The age-herald., 1901-12-26
OIL DRILLERs TAP A VOLCANO.
Slumberlng Mountain of Fire Was
 Found at Depth of 800 Feet.

l From the Pittsburg Gazette.
 While drilling for oil in the great desert
 of southern California, known as the
 Colorado Desert" an Indio oil company
 tapped what at first sight appeared to be the internal regions, but which proved to | be a sumbering volcano. The sleeping giant awoke when the drill dropped into | his fiery nest, and the result was startling 1 indeed to the drillers.
 The drill had reached a depth of but 800 feet and as 1t was expected that it would be necessary to go at least twice that depth to find oil, the workmen were not looking for a strike of any kind. It required extreme activity on their part to escape from the derrick when there came rushing up from the well a hiss ing. roaring stream of steam, gas, hot mud, rockks and brackish water. The volcanic substance shot several hundred feet into the air and fell in a destructive shower about the derrick. The tools were thrown from the hole and the small aper- ture made by the drill was rapidly en- larged as the roaring torrent continued to rush skyward.
 Within the confines of the desert, though several miles from the location of the volcanic oil well, is the region known as the volcanoes" This tract is more than mile in extent and contains hundreds of cones and peaks varying from a few feet to more than a hundred feet in height, from which flow hot mud and water, steam and surphurous va DOTS. Over the whole region hangs cloud of steam, and noxious gases fill the air. This tract lies from 200 to 300 feet below the level of the sea. as does the land upon which the Indio oil Companys well is located A few miles away rises the towering peak known as Mount San 1acinto, which. though having an alti- tude of but 1O997 feet above sea level, is the highest mountain In the United States, for it's base lies below the level of the sea, The region about this moun- tain has long been the field of frequent earthquakes. light shocks being felt ev- cry few days. As recently as last Febru- ary one iparoxysm was so severe as to cause the loss of six lives.
 The general opinion has long prevailed that old San Jacinto was preparing to de- velop into volcano. It would now ap- pear that the earth for some distance around Is but a crust over menacng monster. The well of the Indo Company still continues to spout its volcanic mat ter and the earth for many rods above shakes and trembles violently. What the developments will be it is hard to con lecture
 Not many miles from this strange well Is the locality known as the Salt Desert" This Is tract of thousand or more acres which lies 300 feet below the level and has the appearance of a vast field of snow. Over the entire tract lies bed of salt varying in depth from six to sixteen inches
 Seventeen years ago the Liverpool Salt Company took possession of the tract and began to harvest the salt from this ex- posed mine.
 Since the establishment of Its works there 2000 tons of salt year have been taken from the field, and y-t but ten acres have been worked. As rast as the salt is removed a new crrs. Is formed from salt springs the wnter of which Is rapidly evaporated by the rays of the sun, which is seldom obscued by clouds and induces a temperature often reach ing 12O to 130 degrees, Should a volcano of considerable size and activity develop, this valuable plant, together with the villages of Salton, Indio, Walter, Dur mid, Frinks, Volcano Springs, Flowing Well and Tortugo all of which lie below the level of the sea. would be in danger of extermination. The outcome of the volcanic well will be watched with great deal of interest and anxiety by the residents of those towns.