The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-03-22
OCEAN OIL WELLS.
Where Oil Abounds Under the
Waters of the Pacific.
Some Submarine Springs That
Have Been Encountered.

Have Been encountered.
With the pilot chart for November
last there was issued statement rela-
tive to tho possible existence Of sub
marine oil springs-as indicate d by vari-
Gus reports received from shipmasters
on the Atlantic and in the Gulf of
Mexico which, in view of the posi-
bility Of their commercial value, made
the matter of general interest. Mention
was made in this connection also Of a
well known spot near Sabine pass, on
the gulf coast, called the "oil pond"
where small vessels run in and anchor
during heavy weather, tho water there
being comparatively smooth owing to
quantity of oil or oily mul, which rises
to the surface. 1t was also s,id that no
such reports had been received from
the Pacific coast. Since then, however,
as result of the interest elected by the
announcement, several reports have
been received which are incorporated in
the monthly report of the photographic
office for February, briefly as follows:
The attention of the photographers
was first called to letter from Thomas
X. Griffin, of SIN Francisco, published
in the New York Maritime Register, in
which he states that submarine oil
springs exist on the Pacific coast. The
most pronounced i, off what is known as
''Coal Oil Point" about one and quar-
ter miles west of Goleta and ten miles
west of Santa Barbara. Mr.. Griffin sup
piled information from several masters
of vessels who have cruised in those
waters, and their reports are so clear
and consistent as to leave little room for
doubt of the existence of such subma-
rinc oil springs off that coast.
Captain Van Helmes, of the American
steamship Los Angeles, says that when
a vessel passes through the region of
this spring tho smell OF oil is so strong
as frequently to cause nausea among the
passengers a1d crew, and in certain
spots the oil can be distinctly seen bub-
bling up on the surface.
Captain Wallace, of the American
steamship City of Chester, Captain
ingalls,, of the American steamship
Santa Rosa, and Captain Alexander, of
the American steamship Queen of the
Pacific, testify that thcrc are other
similar springs on tho Pacific coast,
though not so pronounced as the former.
Captain Wallace locates the large spring
about eighteen miles west of Santa
Barbara, CAL, and states that the sur
face of the ocean is frequently covered
for miles with tho oil. He has also
seen oil floating on the water to the
north of Capo Mcndocino, from three
to five miles off shore, and thinks there
is another spring there. Captain
Plumber, of the American steamship
Gypsy, who has sailed seventeen years
in these waters, confirms the above
statements, and says the belt Of oil
above Santa Barbara can be sccl the
darkest night when sailing through it.
A very full and interesting statement
has also been received from Captain
Goodall of the Pacific Coast Steamship
Company who refers to tho fact that
Golcta Point is known to masters oil
steamships as "Coal Oil Point on ac-
count Of tho oil breast of it rising from
the bottom Of the sea. Ga calm day
the water is covered for miles with oil,
bubbles of which can be seen rising to
the surface and spreading over it. AL
though it does not seem to smooth
the water like animal oil, yet, on {
windy day, you can see slick of oil or
the surface. This spot il SO well known
by shipmasters that the smell of the OF
is used as guide in foggy weather thu
! petroleum smell being so strong that ,
captain can never mistake his position
when off that point. Captain Goodal
| says also that he has noticed small
flow OF oil from the bottom of the Sc;
off Colo Point near Point Conception
| but there the amount of oil is very
small. 1t cannot be seen bubbling VI
from the bottom, but is often visible or
tho surface, tho odor being very per
ccptiblc.
Bitumcn is known to be generally dis
tributed through the coast ranges to tn
southwark of San Francisco, and pc
troleum wells and tar springs have beer
found at places. 1t seems probable
therefore that til, oil bearing strait
crops out here and there at the bottom
OF the sea off the coast, or else that tn
oil escapes through the creviccs in tn
everything strata and rises 10 the surface
Such submarine oil springs are known t,
exist at certain other places, the bay o
Cumana, Venezuela. for example, wher
petroleum rises and spreads upoa tn
surface; and it is said that, off the is
land OF Trinidad, West Indies, ther
are submarine volcanoes, which oc
caslonally boil up and discharge
quantity of petroleum. / Commercia
Advertiser.
A New International Language.