Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-10-19
Cheap Fuel the Factor.


made by our citizens to effect an ener-
getic organization that will take an active
and intelligent interest in developing our
resources and inducing the establish
ment of manufactures in Los Angeles,
shows that our people are alive to the fact
we must do something more than talk
that we must act if we hope to place our
city on the high pinnacle of industrial
prosperity she is capable OF reaching.
Our resources of soil are really
unlimited. For their full and
richest development we require a
continuous accession of farmers from the
East. In order to induce this accession
we should continue to spread reliable in
formation throughout the States to the
east of os. The competition for passen-
gers amongst the overland railroads has
reduced the fare to California to rate
that opens our State to the Easterner at
moderate cost. 1t costs but little more
to reach California from the States this
side of Chicago than it has in the past to
reach those States from the Middle or
New England States. This is strong
point in our favor. The advan-
tages of soil and climate and
the character of production OF this
section are so great over those
of the old States that the volume of the
immigration would only depend upon the
dissemination of accurate information on
the subject.
The establishment OF manufacturing
industries in this city has been greatly
retarded on account of the cost of fuel.
Whilst we have at our hand an exhaust
less supply OF petroleum yet its cost to
consumers is far higher than it ought to
be. 1t should not cost more here for
petroleum to run our furnaces than it
costs in Pennsylvania. We have as fine
quality of it right here in our
county as ever came from the wells Of
the Quaker State; and those who have
made specially of the study OF our oil
belt pronounce it more extensive than
that of Pennsylvania. Now, the only
reason why oil should be dearer here
than there is the lack of facilities for con-
veying it cheaply to the place OF its use.
We look upon the suggestion OF Mr..
Wicks, to establish pipe lines between
this city and the oil districts, as the one
thing to be done to secure to manufac.
tories here cheap fuel. Let us
by all means see to it
that this admirable suggestion is
carried out. To bring pipe lines from
the Puente and from Pico canon would
cost but little in comparison with the
saving that would ensue in the cost of
petroleum, and the advantages that
would flow to Los Angeles from cheap
fuel, are simply incalculable.
The committee of the Chamber OF
Commerce, who are now celebrating
their report on this subject, to be pre-
sented at the next meeting, will doubt.
less give us all the data that we require
to arouse a public interest in this i'm.
portant subject that will lead to the
early laying of pipe lines from oul
petroleum districts.
1t is only question OF boring to fine
natural gas wells in the immediate vicin
ity of Los Angeles. Five or six years
ago, the natural gas emitted from a hole
dug just outside the western boundary
of our city, was confined in barrel
placed on the aperture, and common
gas burner inserted in the head of the
barrel was Lit, giving forth fine blaze,
which burned for several days. At an
other point the cooking OF a household
was done by natural gas conveyed into
the kitchen stove. We may have to
bore deep to get permanent and sufi-
cient supply of natural gas but that we
have it in unlimited quantity at our very
door, we have not the slightest doubt.
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