The herald., 1898-10-27
DISPUTED OIL CLAIMS
TWO CONTESTS OVER LANDS IN
CoALINao OIL FIELD
Several Claimants to the Properties
Under Different Titles-Dewey
Mining Company Also in It

Two~important bills in equity have been
filed in the United States circuit court con-
cerning land in dispute in the Coalingo oil
district, in Fresno county.
The first is that OF the California Oil and
Gas company VS.. E. 0. Miller and the New
alton organized under the laws of Arizona
for the purpose of mining and sinking wells
for petroleum in the Coalingo district its
principal place OF business being Yuma. The
New York Oil company is California or
ganizaton, with it's offices in San Fran
cisco.
The plaintiffs allege that they were the
owners of parcel of land in the district
containing valuable deposits of oil. They
have been engaged in developing the land
since August 49, 1893, and have on it well
xnd other works. Prior to October 10, 1891,
ehe premises were government land, which
j. 5. Doyle, Mary S. Hadden, +. S. Payne
uments and naming it the Lowell Placer
Mining claim. The locators sold the south
west quarter to plaintiffs, w. II. Layson,
+. C.. Metzler, f. M. Reading ct al, since
when they have had the legal title to the un-
divided half of the claim and have complied
with all the requirements OF the law.
On August II, 1898, w. NJ Graham, w.
L. Pollock, L. b. Hart, w. H. II. Hart ct
al, notwithstanding the location of the
Lowell Placer Mining claim, entered the
southwest quarter, discovered oil on it.
posted notices and called it the Earl Placer
Mining claim, and took possession. The
locators sold to the California Oil and Gas
company the Earl claim, which had been in
their possession since August 81
June IA Hart Ii. Barrett, j. l.. Mclean
n. w. Brown, Julia Barrett, A. Barieau ct
al. made pretended location on this land
and undertook to convey it to the Producers
and Consumers Oil company. In 1896 the
latter corporation transferred all of its right
and title to f. o. Miller, the defendant, and
the government, and December 3lst of that
year IT became subject to relocation. AT that
time Ernest /. Smith and others made an
attempted relocation and called it the Sure
Shot Group Placer Mining claim. July 3,
1897, they undertook to convey the land to
r. y. Miller, which, plaintiffs claim, was
fraudulent and clouds their title They
therefore ask for an injunction restraining
defendants from extracting oil therefrom
and tor the removal of the cloud on the title
Of the southwest quarter.
lhe second bill involves some of the same
parties and is of similar character. The
Dewey Mining company files complaint
against the Home Oil company. The former
Is also an Arizona corporation, with Offices
at Prescott, organized to mine and bore for
petroleum in California. +. o. Miller of Tu.
lare county and the Home Oil company of
Fresno county have their Offices in Salinas.
Compllanants allege that they were the own
ers OF a certain lot of ground in the Coal
ingo district, containing valuable oil depos-
ITS. On January l. 1893, j. A. Anderson,
w. IL; IL. Hart ct AL discovered the oil and
located the land as n placer mining claim,
complying with all the requirements of the
law June IA, 1895, Frank Barrett, James
l.. Mclean ct al. made an attempted relo-
cation OF the northeast quarter as mining
claim, executed deed to the Producers oil
company, and that company conveyed it to
Z. O. Miller.
December, 1896, Miller abandoned it to
the United States, and, with other PARTIES.
made pretended location of another sec.
tlon, under the name of the Visalia Group
OF Placer Mining claims. The other parties
conveyed all their right and title in these
lands to Miller, which. though executed in
due form, plaintiffs allege. conveyed moth.
ing =; O. Miller claims that he owns and
Is entitled to the petroleum and oil on this
land by virtue of pretended location.
Plaintiffs alege that Miller has no right
to the property, and that it was not open to
location, as placer mining ground, as it had
been held and occupied as the Hart Mining
claims, and that the procedure was fraudli,
lent: A writ of injunction is prayed for. re-
therefrom va