Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-22
DIR PETROLEUM FIELDS.


has en- account OF the oil measures OF
Southern California, north of Los An
eeles, and the formation OF company
at the city of Columbus. in that State,
called the "Union Land and Oil Com
pany of Columbus, Georgia." for the
purpose Of developing the oil resources
of the great petroleum belt of Southern
California. A prospectus Of the COM
pany says;
1.-THE object is to call the attention OF
our friends to the lands which this com
pany now own through patent granted
by the United States government. We
own and control about II 900 acres of
this land, selected for its oil develop
ments, and containing 1870 oil springs,
from which the oil oozes at the surface
of the ground in polls and scatters over
the plain, forming black patches Of oil
and great beds of asphalt, or evaporated
oil, to depth Of from two inches to six
feet deep, in which birds, animals, etc..
are found. In lighting upon its surface
in summer they are caught and preserved
for future generations TO gaze upon. The
remains Of one man have been found,
who. no doubt, paid the penalty of his
too yenturescme spirit. This asphalt,
some of which has become crystalized
by long standing is very vluable for fuel
and for paving streets. and that which
is morefresh is very valuable for common
paint, possessing both body and gloss.
There are millions Of tons Of this oil and
asphalt now on the surface, and II near
cheap transportation, to make in itself a
profitable source Of income. 1t is not
upon this, however valuable as ii may
bel, that we base our expectations.
From all indications the sources and
veins Of this oil are near by aud In pro-
fuse and unlimited quantities. Cattle
men, in digging for water fifteen miles
away, have found it so impregnated
with oil that it was unfit for man or
beast. BY boring wells it can be found
probably at depth not exceeding 400
or 500 feet. This accomplished, and
our property would become bonanza.
Each well might be worth from 100000
to $500. 600 each. All Indications point
to the fact that there may be 100 or
more of these flowing wells found, and
1t startles the Imagination to think Of
what fortune may fall to its projectors,
exclusive OF the value Of these lands
for agricultural purposes. being very
rich and fertile. This makes it safe
and sure investment, and II in boring
for oil that is not found. and
water Is, it gives at once value OF
from $40 to $50 per acre Tor purposes of
irrigation. Lands within fifteen miles
of our property, and of the same nature
as regards fertility, are bringing this
price to-day, and are being rapidly
taken up, producing from three to five
crops Of alfalfa, or clover per year, and
from fifty to sixty bushels of wheat per
acre. We get these facts from the
Wsskig Tuiare Register, as well as from
our representatives who Inspected the
properly. Should the asphalt upon our
property be found equal to the Trinidad
asphalt, which is imported to this coun-
try for street paving, it would be worth
millions. This costs, we think, from
$25 to $50 per ton--the facts are not be-
fore us as regards this point.
II may not be known generally that
the yield OF the Pennsylvania oil wells
IL Diminishing yearly, and that the con-
sumption is, in fact. overwhelming pro-
duction m America. All'the products
of petroleum left after distillation
are becoming as valuable as the oil itself.
From II we get benzire for cleaning fab
rics, parafine for candles, gasoline for gas
generation, vasaline for wounds aud the
residue, from which is made nearly all
the beautiful and brilliant aniline coiors.
The crude oil is also being utilized on the
Pacific coast for fuel for steamers, aud
one OF the finest steamboats, at San Fran
cisco is now using it, Russia il adopt
Ing ii on her railroad engines, furnaces
being fitted especially for its use. We
get this fact from The columns of the
Scientific american of September 18th,
1886. Coal is very expensive article
on the Pacific coast, as 1t has to be
brought by steamers and rail from long
distance Nature always gives her equal
compensations. May 1t not be possible
that the oil Of California will yet fulfill
her long desired want Of cheap fuelf
This property IL located In what Is
known as the Kern River valley, Kern
county, California, between the Coast
range Of mountains on the west and
Buena Visla lake and the Sierra Nevada
Mountains ON the east. and about TWEEN
ty-fiye miles from Bakersfield, a new
town on the Southern Pacific Railroad.
A new railroad is now being projected
which will run within fifteen miles OF
our property. II is open valley land,
rolling, and IL 800 feet higher than tile
railroad, giving us. il oil is found. a
natural fall for piping the flow to the
railroad. We are only about forty miles
from Santa Barbara. on the coast. De
we expect to lay our own pipe lines II
flowing wells are foundf may be asked
We answer, not necessarily. There
will be plenty of capital forthcoming to
take cur product at royal compensa
ton to US at the wells. We can furnish
II ut q price per barrel, as is now done
by all the Pennsylvania oil wells. Our
business will be to develop the wells and
sell the product, as is done in other
fields.
It may be in place to remark that AT
Newhall, about 100 miles south OF us.
there are few oil wells which yield
about 700 barrels, or about 28.000 gal
Ions per day. These parties are paid
10 cents per gallon on the spot for the
crude oil, which gives an income Of
$3640 per day, or at the rate Of 81 600,
900 per year.
Why has not this property been known
Of beforei may be asked. We answer
that II has. In 1854 land near ours was
brought TO the attention Of some San
Francisco capitalists. and as IL was before
the day OF any railroads in that country
the oil was gathered in pools from the
surface, refined on the spot, and barreled
and hauled across the mountains by on
teams to the coast for shipment. II
brought good prices, but this method was
too primitive and too tedious for the
active Californian, and II was given up.
Some Of these same original pioneers
kept up their patents on small lots ol
this land. and through them we got the
information of greater tracts in the SAME
locality. The advent Of the railroad
within twenty five miles has put IL near
or civilization, and makes 1t, prospect
lively, Of great value. This part OF Cali
fornia is mostly unexplored and unde
veloped, though II is being rapidly set
tied up. as the lands are very rich and
productive. We have had samples o
this oil analysed, and II is found very
rich in both lubricating and illuminating
qualities, being free from sulphur and al
foreign substances. and yielding II pc
cent. Of pure oil, while the residue make
. pure paint varnish, worth in marke
from 80 to 80 cents per gallon.
The following Is the analysis made b,
j. P. Barnum, analytical chemists
LOUISVILLE. September 10, l8S5.-Thi
will certify that l have examined tn
samples Of crude oil. from California
received from Hon. Thos. p. Hargis, an,
found 1t to contain the following pc
centage Of mineral oils, etc.;
Gasoline or naptha ......' 10 90 0o7
Benzine ........... ..t... BIO. ,,.., sol
Lightilluminating oil -.-. $40 l6 562