Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-10
Kern,s OiIsnterests.

Our people doubtless remember the
excitement that was worked up in Kern
county about eight years ago over the
supposed existence of an oil belt in the
Buena Vista hills. A host OF locations
were made, and eventually they were
conferred into two companies, one known
as the Coast Range and the other as the
Columbian. The latter company pur-
chased as good an outfit of oil well ma
chinery-consis.ing of engine, boiler,
derrick and boring tools--as could be
bought in Pennsylvania, and employed
what they supposed to be competent
men to bore the wells Work was
pushed vigorously. A well was started
near where the oil ran out of the ground
in considerable quantities, and black oil
was struck before any great depth was
reached. An analysis of this oil proved
that a good quality of coal oil could
be produced from it. But oil men do
not consider it paying to reduce black
oil, 50 this was shut off, expecting to
find. at greater depth, the better quail
ity known as green oil. The company
was unsuccessful with the first well,
and second one was commenced in u
location recommended by the borers,
who claimed to be experienced in the
business. The site of the well was not
satisfactory to those who put up the
coin. 1t semed unre asonable to them
that flow of oil could be found on the
side of mountain, far above where
any indications of it's existence were
seen. This dissatisfaction produced a
lack of interest in the enterprise, and
as men are not liable to sink much iaon-
ey when they expect no return from it,
the excitement died and with it work
ceased. The machinery was hauled to
Bakersfield, and the stockholders of the
companies charged their profit and loss
accounts with good round sum.
ln spite of the lack of means of the en-
terprise, there is not one Of tie former
stock holders of the companies but what
had just as much faith as to the exis-
tence of the oil at their claims when the
work ceased as they had when it begun.
Some of the more sanguine have renew
ed their locations, and are patiently
waiting the result of future develop
ments.
Besides the parties living here, who
have Interested themselves in this oil re-
gion, there are others who have faith in
these buried treasures. Among them
are Hamilton and Dewitt, of Tulare
county. The former worked the surface
claims to profit in years gone by, pro-
dueing large quantities Of good quality
of lubricating OIL Through the efforts
of these last. named gentlemen, expert
encad oil men have hean induced tn lend
money upon this oil territory, and work
is now going ahead with activity The
old machinery of the Columbia Oil
Company has been purchased by them,
improved appliances have been added to
it, and the parties named have been
boring for the past two months. From
MIR. Hart, one of the partners. we learn
that fine body of black oil has been
struck. This has been carried off, and
they are now going deeper in expectation
OF finding the coveted green oil. They
are now in q clay soil, but they have had
so much difficulty on account of the soil
caving in ON them that they have been
compelled to stop work for brief time
to get powerful jacks from San Francisco
to force the pipe through these caves.
When these arrive, Mr.. Hart informs US,
the work will be pushed with all possible
speed. We shall watch anxiously for
the result of this work not that we have
any interest in il, more than we know
that when green oil is struck in Buena
Vista hills, Kern county will have added
great wealth to her already wonderful
resources. -[Kern County Echo.