, 1888-11-11
WYOMlNG'S OIL.
A Proposed Pipe Line From Casper
to Omaha.
Something About the Great ShO-
shOne Oil Basin.
A BubbIing Spring, Three Wells
and a Large Lake.

W. E. Hawiey, the civil engineer, we'll
known in this city, says al Omaha paper,
leaves tomorrow for the oil lands of Wyo-
ming, as the representative of half a
dozen different Omaha capitalists who
own large interests in that country. The
Elkhorn road now has its terminus, Cas-
per, in the midst of this great oil pro-
ducing section, which can be reached
from Omaha in thirty-six hours. Mr..
Hawley's business will be to develop the
interests OF his principals, see that the
proper assessments are made upon the
lands under the statute, and u several
lines Of survey as boundaries.
Melvin p. Kinney, another engineer
who has been at work in the oil lands,
says there is a great future before that
country. Several wells have been sunk,
but now plugged up which will flow 1000
barrels per day. The means for storing
and Transporting the petroleum are now
at hand, but preparations are being
made to utilize this product in the early
spring.
The Standard oil company, it appears,
has seen the possibilities of this country
and has been endeavoring to obtain a
share in the lands. AS a consideration
for the purchase Of some OF this property
it has already traded its own stock and is
now trying to secure more.
Should this region develop all that it
has promised, it will work a revolution in
the price of fuel and oil in this country.
Mr.. Hawley says that several compa
MES are already organized to lay pipe
lines from that country to Omaha, and
the fulfllment of promises is all that g
needed to make them "a fact. Engineers
say the force of gravity alone will carry
the fluid to this city, and consequently,
after the pipe has been laid the cost of
transportation will be nominal only. 1t
is expected that oil can then be delivered
in this city to compete as fuel with coal,
whose price will probably then be ma
terially reduced.
While the t~ranscontinental pipe line
projects have appeared, and still seem,
impracticable to many experienced men
in this region, there is no doubt about the
inexhaustible supply OF oil in the terri
tory.
To the writer it seems passing strange
hat the Shoshone oil basin, in Fremont
county, does not receive more attention.
Here, on the banks of the Little Popoagie
river, only nine miles from Lander and
about 100 miles from Rawlins, is a petro-
leum spring, a lake and three flow
ing wells, all owned by an Omaha
company. The crude oil has been used
as a lubricant and pronounced a superior
article by the Union Pacific. From the
spring, at the base.ot a lofty cliff, the oil
slowly bubbles forth to the accompain-
Of kissing gas. The writer was,
through the courtesy of the Hons. NJ.
Murphy and Chas. E. Blydenburg,
afforded the rare pleasure of witnessing
the spouting of two of three wells, the
plugs being removed for the occasion.
The flow was strong and steady and the
output almost beyond belief. From the
three wells it would be several thousand
barrels daily.
The lake of oil is 800 yards long and
fifty yards wide. The black, shining sur
face is a perfect mirror. From this reser-
voir, supplied by the spring, oil is taken
BY the farmers and ranchmen for iubricat-
ing wagons and agricultural implements.
1t also possesses medicinal qualities. In
flood time thousands of gallons of the oil
are carried down the stream beside the
lake. About the borders of the body of
petroleum are countless carcasses Of birds
and animals lured to destruction by the
deceptive surface of the sticky mass.
Within two years the owners of the
wells, spring and lake will have railway
facilities at their disposal and Shoshone
basin oil will be placed on the market in
earnest.
Renewing Rails.