The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-07-31
sALEm's DESTINY.
what an Oil Find Has Done for a
California Town


What element OF commercial enter
prise shall be Invoked to awaken the
citizens of Salem to full realization Of
the abundance Of natural resources that
lie al the very doors Of the capital city?
Shall she continue on in her quiet
lines Of local trade, educational effort,
and professional pursuit. and be salts.
fed with the mediocrity and passivity
OF an undeveloped, inland city2 Or
shall she stretch forth her energetic
business arm and grasp the utilities ly-
ing dormant upon her borders and ap-
ply them 20 her future expansion and
glory2 Shall the splendid story Of
Bakersfield be retold in Oregon with Sa-
lem for the center OF its compensating
activity. the pivotal point Of attraction
for the tide OF wealth that shall follow?
What is the story OF Bakersfield2
Twentysix months ago this little
California town Of 3 200 people was liy-
ing out its somnolent existance. ignorant
Of and Indifferent TO. any larger Or
happier destiny, and apparently satisfied
70 exc out the slow, provincial fate its
own inactivity wac fastening upon II,
it's most sauguine citizen cherishng no
ionder dream for its future than TO hold
1t as the rural metropolis Of a rich grain
and raisin district
Suddenly, as a bolt swings out Of an
unthreatening heaven, the news was
born down upon the quiet little city
that col had been struck on the farm OF
old man Means, eight miles away.
This was the shibboleth Of a new destiny
for Bakersfield. Instantly the sloth,
the inertia, the paralysis of the old years
we're shaken off; the town rose TO the
possibilities in store for IL; to the last
and least citizen Of the poky little place,
the promise was given Of magnificent
realization, il only energy and pluck
were exercised in siezing the opportunity
and utilizing il for the public and
common good. What is the RESULT
Bakersfield is a new city: its old land
marks are fading before the monuments
Of genuine, commercial progress: where
3 600 people once wrought slowly and
carelessly for mere existence. $1,000
lively, prosperous, energetic citizens are
now engaged in laying the foundations
for the sure enough metropolis OF the
famous Kern river oil district; fourteen
millions OF dollars have already been ex-
pended in the purchase OF lands, ma
chinery, the drilling OF wells, the
building Of oil-tanks, the laying Of
pipe lines, and the thousand other
direct, and indirect, necessities in
dicate 20 the vast development,
started by the success oil one
poor little well, bored by simple and un.
expensive machinery, by plain farmer,
whose faith, and intelligent effort
through long years of constant discour-
agement, at last bore fiuit, the unex.
ampled bounty of which is pouring it's
ceaseless flow Of wealth, not alone into
his deserving Golfers, but into the pub
lie and private treasures Of the whole
surrounding country; thousands OF per-
manent residents have ilocked into the
little town, enrichiDg il by local in
yestment, by the influx OF collateral
wealth from the 700 successful
wells sunk and operated by the men
who poured into the section as aoon as
the Means we'll was known TO be a
"true" we'll and, etrange as il may
appear 20 the ordinary reader, not one
OF the wells put down in obedience Ia
this proof offered by nature, has failed,
all are running, few are gu shing, and
the vast and growing industry is fixed
and lourishng. and Bakersfield and the
great oil-belt OF which she Is the center
and financial headquarters, is one oi
! the marts OF the world, inexorably des-
tined 10 be a wealthy and active and
influential, not only in local sense, 6u
in the wider scope OF the full cOmmerciA
realm.
Where Ia the analogy?
The edict has gone forth, upon incOn
testable authority, that the indication
of oil-beafing strata IN Polk county, bu
a few miles out the Capital City o
Oregon, are the same, in every particular
az urged the indomitable farmer o
Kern county. California, 10 push hi
venture to iruition, through the barrier
Of encouragement and the sneers OF hii
less informed and dubious neightoTs.
This is not written TO advertise Kerr
county, California, nor its wells: 10 Il
written 10 inspire the citizens OF thi
immediate country with a proper sense
of what is In store for him, his city, hi
county and his state, II the Polk county
hills shall prove reservoir for the ac
cumulatiOn Of one OF natures mos
abundant and useful supplies-oil.
The venture submitted 10 the peopl
OF Salem, in relation 10 the promise
discovered in the near sister county, ar
too pregnant with immense and lastin
profits, TO be lightly ignored, and II tn
district in and near Salem Is TO be OK
plotted successfully, it lie the plain dut
OF every citizen of Salem TO see that th
wealth TO be developed innure to IN
{ capital city, and that she becomes TN
! head-center of the subsequent activlt
, and progress.