The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-25
TO SARATOGA OIL FIELDS.
Right of Way is Secured for the Santa Fe Rail-
road---The Petroleum Industry.
Especial to News and ObserverD

Especial to News and Observer
Baltimore, Md, Oct 23.-An announce
ment of significance for the petroleum
industry, especially that of Southeast
Texas, was made during the past week
| in the statement that right of way for
the Santa Fe RAILROAD had been secured
from a point on its main line between
Votaw and Kountze to the Saratoga oil
field, distance of eight miles, and that
surveys of the line were under way. It
Is also stated that options had been OBJ
tanned on $50 10 300 acres of land in the
Saratoga field to be turned over to the
Santa Fe and developed by that company
with the purpose of producing its own
oil for use as fuel on the locomotives of
its Gulf division. Referring to this deal
which, if all the options are closed. will
represent an outlay of from $1,000 to
$500 000.- the Beaumont correspondent of
the Manufacturers Record says:
Two routes are being surveyed for
the new line, one of which is intended 20
tap an immense area of pine timber and
as an lnducement to the road to build
in their direction the promoters of q
100000 lumber mill, who control The
timber are said to have offered to pay for
four miles of track. Thus it will be seen
that the construction and operation of
the branch means the opening up of
other resources and the stimulation OF
other industries besides oil.
Saratoga is in Hardin county, ten and
one-half miles northwest of Sour Lake,
and thrty-tWo miles, on a bee line, north
west of Beaumont. Considerable develop
ment has already been accomplished in
the Saratoga oil field, and the product Of
several wells drilled and operated by the
Beaumont Petroleum and Liquid Fuel
Company, an English corporation Of
which Carl K. MacFadden is American
manager, is now being delivered into the
steel tanks of the Southern Pacific Com
pany, at Saratoga, on a sixty days con-
tract. This is the first tn.ular delivery
of oil on contract, which has been made
from Saratoga wells. The Southern Pa
ciic owns 800 acres of Saratoga property
and has two more producing
wells. The Guffey Company through
its deal with the Star Petroleum
Company, consummated September %. ac-
quired some choice territory in this field,
and it is stated that the management has
determined TO drill not less than fifteen
wells Already the Guffey Company Is
operating six inch pipe line, with loop,
from Sour Lake to Beaumont, and IN the
deal with the Star Company it acquired
me uncompteted six inch line Of that com
pany from Saratoga to Sour Lake Work
on this line is now being pushed, and with
in a few weeks the Guffey Company will
be able to pipe Saratoga oil to Its refinery
at Port Arthur The Texas Company,
owner of the bulk of the Sour Lake field,
also has lire and loop in operation IRON
Sour Lake to Beaumont, and is now cut
ting the timber on its pipe line right OF
way to Saratoga, with the object of laying
the line Immediately.
"The Southern Pacific has branch from
its main line at Nome, to Sour Lake,
eight miles distant, and it is said that this
line will be extended to Saratoga. The
santat Fe people will rush their branch
10 completion, and with this object have
offeerd q bonus of $4,000, if the grading
shall be completed in thirty days.
1.-The announcement of the Santa Fe'sI
plans has caused a revival of the rumorI
to the effect that the electric lines which
has been completed from Beaumont half
way to Sour Lake, will be used by the
Santa. Fee If tins be true 1T will require
only ten miles of track between Saratoga
and Sour Lake to give the Santa Fe di-
rect line from the point between Kountze
and Votaw to Sour Lake and Beaumont,
via Saratoga. The Santa Fe now operates
trains into Beaumont, but the line passes
north of the Saratoga and Sour Lake
fields.
more Texas oil is in storge today than
at any time since the opening of the fields
ut Beaumont, and Sour Lake. Estimates
by various operators place the amount
above ground at 100000 barrels On
August 1st the Texas oil in storage was
estimated at 100000 barrels. The great
increase since that thine is due to the pro-
duction in the Sour Lake field, which has
run as high as 10000 barrels day and is
now about so 900 barrels day
The highest price for oil yet reached in
the Kentucky fields obtained last week
and have encouraged the operators to pre-
rare for extensive field work, as they be-
lieve the prices will not be materially low
cred for some time. In the Tennessee
fields the outlook is brighter than it has
been for some time, and great deal of
new work is planned.