The San Francisco call., 1899-11-20

About 240O copies OF the splendid book
OF sos pages, California Mines and Min
erals" published by the California Min
ers' Association under the direction Of
Secretary E II. Benjamin. as a souvenir
OF the California meeting OF the Amer
can Institute Of Mining Engineers in Sep
tember. were last week shipped TO the
office OF the secretary OF the institute.
Rossiter w. Raymond, in New York. who
will distribute them by mail 10 the mem
bers OF the institute. Secretary Raymond
generously offered 10 do this, which Will
save the California Miners Association
several hundred dollars in postage. There
nave already been given or mailed 10
members OF the institute l64 copies, max
ing Z564 forwarded to members. The pub
fishers delivered 29sS copies. and OF the
balance or 42i copies all but 100 have been
delivered 10 subscribers or sold. There
are many local inquiries for the work
and many people have expected free cop
les and been disappointed, but the lew
copies remaining are held at the price. OF
% each for the benefit OF the association
treasury.
1t should be remembered that the costly
work was not prepared and published for
a large California distribution, but as
worthy souvenir OF the san Francisco
meeting OF the distinguished body that
leads the mining industry and 10 give 200
or so Of the leading mining engineers or
the country and OF the world a compre-
hensive knowledge OF the greatness ana
"a
field. There is already evidence that II
Will be OF incalculable value in this way.
Inquiries for it from all parts OF the world
are already coming 10 the once OF sec
retary Benjamin. who is himself Just now
absent in Alaska. Copies have been sent
10 foreign members of the institute IN
Canada. Asia, Russia, various countries
of Europe and 10 South Africa, and re-
quests for the work have already come
from all these quarters OF the world. The
same mail last week brought one inquiry
from a mining superintendent at Rat
Portage, Canada, and from an engineer
in Germany. The latter is Arthur Diesel
dOrff OF the University OF Marburg, VINO
writes that he wants its aid in preparing
some articles for German geological
magazine on features OF the California
mining field with which he is acquainted
Among his topics will be the sulphur
bank and New Almaden quicksilver de-
posits. the latest oil fields, gold statistics,
at is not for curiosity and for shelving
the volume forever in some bookcase
that l so much want the work, but Tor
California Mines and Minerals" Will
soon be out of print, but II will long be
a reference work in nearly 1000 Hprarles
mines and afford material for writer's
thereon. y
The widespread search for petroleum
now going on through California will have
scientific as well as Industrial Importance.
Every well that is put down, even by the
foolish or by the rascally promoters, may
be a valuable contribution 10 the geology
OF the State If competent records are
kept. There is much 10 De known ABOUT
the occurrence OF oil in this state ana OF
the extent OF the oil yielding formations,
and every reliable record OF drilling Will
be interesting 10 scientific students OF
this field. In the Eastern States the geo
logical problems connected with oil and
gas yielding formationes have been pretty
thoroughly worked out. In California the
different.
oil itself, and il will be an important field
for geological study for years.
The activity OF county recorders and or
dealers in oil well machinery and sup
plies is an index Of the increasing activity
in the oil field. Companies are springing
up over night in all directions, and many
OF them have begun drilling or Will 90 so
in the near future. The San Joaquin Val
ley is being secured by agents and pro-
motors with capital and with shoestrings
looking for ''oil land, and many or them
are the easiest suited people in the world
when II comes 10 location. Most any
thing will do for the prospectus. Many
companies are conducting bona fide opera
tions, and new fields can hardly fail TO be
developed.
In Kern County large tracts are being
secured for oil operations throughout
large region. Quite a number Of wells are
being driven in the Mckittrick district,
and one or two have developed small
yields at comparatively slight depths. \
company is about 10 drill near San Carlos
Creek, on the west side OF Fresno County,
near the San Benito County line. Opera
tions are also under way In the Park
field region Of Monterey County.
Los Angeles yet controls the trade in oil
well machinery and supplies. and dealers
there have beeen pressed 70 MI orders re-
Gently. a large business in this line will
undoubtedly soon be built up in San
Francisco.
The Santa Fe Company is building a
branch road from Richfield 10 its Fuller
ton oil field. and this will aid the further
development OF this region.
In the Coalinga field a company that is
boring has failed TO reach oil yet, but it
struck a water flow OF 500 barrels a day
and sold IL 10 other people that needed
water, thus paying a considerable part Of
its expense for drilling.
Some extensive oil operations are going
on in San Luis Obispo County which may
yet become an important oil producer
State Senator MOrehOuse and several
San Francisco business men have leased
and other large tracts have been leased or
bonded. Several rigs for drilling have
been sent up from Los Angeles.
Summerland. in Santa Barbara County,
is having oil luck both ways. New wells
are going down in land and in sea, and
last week two companies struck yields OF
oil One is a 30-barrel well. The in
crease in wells and in production is en-
but they can't get rid OF the |
oil. The Southern Pacific Company can
not supply cars to haul it away so large |
is the demand for cars by the Coalinga
field and from elsewhere. The car famine |
has reached the oil industry. Every Sum /
merland tank is full. and last week two !
found themselves in the posi-
tion, "Oh. deari II we pump We'll lose /
the oil. and II we don't pump Wen lose /
the we'll" AS some wells would fill UP IL /
operations were suspended those two |
pumped away and let the oil |
run into the sea More expected TO have |
to do likewise.
OF the Los Angeles oil field the Times |
says: "This yearthe output will be a trife I
larger than last year. Although there is /
a large increase in the number OF /
wells, there is a falling off in the pro- /
duction OF the field east OF the Sisters |
and also in the central field. |
which will keep the total production near
that Of last year. Better prices is a most /
welcome factor this year. The average |
price OF oil been between 81 and 81 Is /
per barrel and with approximately the 4
same production as that OF 1898 will place /
the value Of this years production very /
near 81 900 600. In the local field to-day .
there are over 300 men employed about /
The daily average for the year. The aver /
age wage per man is 81 80 per day. max /
ing a. total of about 1927 500 paid during i
the year for labor. Money paid for labor.
Of course. soon finds it's way into circu- /
ation, local merchants reaping the /
benefit New fields are being opened in /
h.. 49,