniza abound in as
phalt and petroleum. There is large
lake of these substances about twelve
kilometers east of St. Timoteo, and
from it some asphalt Is taken to Mara
caibo: Many deposits of asphalt are
found between these plains and the
River Meme. The largest is that of
Cienega dr. Meme, which is shallow. At
the bottom lies compact bed of as
phalt, which is not used at present,
except for painting the bottoms of
vessels to keep off the barnacles. There
are wells Of petroleum in the State of
Falcon.