The herald., 1893-11-02
GOOD OIL WELLS IN THE CITY,
Two Of Them Are in the Second
Street Park.
An Industry That Gives Promise of
Great Importance.
The OIL Is of n Fine Quality and Meeto
With = Ready sals--Ths Work Is of
H an Experimental Nature But the
Indications Are Good.


entertainment. The people frequented
the place for recreation, and many were
the enjoyable times passed within its
bounds. The shutting down of the
Second-street cable line had depress-
ing effect upon the. attendance at the
park, and it has not been the scene OF
80 much gayety lately as in years gone
by.
Within the past few months, however,
/ the park and the immediate vicinity has
taken lively appearance, but OF an en-
tirely different character from that oil
several years ago, and if the indications
materialize it will yet be one of the live
lest places in the city.
The cause is nothing less than the
sinking Of several wells tor the purpose
of developing oil fields in that vicinity.
At present there are seven wells
already bored to depth of from 100 feet
to nearly 800 feet, and several more are
being sunk. They belong to the follow
ing persons: Bayer & Last, two; The
Old Mission Land and Water company,
four; Altman & Doheny two; Mr..
Wright of Downey, one. The wells are
all embraced in space about $50 feet
square. They are On West State street,
between Patton street on the west and
Douglass avenue on the east. Two are
situated on the south side of West State
street, and are in the Second-street park,
being the property OF Messrs. Bayer &
Last. The remaining five are on the op-
posite side of State street.
There are now on the grounds three
permanent derricks and three others
attached to the hydraulic boring ma
Nchines. The yield of oil is at present
not large, but excellent indications ars
reported by those at work. They donot,
however, claim that something phenom-
inal will be struck. as they state the
work is at present largely experimental
and it may be days or weeks, and possi-
bly, longer, before the oil will appear in
the desired quantity.
About seven or eight years ago the
oil oozed through the coil in great
quantity, in the little hollow on both
eides and including West State street,
just east OF Patton street and Lake
Shore avenue. The oil coming in con-
tact with the atmosphre had lost its
volatile quality, and becoming gummy,
go saturating the ground that it was
utilized as fuel.
This industry was carried on for come
time and quite a hollow was made a
large portion OF the bank ON the rise of
State street, from the hollow, being also
cut into. Finally the work was stopped,
probably because all of the available
earthen fuel was exhausted. The place
remained untouched for several years
Last November one year ago Messrs.
Z. l.. Doheny, G.. A. Garfield and S. Ii.
Common, party of New Mexico mining
men. became impressed with the pros-
pect and started to develop the place.
They experimental in several places
and encountered water, hut finally went
on the slope of State street. near Doug
lass avenue. and sunk 155-foot miners
shaft. They had endeavored all along
to interest capital in their project, and
finally Mr.. j. F. Turner went in with
them. M
The original starters finally sold out
to Mr.. Turner in May, Mr.. Doheny
forming partnership with Mr.. Altman
The Old Mission Land and Water cons
pany went in with Mr.. Turner, who
controls large part of the stock. BY
his deal With Altman and Doheny Mr.
Turner had bscome the owner OF the
155-foot shaft and 103.foot shalt sunk
by Nj. Altman. The Old Mission CON-
pany after eeveral months ceased work.
ing the shafts and started to drilling
two wells on state street, near Patton.
The two others went further up State
etreet and also bored two wells.
The wells of the Mission company are
4S5 feet and 225 feet respectively. None
of these have been tested but they are
thought by many persons to be very
good. The oil comes out with the water
in excellent proportion and it is thought
f. that tho 4S5 foot may yield four barrels
OF oil day. The two shafts are not re-
garded by the company as being 80 vau-
able as the wells. The 225 foot would
yield excellently but for the-water which
flows into il. Already tank wagon has
been purchased by this company and
number,of pereons and establishments
are supplied with the oil. They report
that it is the best fuel oil they have ever
used. There has heen big tank to hold
l0,0u0 gallons of oil erected and there are
also three Others holding 80 barrels each
owned by the Mission company.
Alman Il Doheny have two wells
which yield about two barrels apiece a
day. Ore is down about 500 feet ard
the other $50. A third is being started.
Taey also have a so barrel tank.
Bayer and Last started their wells in
about July. One is down 375 feet and
yields from two to three barrels OF oil a
dsy and the other is down 400 feet.
When the latter was at depth OF 275
feet IL yielded two barrels a day, but
since drilling deeper the results have
not been go satisfactory. A third well
~ being drilled and is down about lC0
feet.
Mr.. Wrieht's we'll is down about 400
feet, but has not yet been tested. Els
worth d Grinms are also boring on the
TOP OF the hill just off OF State and Kern
streets. they have not struck any
quantity, but good indications are
found.
1t is not positively known what many
OF the wells will produce, as they are
being drilled and only pumped out when
they fill up.
The oil obtained is dark green petro-
leum OF about 10 degrees gravity. 1t is
Thought also to contain large percent
age OF lubricating quality. In reflected
light the oil is reddish brown, and if
transmitted the green appears.
y The strata is very uplifted, as is the
{ general formation of hill lands, and ie
vero difficult to operate in certain parts,
The top or adobe soil extend for several
. feet, after which a stratihed rock CON
! tanning trifie of mica is encountered
! then comes clay shale. Stratas OF
sand and flint are found at the deepest
borlngs, the general formation, however.
being OF the blue clay shale.
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