The herald., 1894-01-01

while some are holding for rise and
will never bore for oil themselves, yet
the number OF Investments for the pur-
pose of boring have been numerous.
During lthe year peculiar incident
happened in the oil territory around
Newhall and Ventura county. Severe
earthquake ehocks, which seemed to
follow the oil belt, were experienced,
and, although there was not much dam
age. still the workers around the numer-
GUS oil wells sustained fright which
has not subsided entirely to this day.
1t was the first time such a seismic
disturbance had occurred, one gentle
man who have lived in the region for 10
years never having witnessed even a
rumble before.
One very peculiar feature of the
earthquakes was that they did not af-
feet the flow OF oil in the least in all
that region.
1t may be safely said that the increase
OF the production of oil during the past
year will be more than doubled during
the present year by the new wells hich
are being bored.
The production of petroleum is great
and growing industry. The oil is uni
form in character, being asphaltine,
black in color, and ranging from about
40 degrees gravity down to almost solid
asphalt. The crude oils from 80 to 26
degrees gravity are extremely valuable
for fuel, and are sold, according to local
ity, from $1.40 to $2.40 per barrel OF AZ
gallons, the market being very firm,
and the demand exceeding the supply.
The oil is applied in the furnace through
short, nozzled pipes eiher with air or
steam, or both. A steady flame and
constant heat ia thus maintained. No
kindling, no ashes and no handling Of
fuel is required.
In Los Angeles city the oil is intro
duced into the furnace at a cost equal
ing about $6 per ton for good coal. As
instances of its consumption, the Sol
diers' home uses 80 barrels per day, the
cable road 80 barrels. The Philadelphia
brewery and similar factories also use a
considerable number daily. Ii oil can
be piped into Les Angeles. as it can be,
for 81 per barrel, Los Angeles would be-
come great manufacturing city.
The heavier oils ranging below Is de-
grees gravity, are valuable as asphalt,
and are used principally for paving,
roofing. lining and coating. From as
phalt is made most excellent quality
of printers' ink in all colors; also Japan
ese varnish, patent leather, varnish,
paints, axle grease; in fact, one firm
alone manufactures As commercial arti-
cles from asphalt.
A large proportion OF Southern Cali
ornia oils is shipped to Alameda, where
they are refined. The larger part, how
ever, is consumed as fuel.
Very little OF the lighter or paraffine
oils have as yet been found, although
there are few deep wells which pro
duce this quality.
The oil belts in Southern California
all have general east and west trend,
and are principally in the elevated hill
regions; in fact, at rather high alti-
tudes, ranging from 1000 to 5000 feet
above sea level, have several paying
wells been found.
The geological formation of these oil
belts is very broken, there being no reg
ularity whatever. The strata run from
a horizontal to perpendicular, with
frequent faulte. Great care is exercised
by drillers to avoid crooked holes.
The cost OF drilling a well varies from
So to $40 per foot complete, with casing
and derrick. There are many wells
which cost from $4,000 30 5000, and
some as high as $4,000. The depth
runs from 800 to 1900 feet. The yield
is from two to 125 barrels per day, re-
turning handsome dividend. A very
small proportion OF wells drilled have
been dry or crooked.
There are no flowing wells in Califor-
mia. The reasons for this are that the
oil is heavier end there is less natural
gas than in the flowing wells OF the
east. To Offset this, however, California
wells enjoy very long life. Old Piee No.
| /, which was drilled in 1874, is still
pumping and yielding handsome ia
come. This is good representative
we'll. The oil 10 pumped from the wells
into large tanks, from which it tlows by
gravity through long pipe lines to the
railroad, where it is loaded into carf
specially prepared for its reception. BY
| drilling several wells in a line they can
be pumped by the same engine, thus
| materially reducing the cost.
The amount of petroleum annually
produced in Sonthern California 10 eati