The Saint Paul globe., 1898-05-08

edge of the sea- There seems to be an
almost continuous strip of oil territory
running down the Pacific coast from
Ecuador for some distance into Peru.
The Ecuador oil fields I learned of In
Guayaquil They have not been touch
ed as yet, and hardly prospected, so
that the information concerning them
is indefinite and hazy. I was told, how
ever, that flowing wells Of crude pc
troleum are found all along the Ecua-
dorian coast, from Cape st. Helena
southwark, and that In many places the
flow of oil Is such that when the wealth
er is calm it covers the sea for q dis
tance out from the shore with a greasy
film. North of Cape st. Helena wells
have been sunk by Ecuadorians, and
some Of the output has been sent to
Guayaquil to be used for fuel in the
boilers Of the steamers on the Guyas
river.
The parties working the wells, how
ever, were natives, and, as Is usual
IN many such cases, no practical tests
were made. From what 1 was told at
Guayaquil, / should think it might pay
to investigate this territory. The land
on which the oil exists belongs to the
government, and any one has the right
to denounce 1t. BY "denounce" I mean
to take 1t up for mining purposes. One
man, under the law, would have the
right to take up twenty claims, each
about three-eighths of mile long by
1900 feet wide. After this a yearly
tax Of $4 in gold on each claim would
have to be paid If the territory should
produce largely, the properties would
be very valuable, on account of the oil
lying near the surface and right on
the edge Of the sea, where 1t could al
most be piped into the steamers.
The oil fields Of Peru have been
known to exist for the past thirty
years, but 1t Is only recently that much
development has been attempted. The
Oil Is found at distances varying from
$50 to 900 feet below the surface, and
both flowing and pumping wells have
been exploited. The oil found at Zol-
ritos, north Of Paita, yields about 80
per cent of kerosene, and is said to be
good for both lighting and lubricating
purposes. 1t does not furnish as good
a light as our American oil and brings
only about half as much In the mar
kets here. I am told that large num-
Der Of the companies who have tried
the Peruvian wells have lost money,
and the English consul at Lima esti-
mates that about $25, 900 has been
spent without return. Still, there are
English and Italian companies which
claim that they are working at a profit,
and one italian, named Mr.. de Piaggio.
is now producing about 5000 barrels
month, while the London and Pa
cifio company has tank steamers and
operates the largest refinery on the
coast. At present almost all Of the oil
! used in South America Is supplied by
the Standard Oil company.
Peruvian Farming.
The country scenes here are unlike
those Of any part of the world. I can
show you some of them in giving you
a ride with me through this winding
valley to the foothills Of the Andes.
We go on railroad built by an Amerf-
can a couple Of decades or more ago,
but now owned by the English syndi-
cate known as the Peruvian corpora
ton. The cars came from the United
States and the ties are from Oregon.
| The telegraph poles are discarded rails,
| to which supports have been bolted to
| uphold the wires. These iron poles are
| used on account of the little ants which
| here eat anything wooden, but do not
| seem to bother the ties.
The conductor Of the train Is a little
| Peruvian, in linen suit, and on board
| with us we have a travelling postmas-
| ter, who sells stamps, takes UP the
| letters from the various small villages
and estates as we stop, and hands out
| mail to the people who come to the
| train. Notice the little farms which
we are passing. The fields are fenced