The herald., 1894-08-26

ing found on q tract that does not ex.
ceed twenty acres in extent. That sec
tion OF the city has all Deen subdlvlded
into residence lots. Sometimes four or
five wells will be found on a single lot.
In one case g man raised enough money
to put down we'll on a lot which he
was fortunate enough to own. From
the sales of oil from that we'll he put
down other wells until he now has tive
wells on that one lot and lie now has
the income from the sale OF from ~ TO
80 barrels of oil per day.
The oil territory is not confined to that
one locality by any means. In iact'
there are many places to the west OF the
city where the indications for oil are
much better than they are in the vicinl-
ty OF Second street park. where most oil
the wells are located. Hence other
wells have been put down, scattered all
the way from Second street park to the
city limits. and oil in paying quantities
has been struck in every instance.
Out near thu Baptist college, just out
side the city limits, are seven wells in
cluster, belonging to Mr.. Mailman.
They are shallow wella, being only 1S0
fees in depth, and yet they all yield oil
in paying quantities. Even the sand
atsne rock in the bluff overhanging the
little creek near these wells is 30 satu-
rated with oil that it will burn like coal
when put in the fire.
This whole country is underlaid with
sandatone-that peculiar formation OF
sendstone which 10 found in all oil pro-
ducing countries. 1t crops out ct inter-
vals everywhere, and although the
greatest oil developments have been
made within the limita of the city, yet
the oil indications appear TO be the
strongest further to the westward, with
the Brea rancho as central figure In
the line of natural indications.
Thus far the work of putting down
wells for oil has been done mostly BY in
dividuals or firms, and oil companies
have not been formed to any great ex-
tent. The work is all being done on q
small scale. One combination, however,
has leased about 500 acree of land near
the city limits. north of Temple street,
and is putting down its first we'll. Oil
has been struck in that we'll. In fact,
there has been no record so far OF fail
ure to get oil, and usually it has been
found in shallow wells. What will be
the result when some stronger company
puts a we'll down to a depth OF 1000 or
$500 feet?
A company ia about to be formed by
Messrs. NJ. d. Johnson, James Kerr, G..
A. Runnels and their associates for the
purpose of buying q tract OF land that
corners within a few rods of the brea de-
velopment and deep oil we'll on the Brea
rancho. The funds for purchasing the
ranch have been already secured. Ii ie
said this company proposes to 90 into
| the oil development business on a large
ocale, and will lay pipe lines to near
by railroad station or to Santa Monica,
some eight miles distant, for conveying
the oil to market.
The facts herein etated relative to this
new and rapidly growing industry will
be revelation to most Of our people. A
few of our citizens have known what was
being done in the way of developing the
oil industry, but the work has been 30
quietly done that the masses are in ig-
noropoe &c ~ faot that a fer P~ahin g
people have within the past six months
built up business that is today paying
them handsome returns, aggregating
over $500 per day net.
If this industry continues to grow in
the future as it has in the immediate
psst-and there is no reason why it
should not-this city will soon contain
many men made wealthy through oil
and many more men placed in comfort
able circumstances by travelling that
same road in more modest way.
1t has always been considered that
there is more profit and less risk in oil
than in any other industry ever brought
| to the attention of the American people,
when the conditions for the develop
ment of oil wells are as good as they are
! in this county.
In some of the South American coun-
tries and in Russia crude oil is ussd cue.
cessfully as fuel in place OF coal for
| locomotive engines and it is reported
that the Santa Fe system contemplates
changing over their engines go as to use
oil instead of coal, at least the expert
ment is to be made and if il is success
full then the change ia to be made on
large scale. This change would not only
save one half the cost of fuel, but it
would keep millions of money at home
that is now sent away for foreign coal,
1t is stated on good authority that
$1,000 per day are cent out of Southern
California to foreign countries to pay for
coal. With the general introduction of
oil as fuel, this large sum of money
could be kept at home to enrich our
country and people. 1t is also stated
that there is a demand right here in
Los Angeles for 1000 barrels of crude
petroleum daily for fuel purposes and
this consumption ia on very rapid in
crease, as oil is being substituted for
coal, wherever such change can be
made, on account of its costing only
about half as much as coal.
While it is probably true that coal is
king, the public in this county at least
should bear in mind that oil ia a mem
bsr of the royal family.
ANOTHER BLUNDER.