The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-15

Samuel E Ia&iI- Gnffed S1Gies NoH-
sui. SayS the Outlook Is Good
Machinery for Drilling Ready to
He set-The General Conditions
Samuel E GIagiI. Consul Of the
United States to Tampico, Mexico
who returned TO this country for short
visit. was yesterday at Wizards Ho-
tel
''Tampico is in a certain way a rather
slow place" he said. Yet, in other
directions. ii exhibits a good deal Of
activity. The Tampicans are at present
interested chiefly in the development of
the oil industry No one knows how
the experiments about to be inaug-
urated viii turn cut, but those who are
managing the affair have every faith
that Tampico viii prove good oil
field
The Eastern oil companies several
years ago investigated Tampico and the
vicinity and prospected extensively for
oil They finally gave up and con-
Guided that there was nothing TO be
got out Of the country Business men
in California. however. are Of a differ
ent mind. They experimental in the
southern part of their State. in condi-
tons that seemed similarly unpromis-
ing. and have obtained good results
Now they have come to Tampico and
have made preparations to drive = num-
Der Of holes which they hope viii prove
To be wells
About $4,000 worth of machinery
has been dumped at the port and was
ready to be set up when I left a few
weeks ago. The machinery was all Of
American make
The company IS basing its investi-
cations on the showing Of high-grade
asphaItum, which appears in small de-
posts. The conditions which exist in
the California field are practically the
same. only not quite So promising. Any
one who is familiar with oil mining
in Pennsylvania VIII smile at the as
pHaltum part of my statement: but
the Westerners have experimental with
the matter and know what they are
about
The Standard Oil people have an oil
refinery at Tampico, but they have not
made any further attempt to develop
the oiI-bearing qualities of the district
II the California people make their
find they will have the best kind of a
proposition. The use of oil as a fuel in
railway operation has increased Won
derfully during the last few years, es-
peciaIy in the West and in mountainous
countries a monopoly Of the oil in
Mexico would be a rich thing.
The chief trade between the United
l. Tne7-a
has been a rapid development along
that line, and now the United states
controls practically the whole field
The English who have large interests
in the Central American railroads. at
tempt to compete, but are urable to
do so American coal is king. and the
trade is constantly increasing. The
greater part Of the coal comes from
the West Virginia mines and is shipped
by tramp steamers every month or So
"Tanapico IS one Of the important
ports on the Gulf coast, and all steam
ship lines of any Importance touch
there. I am sorry to say that the
Germans are developing the largest
amount of trade. The steamers from
the United States come oftener, but
the Americans do not seem so aggressive
in developing their trade relations The
Hamburg-American Packet Company
sends IT'S big ships every now and then,
and everywhere they collect a pound
Of freight they make an effort TO de-
VeIop relations so they can carry two
pounds the next time As a rule they
succeed
The North German Lloyd is another
ship company that does a great deal n
working up trade, and take it ali along
the line through The South American
countries the Germans, with the as
sistanee Of the transportation com
panies, are making good, warm places
for themselves
The America s, IL going into Tam