The herald., 1894-08-10
THE Oil WELLS.
IMPORTANT SUITS TO BE BEGUN.
QUESTIONS AT ISSUE.
What OIL Men ssy-Prospscts of - Con-
tinuance of the Iudustry-Its I'm
portance to tho City-Prob-
lens for Investors.

The oil well question is soon to be
settled by the courts. Those who think
their properly is or may be damaged by
the proximity of the oil wells are going
to bring suits against the owners and
lessees OF the lots with wells thereon,
jointly and severally. with view Of
testing their rights. They say they
have retained prominent lawyers to
prosecute the cases. The facts seem to
be that il damage can be shown to be
done by wells now in operation, they
will have to be closed, or else modified
so as to cause no damage. Otherwise
any property owner will have clear
case against the owner or lessee of the
we'll and also the owner or owners OF the
lot. If no damage is done by the wells
those who claim to be damaged will
have no case and will have the costs to
pay. If damage is proved to residence
property the oil men will long be ham,
pered with injunctions and suits. The
action of the city in the matter lie not
considered by those interested in bring.
ing the suits. They claim that there is
plenty of state and United States law
bearing on nuisances.
The oil wells now bored are giving q
fair supply at present. No one has
made any money yet. unless by specra.
ton. The oil is very sslable at present
at good prices, but the expenses are
heavy. To bore q we'll costs about as
much as the average lot in the neigh or-
hood costs-sometimes twice as much.
Some leases are being made on the basis
of the lot owner receiving one-eighth of
the total oil product.
As to the extent of the supply expert
enced oil men greatly differ in opinion.
Some say the lifs OF Pennsylvania
we'll is five years, and these wells may
last as long or longer. Others point
to the fact that there are no
''gushers," as they are called back
east, but every barrel OF oil has to be
pumped up ct heavy expense. They
assert there are wells enough now on
the ground and express a belief that q
year from now the wells will be as dry
as the Colorado desert. Several think
that the real oil supply is further north
or west and that the district near the
Second street park is but small catch
msnt basin, compared with the district
nearer the mountains. The fact is
pointed out alec, that all the oil districts
in the country worth having are con-
troled by that great monopoly, the Stan
dard Oil company. They have nothing
to do with wildcat ventures, but have a
simple method of bringing concerns to
terms that venture to encroach in any
way on their business. II they cannot
buy out conflicting interest at their own
figures, thov drop the local price of oils
to such point that the owner OF a well
soon finds that be has a maetodon or a
mammoth. not tos ,pesk CT an elephant,
on his hands. IL il thought, however,
that the Standard OH company is taking
no inter est in the Los Angeles wells.
That the oil interest here lie an impor-
tant ore goes without saying. 1t will
keep much money now cent away in
this city and will give employment to
many men. Those who are thinking
about increasing the number OF wells in
the pres eat district have some problems
to confront them. Briefly summed up
they are as follows: The establishing
OF the claim in the courts that an oil
well is nuisance; the uncertainty of
the supply; the possibility of a heavy
/ drop in prices.