Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-06-21
PETROLEUM.
It's Discovery and the Increase in the De
mand for It.

The first discovery of petroleum in the
United States was made in PENNSYLVANIA
IN 1893. Then, as now in the case of
the newer oil fields opened In recent
years, the first use to which the oil was
put was that of fuel. Even in that early
day the exhaustion of the coal supply
was predicted as being not far distant,
and the oil was hailed as the fuel of
the future. Before long, however, it was
found that petroleum could be converted
INTO an llluminant at small cost, and
that as such it would be nearly equal
10 the best gas that could be obtained
from coal The consequence that the
demand for kerosene became SO great as
to call for all the crude oils produced
by, the Pennsylvania wells. For time
the California oil belt was viewed as a
narrow strip of land, passing east and
west through the city of Los Angeles.
about three miles long and 1000 feet
| wide. Today the oil measures extend in
a broken line along an advancing and re-
treating formation from southwest IN
| northwest for Il distance Of more than
300 miles. From one district it has in
| creased to more than 20, all of which. or
| account of the abundance of oil pro-
| duced. have justly earned the reputation
OF petroleum bearing property. Although
! the oil wells of California now produce
| at Il rate of 100000 barrels per an
! mum they have not sufficient capacity 10
| supply the demands i'll that state alone.
| for California demands Mt the present
| time million barrels of petroleum a
month. 1t should be borne in mind that in
! the past lack of fuel has retarded manu-
| facturers in California. Ordinary steam
| coal Is cheap in that state at $3.50. The
| result was that as soon as oil was pro-
| duced in sufficient quantities TO make it a
, cheap fuel, manufacturers fiocked to the
coast. and industries are growing and
multiplying in California now as never
| before. This has caused a rapid increas,
| III the demand for oil, and it will be n
| long time before the California wells can
| produce enough to keep the fires burning
! in all the furnaces in the Golden state
| alone.
The development of the California oil
! fields has enriched many men. In the
! COalinga district there are eight men
| who n short time ago were Of very mod
crate means. but who have been made
millionaires by oil. The Coalinga dis
| trict produces oil of a superior quality.
selling at the well for 60 cents Der bar
rel. Indeed. so well is this oil thought
| of that companies in the district refuse
/ TO make any time contracts feeling con
| fident that the price of the COalinga
! product will soon advance 10 S1.00 per
! barrel. The oil from this district has
a greenish color and is of a light grav-
I ltY. ana the yield per we'll Is greater
/ than any other field and Coalinga has
more gushers than any other district in
/ California. Railroad and pipe line facil-
/ tiles are ample.
On the heels of the announcement that
! the United States navy has decided 20
/ experiment with oil as fuel for warships.
! it is stated that Japan has sent q naval
| officer 10 California to contract for 4
supply of oil to be used for the same
purpose on the hattleships and cruisers
! in the japanese navy.