Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-06
THE ASPHALT MINES.
AN INTERESTING MINERAL REGION
OF KERN COUNTY.
A Deposit Long Known but Only Now
Being Utilized-A Spot Where As
phalt, Kaolin, Alum. Sulphur, Petro-
leum and Other Things Are Found.

JubL TeCuTueu lTOm nearly Wcek'b "Trip
to the new asphalt mines OF Kern
county, gives the following interesting
account of them and the new industry
they have become for California:
The mines occur in two fields, south
and west of Bakersfield, one lying in
the foothills on the north side of the
Tehachepi, and the other on the eastern
slope of the coast range. They have
been practically unknown for many
years, no state mineralogist or geologist,
except perhaps Hanks, having men
toned them. Their value, however,
was foreseen, and the locations covering
the asphalt and oil, they being together
were most of them patented years ago
among others by Solomon Jewett, the
millionaire banker, rancher and sheep
raiser, who located claim in 1861,
thirty years ago. The Buena Vista Oil
company spent $25, 900 in development,
and the Union Oil company, composed
of Georgians, large sum also; but lack
of transportation or high rates and
prices made it improbable in those
times. Since then the investigation
of asphalt and it's application to paving,
roofing, varnish and other uses have
brought it into use ine the United
States to the extent of 10000 tons an
nually, with an increase of 30 per cent.
last year, practically all of which has
heretofore been imported. Its chief use
has been for paving, over 400 miles of it
being now laid in a score of cities, in
Guiding New York, Brooklyn, Philadel-
phia, Washington, Buffalo, Cincinnati,
Detroit, Omaha, st. Louis, on large
scale. 1t is looked upon as the most
desirable pavement from the standpoint
OF durability, cleanliness, noiselessness
and economy ever used by cities, and the
demand for it in the immediate future is
likely to task the worlds sources of sup
ply.
California is the only state in the
union today which gives promise of any
ability to fill any portion of the demand.
Although asphalt has been found in
Utah, Wyoming, Kentucky, and other
localities, its development has been ham,
pered by problems of distance, trans
portation, etc. 1t is found in various
counties of the state, from Monterey south
along the Coast Range mountains to Los
Angeles, but believe it is reserved for
production of millions of tons, and
supply n0Conu oniy W eno PioSh i"N0 VI
Trinidad.
The two fields mentioned are each
| about five miles long, and the black
surface indications, outcrop and springs
in many places still alive are visible for
miles when approaching them. The
/ Standard Asphalt company, of Bakers
field, CAL, now control these asphalt
mines, and for several months past have
been engaged in refining and shipping
| it. Some of the men constituting the
company, bringing to it the capital and
expecience necessarylto push, it are Solo,
mon Jewett and HI. A. Blodget, of Bak-
ersfield, Henry Williams, of San Fran
cisco, E. G. Church, for many years
manager and superintendent of the
Barber Asphalt company at Buffalo and
Kansas City, S. Hutton and myself of
this city. Mr.. Church, who is an ex-
pert and authority on asphalt, and fa-
miliar with the Trinidad and others,
i pronounces the Standard of Kern county,
equal to any produced, if not superior,
for paving and kindred purposes. The
i company have now force of men and
twenty kettles in operation refining the
asphalt, which refining capacity will be
largely increased by planst now being
constructed.
4 In close proximity to the asphalt
fields, and a part of them, are wells,
springs and tunnels producing very
heavy petroleum oil, whose base OF
residuum, being asphaltum, is very
valuable aid and adjunct in the fuxing
and refining of the hard and rocky as
phalt. This quality in this oil has given
great value to formerly almost useless
form of petroleum, and is causing it tc
supersede for this purpose the coal-tars
and residuums in universal use in the
east, produced from the eastern oils
having only paraffine and no asphaltum
base.
The asphalt occurs in layers and
masses at present of unexplored thick
ness, easily taken out with the pick and
wedge. The liquid asphalt or fux il
added in certain proportions, and melt
ing proceeds until the dross or SAND
!, has settled and the pure and refined
: liquid can be drawn off into boxes ant
barrels ready for shipment. A highe
degree of refining is required for th,
roofing compound. This compound has
flexibility at all temperatures yer,
, superior to ordinary asphalt, whose ma
ii ture when purest renders it very brittl
, when cold and run when warm. It is
I singular fact that in California, wher
, the asphalt has always been obtainabl