Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-03-05
OIL IN THE ORCHARDS.
How Crude Petroleum Was Found in Lo
Angeles.

HOW vas Ounu IN Io.
Angeles.
Indications of oil in and about Los
Angeles have been apparent for years.
and n few instances are on record of
enthusiastic prospectors who sunk
wells to the depth of from 100 to 200
feet, and actually succeeded IN securing
an occasional barrel of crude petro
leum.
The first cable car line was built in
Los Angeles in 1856, and it was natr-
rally conceded by investors generally
that a piece of land close in on the
cable line was about the biggest card
in their pack. This particular section
of town is made up of series of hills
crowded along as closely together as
a prairie dog village and just about as
available for town lots. a local real es-
tate dealer acquired some property in
the much-Valued region, and then for
several years tried yainly "a sell out
at almost any price. Finally. IN fit of
desperation, he decided to bore for oil.
This was in August of last year.
Discouragementa and ridicu p met him
on all sides. and when 1.0Ut feet had
been reached without result, his wild
cat scheme was the talk of tie town.
Then something happened Sudden
ly. in the dead waste and middle of the
night. tremendous burst of oi. and
gas shot out of the drill hole, flung
every portable object in its pathway
high in the air, literally soaked the
men in attendance, and satarat.5 the
region roundabout with the grimy,
ill-smelling substance. Dismay reigned
supreme, until the owner of the well
was enabled to turn the enol nous out
put into a hastily-constructed tank.
At first a universal wave of indigna
ton swept over tie community which
had in the passing of years taken up
its abode in this region. 1t was out
rageous that oifactorics of the peo-
pie should be so violently assailed-
their very hearth-stones invaded. II
was furthermore declared that the well
tions to abate the nuisance " ere made
TO the city council.
Then there was a great calm, which
lasted exactly "A hours, after which
every adjacent property owner with
$1,5O0 in hand or in sight began to pre-
pare for boring. Innumerahle agents
now appeared on the scene, eager TO
furnish estimates on readiLg, casing
Tubing, etc; TO supply rig irons, en-
gines, boilers, or Gand pumps, while you
waited; to take your measure for oil
proof overalls; to move your house.
Oil companies and oil exchanges ara
being organized and reorganized al
most daily. Two pipelines are CON-
pleted from the field to the railway :
tracks, one having $4,000 barrel stor-
age tank, and the other with a CT
pacity of $4,000 barrels. These lines
cost about $4,000.
There are over 400 wells in actual
operation to-day aud the drilling is
progressing RAPIDLY. What with the
purchase of plants and the cost of pip
ing the oil to the railroads, nearly 81
100000 capital has already been in-est-
ed in the industry.
As high as 300 barrels of oil have
been pumped from a single well in
"a hours, although 100 barrels is con-
sidered an excellent daily average 10,
the best producers. The present out
put is over 1900 barrels per day. Oi
this 1,5O0 barrels are required for Local
consumption = breweries, laundries
iron and steel works, printing Offices
etc, and the Santa Fe and Termina
Railroad companies being the princi.
pal consumers.-Harper's Weekly.