Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18
Oil Fields of the Future.

VA 1icluS VI TIC utuIo.
The experts of the geological survey pre-
dict that Kansas and Indian territory are
the fields of the future, and promise great
Industrial prosperity. The edict has gone
forth from the Standard OIL Company to de-
velop those fields and pipe the oil to eastern
refineries. 1t is also the intention of the
company to build refineries near the CEN
tiers of production. The experts also assert
that Wyoming will soon be heard from in
the oil market with a product OF superior
quality Much oil Is found upon Indian
lands in the Indian territory. which are
leased to operators under certain resula-
lions. The Standard OIL Company does not
appear as lessee of any of the lands, al.
though it may be represented by local
companies with which contracts are made
The Indian bureau does not inquire into
ownership or leases the individuality or
the person making them, so long as they
pay the rentals promptly and fulfill the
other terms of the contracts.
There has been a decided change In the
method of producing oil with the passing
years. Most of the product now comes
from an uncounted number or farmers
each of whom pumps the product OF ms TWO
or three wells into small tanks. Then inc
| agent of the pipe line comes along. inspects
| and measures the oil, and gives the farmer
| q certificate for it's value. These certlh-
| Gates are made payable to bearer and are
| as good as cash in any bank, but they are
subject to certain charges for transporta-
| ton and storage, and thus grow less valu-
able the longer they are held II they are
kept more than six months after issue they
| are subject to additional charges.
Having paid for the oil, the agent runs IL
| into the main pipe lines, which conduct IL
| TO refinerjes at Buffalo, Cleveland. w hitlng,
| Ind ParkerSburg and various other points
| In the northern central states Nearly all
| Of the pipe lines are owned or confronted py
| the Standard OIL Company. They aggre-
| gate about 600 miles and reach every
| Coll Of sometimes
| mountains. through forests and under
| rivers, into wild sections which cannot De
| reached by ordinary methods OF transpol-
| tation They resemble the circulation sys-
| tenn of the human body, the heart being
| the refinery, the arteries the main lines ana
| the veins the smaller branches, winch
| spread like network over the dlsulets VI
| production To each pipe is attached
| pump of appropriate size to force the OIL
| through, and they are located Wherever
| they are needed, according to the topogra-
| ply of the country, because oil VIII not
run up hill any more than water The
| pipes vary from four to ten inches in diam
| eter. They made of cast iron, IKE Or
binary water pipes, and, OF course, are ia'o
| underground.
| The tendency of oil producers is to COM
bine, for mutual protection and benefit Inc
| same is true in every Industry. Inc straw
berry growers, the men who raise melons
and oranges the fishermen, the florists, and
even the undertakers, find that organization
| is beneficial and hence In an oil country the
farmers consolidate to get hlgher prices anu
better terms. There are also numberiess
| corporations owned by local capitalists or
| more OF less wealth and power that buy or
| lease oil lands, locate new fields ana develop
old ones, and sell their products 10 the Pipo
| line companies.
Policy of the Standard.
An investigation will show that the Stand
ard Oil Company owns much smaller pro-
portion of oil-producing land than is popu-
| oIt oh IA tracts
| in West Virginia, southwestern Pennsyl-
| vauia and elsewhere. 1t is contrary TO the
| policy of the company to produce crude pc
troleum 1t is much more profitable to buy
| it from individuals and small farmers and
let them have the trouble and take the risks
| of drilling the wells. Oil wells are very UNI
| reliable.
| The total number drilled in the United
| States during the year 1903 was 1850, of
| which 500 were dry and produced nothing
These wells cost an average of s.. 400 which
makes a total expenditure of SIG ,4o4,ooo our
ing a single year The average life of
well is about four years Hence the Stand
ard Oil Company considers it good policy TO
permit the owners or the lessees of the land
or local companies TO take this risk and do
the work
DR.. Day, the expert OF the geological sur
vey says: ut is harder to produce petro-
leum now than ii was a few years ago. be-
cause the oil does not flow from the earth
as it did Each we'll yields literally at first.
but it gradually gets down to 'stripplngs.
If you put your hand on lamp, said Dr.
Day you will always find film or oil on
the surface. In some mysterious manner
the oil has forced itself through the metal
or glass of which the lamp is made. 1t Is
inst so in the case of a well. The oil comes
creeping upward from some unknown source
deep down in the earth and gradually works
its way through the soil and rocks, over
coming all obstacles. II 1t finds a vacant
place it fills 1t up and accumulates where
the rocks are porous and covered with I'M
usually dense substances but IL Keeps on
moving until it is finally released by some
farmer on top of the earth. and as the pres
sure from below is lessened the flow OF the
we'll dminishes."