, 1889-03-26
JSO. r. CARROLL. - Editor.
AN INTELLIGENT OPINION.


O%pperman, who is said to have been for
many years the standard authority on the
oil fields of Bradford and whose maps,
geological sections and statistical work
have given him n national reputation.
Notwithstanding that natural oil or pc
troleum was known to exist throughout
Colorado, Wyoming and other states and
territories west of the Mississippi river as
early as 1864, writes Mr.. Opperman, OF
only six years later than the first attempt
to produce this mineral in considerable
quantities in Pennsylvania, owing to the
enormous supply yielded up by the reser-
voirs of that state there was, until very
recently, no incentive to stimulate action
in the development of new territory re-
mote from the main center where capital
and energy in this line has been hereto
fore employed. Upon the discovery of
the Bradford oil field of Pennsylvania
there began an era in the history Of oil
dom unparalleled and beyond anticipa-
ton. As a result OF this excessive pro-
duction and accumulation Of stocks above
ground, a period Of twelve years followed
during which the palmy days of the oil
region have been seldom experienced.
Oil deposits, however, are not mex
haustible, and while the Bradford field
alone at one time yielded $4,000 barrels of
oil per day, its production at present does
-oaol 10 nOn horrols Gtooka ohoya
ground which at one time aggregated 55,-
0O0, 900 barrels. have shrunk to l7,000,-
900, and now the worlds demand for
American oil amounts to about 80, 900, 900
barrels per anuum Statistics of this
character applied to the visible supply
and consumption of gram, in connection
with a dead uncertainty or probability OF
future crops, would likely create q panic.
1t is not probable that Pennsylvania
can long maintain her supremacy as the
petroleum state, Her reservoirs of oil,
so far as concerns the worlds demands,
are well nigh exhausted. Stocks on
hand will help to bridge over for a time,
but such a period will be brief at most.
The question then naturally presents it.
self where will probably be the mex seat of
action for this gigantic Industry Surface
indications, and oil and gas springs are
the only tale bearers of this mineral, and
to some extent these exist over an ex-
tended area of the western half of our
Union, including California, and also
numbers of them are to be seen along
the Pacific coast of South America.
The writer, basinG opinion upon re.
ports of such reliable and able men as
Prof. Aughey, years ago-even during
the zenith of the Bradford field-looked
upon Wyoming as the destined great fu-
lure oil region, and this belief has by no
means been lessened by more recent
gleanings. Next to Wyoming it would
appear natural to consider Colorado as an
oil producing state. from the character of
rock and surface indications therein con-
tanned, while a good section of North
eastern Utah seems to embrace n portion
of the oil-bearing area of Wyoming and
Colorado.
The home or origin of this natural oil
appears to be confined to no particular
rock or age, except the ages of prolific
animal and vegetable life, extending from
the %silurian up to that of q%uaternary, or
the age of man. That it is a product of
distillation from animal and vegetable or
ganism would appear perfectly tangible.
Based upon information thus far OBJ
tanned the principal rock in Wyoming and
Colorado, to which we can look for richest
oil depositsi is the Dakota, the lowest hori-
zon of the cretaceous period, above which
in succession lie the Colorado and Fox
Hill together forming the three sands to
make mp the condition so well understood
and cherished by operators of the Penn
sylvania oil fields. Each OF these three
horizons are known to contain oil to some
extent, but in conformity to former ex-
perience the third or lower sand rock, the
Dakota, is richest in store, whether on ac-
count of its closer proximity to natures
laboratory, or to its superior condition as
u RESERVOIR, is of but little consequence to
the producer so long as he is convinced
that oil is there.
The geological structure Of Wyoming is
favorable for a large oil field; the oil bear
ing sand rocks being Of great thickness,
that of the Dakota as much as 600 feet,
and of a porous nature. They cover an