The herald., 1896-04-22
Already Ranks Among Import.
ant Local Industries =
OIL AN IMPORTANT FACTOR
Hundreds Of Wells Among Orange Trees
and Rose Bushes
The Rapid Development Of the City a. Q
Manufacturing Center 10 Due
to Cheap Fuel

Though is Is now scarcely two years
since oil was first made use of for COM
mercial purposes in this district, the
field now presents much the same as
pect as may be looked upon in the older
and long-worked regions of Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio. The methods now in
use are substantially the same as one
encounters there, and their general ap-
pearance of thrift and activity are their
exact counterpart. The plan of utiliz
ing the isolated plant system has been
to great extent abolished for the moro
economical system of pumping jacks. By
the latter method a series of wells with
In wide area are actuated from CEN
trail station and by the use of a greatly
reduced force of men. In some cases the
item of fuel cost has been entirely wiped
out by the utilization of natural gas
from one we'll which flows in sufficient
quantity to supply twenty -horse-pow-
er gas engine. The economic manage
ment of the industry has still further
been accomplished by the Introduction
of the piping system as means of trans
portation, in many cases. The latter
plan has been adopted by large firms
having storage tanks adjacent to the
railway stations, or located within the
manufacturing districts.
The limits of the oil district now be-
ing operated are comprehended by an
area extending about one mile east and
west and one-fourth of that distance
from north to south. This field is locat-
ed in the heart of what was recently one
of the most highly improved residence
districts of the city, and is therefore now
dotted over with pretentious residence
structures. Within it one may see huge
o1l-stained derricks rising in back yards
and alleys, by the side of handsome
porches and upon lawns in front of resi-
dences. Running riot throughout the
field are deeply guttered truck roads
which traverse the sites of flower adorn-
ed lawns, and usurp the region of the
pack fence. Overhead are flying cables
attached to distant pumping jacks, while
under foot is spread out in every direc-
ton network of pipes. Upon all sides
are huge oil tanks, of the vintage of the
brewery loft or cooling room, but large
enough to hold 1000 barrels each. Every
where the eye meets the ceaseless mo-
ton of the swinging pump levers and
the ear is greeted with the hiss Of es-
Gaping steam. The whole aspect of the
place is that of intense activity, and is
in strange contrast with the intermit-
ten glimpses of domesic habitations
which are visible at intervals along the
borders of the field.
CHEAP FUEL.
The rapid development of Los Angeles
as manufacturing center is due to
cheap fuel, which can be understood
better by explaining the situation as re-
CARDS the use of oil as fuel
At eighty cents a barrel, reckoning
three barrels and a half of oil to be
equal to ton of coal. the fuel supply Of
Los Angeles would cost only as much
as in places where they pay $3.50 ton
for coal, which, as stated, would place
Los Angeles in the lead among the man.
ufacturing cities of the country as far
as the cost of fuel is concerned. There
are some who estimate that three bar
rels of Los Angeles oil are equvalent
to tonof coal, but even reckoning three
and half barrels. and figuring the cost
of oil at SIC it would be only $3.50 pei
ton for coal. which is a price low enough
to attract manufacturers from all parts
of the country. The Terminal railway
is using oil on all of it's engines. the
Southern California on many, and the
Southern Pacific is also adopting it.