Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-06
PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT IN
LOS ANGELES.

Long indifference 10 this Source OF !
Weaith-DIscOurag OF Com
templaIiug InVestOrs-Great Ex-
tent Of the Southern California |
OF M Heasures-Experimen ina the |
NeighbOrhOOd OF Los Angeles and |
ira the city LimitS-NaIural Gas |
wells.
It is curious, but it is fact, that very |
few people outside of Los Angeles, and |
not many within that charmed circle, |
dedicated to the goddesses Flora, Ceres |
and Pomona, know that one of the larg-
est and finest deposits of petroleum in |
the world is located in their county, and |
that it rsmifies throughout a number Of
adjoining counties, and notably Ventura
and Santa Barbara. For years the trav.
eler on the steamers plying to and fro
between San Pedro and San Francisco
noticed that there was peculiar looking
scum on the sea when opposite Redondo
Beach and Santa Barbara, and that
wherever this scum appeared the surface
of the deep was unusually placid.
1t was literally pouring oil upon the
waters, and this oil was the petroleum
which exuded from the land. 1t will be
remembered by those learned in oil de-
velopments that the thing that led to the
discovery of petroleum in Nenango coun-
tv, Pennsylvania, was the presence of
| this scum floating on the waters of Oil
Creek. For many years the Seneca In
| dians, who inhabited that portion of
Pennsylvania, had gathered this stuff and
sold it under the name of Seneca Oil. 1t
was then and is nov, sovereign reme-
dy for cuts and burns; and, oh tell it OF
in Gath, nor publish it in Askelon, il is
said to have miraculous efficacy in
making hair grow on the top of a bald
head. This circumstance was discovered
through it's continued application to
burns and other hurts on the arm or
other members thus treated No man,
therefore, need be bald unless for the
distinction, such as it is, involved in that
condition. The knowledge that a full
head OF hair disqualifes man from sit
ting in the front row at the first produc-
ton of ballet will always
preserve a good-sized bald contingent
But hereafter, like the tonsure and
celibacy of the Romen Catholic priest
hood, the condition is voluntary one.
THE FIRST REAL EXPLOITATION OF OUR OIL
| MEASURES.
|
q long time it was known that there were
oil indications out in the Pico cafion,
near Newhall, in Los Angeles county.
Newhall, by the way, was then all un-
known country, being the creation of
the oil development, instead of preceding
it. Occasionally some person from
abroad would observe these indications,
and evince some inclination to exploit
them. With the exception or Col. K. S.
Baker and Gen. Beale, both of whom
have property interests there, there was
very little disposition amongst our local
capitalists to encourage any practical
measures looking towards utilizing these
, deposits. IL is even related that on one
, occasion Ex-Governor John G. Downey
discouraged an intending investor from
having anything to do with them. Not
withstanding all these drawbacks, how
ever, there were found people willing to
, make the trial. The first impetus was
, given to the real development of the
Pico cai1on by the appearance OF ex-
Mayor Bryant and other capitalists of
San Francisco on the scene. A practical
oil man from Pennsylvania, named Tay-
lor, was also one of the pioneers. Coiu-
cidently with his arrival, Mr.. Robert @.
MACPHERSON, one of the most noted oil
men of the Pacific Coast, devoted his
; energies TO the Pico csflon. Mayor Bry-
ant and his associates finally disposed of
their interests to a combination consist
ing of Hon. G. N. FELTON, and Scofield
& Tevis.
For some time prior to this deal, Mr..
D. G Scofield, one of the most go-ahead
and alert business men of the Pacific
Coast, had been directing operations at
Newhall. He early realized the impor-
tance of the interests he was supervising,
and he threw his whole soul into the
work of development. Although
was doubtless through his infiu-
ence that the Messrs. FELTON, and
Tevis were interested in the work. How
ever that may be, ample capital was
thrown into the Pico cai1on; and, the oil
being there, the result was of course sue.
cess. The difficulties were great, Ie
cost infinitely more to bore a well in
Southern California than in Pennsyl-
vania. The tools had to be transported
great distances, most of the labor was in
experienced, and the conformation of
both the territory and the oil measures
were essentially unlike. But, FORUM
ately, with success ahead as reasonable
probability, these we're men not likely to
be arrested on the point of outlay. Thew
persevered, and the result was a number
of wells whose output is large and in.
wolves satisfactory pecuniary returns.
The popularity of the oil wells of
Southern California is, that while they
do not pour out the astonishing volumes
of petroleum that characterize some of
the Pennsylvania wells, the yield is con-
slant. 1t is not SO easy to get at the
statistics of oil production in Los Angeles
county now as it was five or six years ago.
Wereeall figure of the yield of Pico No. 3,
which we believe is yielding at
the same steady rate yet. Up to
1882 it had shown record of 1876 900
barrels in five years. When some
OF the oil deposits are first tapped the
flow OF gas is so strong as to throw the
tools out, and the oil spouts up above
the head of the derrick. Thereafter thew
settle down to steady, reliable pumping
wells.
| THE STANDARD OIL COMPANY.
The Pacific Oil Company, which is an
other name for @. N. FELTON, and Scofield
q Tevis, erected an oil refinery across
the bay, near Oakland, and for years
they handled the product of the Pico
wells, selling their refined oils to and
/ hpUOnd tho TaOoo I;oa -. a.