Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-05-11
BETTER THAN ELDoRApo.
The New Oil Fields OF Los Angeles
Important Source OF Wealth to
be Developed.

Los Angeles county is slowly but
surely coming to the front. The latest
unmistakable indication is found in the
hills northeast of Anaheim, where the
most abundant supply OF petroleum has
been discovered that was ever before
shown ON the coast About twenty
years ago some parties saw the great
masses of asphaltum in Sequel canon
and branches, seven miles northeast OF
Anaheim and thought they had found
coal mine. They accordingly com
menced sinking shafts for coal but in
stead Of find ing that article, they found
such a supply of petroleum flowing in
upon them that they were drowned
out by oil, and abandoned the work
in disgust. They wanted coal and
would take nothing else, so they aban-
doned the great springs of oil which
were worth tenfold more than coal
mine and quit the country in disgu ust.
When the prospect Of discovering coal
was first agitated there was fierce con-
troversy for the possession, and IN the
heat of the strife one man was killed.
After it was found that no coal was
there, the folly of killing man for coal
that did not exist, was painfully evident
and in remorse the coal seekers left the
country.
The land was government property
and has been patented recently by
Messrs. B. Chandler, J. G. Bowers and
other Los Angeles parties, who have
prepared a fine lot of boring tools and
will proceed at once to sink well
into this rich and remarkable deposit.
The Sequel Canon, in which this great
supply of asphaltum and oil is found, is
on direct line with the great oil belt
that passes through Santa Barbara, Ven
tura and Los Angeles counties, and is
the richest exhibit of any portion of the
belt
The site is about 400 feet above the
railway and is approached by an easy
grade. The asphaltum furnishes vast
supply Of fuel for running engines while
boring and pumping wells, or for ship
ment to other markets.
The oil can be carried in pipe on a
steady down grade to the railway with
out waste or work. 1t is now worth
"a 25 per barrel for fuel, in its crude
state. If only half that price should be
obtained, it would still pay well to take
out this oil, which is a fine lubricator,
the best OF fuel, and can be refined into
all the numerous commodities which
were recently mentioned in the columns
of the HERALD.
This new discovery is destined to
be of great value to Los Angeles. In
truth "there are millions in it" 1t can
be used for burning lime and brick kilns,
making gas. running steam engines and
smelters and is much cheaper than wood
or coal. The especial value Of this great
reservoir of oil lies in the fact that it
can be found from the surface down to
an indefinite depth. The oilbearing
sand rock extends from the surface as
far down as any wells have been sunk in
that part of the country. Directly west
of this great exhibit of oil in the Puente
hills three wells have been sunk, and all
yield oil steadily. In fact, the supply
appears to be exhaustless.
Here is field for capitalists to invest
their money most. proftably. Los An
geles is great oil market and has a vast
supply that only needs experienced men
to develop. Mr.. Chandler has had
much experience in this business. but if
to his great energy and experience in
creased capital could be applied the re-
suit would be fabulous in profit After
an examination of oil territory in
Canada, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York
and West Virginia, we are free to state
that We have never seen so 'ich surface
showings of petroleum, as in the Sequel
Cafon and the adjoining Puente hills.
Capitalists will find it to their advantage
to invest in sinking wells in this rich
and rewarding field. Los Angeles coun.
ty is the banner county for resources,
and this new and opulent field of Sequel
Cahon only adds another block to her
pyramid of wealth.