The San Francisco call., 1896-08-15

Of barrels of pure petroleum will be pour
ing forth daily from the extensive wells
now being sunk.
A company. with Charles Sonntag, the
well-known Market-street, San Francisco,
merchant, as principal stockho lder. and
A. L. MACPHERSON OF Oakland as superin-
tendent, became interested in the rich
findings OF petroleum seepage and gas in
the region near Lafayette and being con-
vinced that a fortune Law beneath the
hidden strata of shale decided to erect a
plant and commence boring for the oil.
Locating al point on the northern slope
of the hills, three miles from Lafayette
and eleven miles from Berkeley, on the
Josiah Allen ranch, they put up $4,000
plant of the most complete and approved
order.
Plenty of capital is said to be back of the
concern, and il the flow of oil proves to be
as great as anticipated pipes will be laid
10 Oakland and the fluid conveyed in them
to an extensive refinery there, which will
become a necessity.
Visions of pure petroleum flowing from
the earth like streams of clear, cool water
out of the living rock have come across
those who have seen the plant and learned
the history of oil-seepage in the territory
round about.
For the past seven months the COM
pany has been quietly at work erecting
suitable buildings and putting into place
the necessary machinery. No money has
been spared in the purchase OF all the
latest appliances for the successful deyel-
opment of such industries, so great have
been the surface indications.
Several years ago plant was located on
the Miner ranch, adjoining the property
on which the present one is situated, and
several wells were sunk. but the company,
lacking the determination and capital to
push the work, abandoned the scheme,
having gone down only about sixty feet.
Nothing more was done in the district un-
I'll the Sonntag Company took up the
work, though the surface indications are
plentiful throughout the district, from the
old Fish ranch to Mount Diablo.
a journey to the scene of this new field
OF commercial activity was taken this
morning by CALL representative and an
artist. After two hours ride of eleven
miles from Berkeley through the heavy
dust and over steep grades, under a seorch-
Ing sun, the scene of operations was
reached. Situated in q secluded spot in
deep canyon was found the most extern
sive oii-boring plant in the State.
A derrick or tower eighty feet in height
and shed seventy-tive feet long, to cover
the engine, boiler and other machinery,
formed the principal buildings. The plant
was found to be equipped with 25-horse-
power boiler, 15-horsepower engine,
three complete drilling machines, weigh
ing about 5000 pounds each; 5000 or 1000
feet of rope, and cable, windlasses, bull
wheels and hosting apparatus capable of
handling the machinery necessary to sink
the well 2500 feet. A 14-inch well has
been bored something over 100 feet deep
and cased with Pinch heavy pipe. Four
skilled oilwell-borers are employed on
each shift and the work goes on night and
day. The work OF drilling began only
about ten days ago.
The workmen have encountered several
very hard streaks, and their labors nave
consequently not progressed as rapidly as
under ordinary circumstances. The super
intendent said to-day that they would
probably go down about forty or fifty feet
every twenty-four hours, as soon as they
get under full swing. No granite forma-
tions have been reached, but hard sand
stone has been found in abundance. Oper-
ations were suspended for awhile to-day
because of the we'll having become filed
with water. The filing in OF water has
been the greatest difficulty with which
the operators have been forced TO contend.
Several cabins for the accommodation
of the employees have been built and big
supply of wood for use in winter is now
being cut and hauled to the plant.
That oil is to be had in great abundance
the company is absolutely confident, but
how far they will have to bore is matter
of peculation. Superintendent MacPher-
son stated to-day that they are prepared
to go down 250O feet if necessary.