The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-23

The excitement following the dis
covery of oil. in Washington county on
the Rio Vfrgen is unabated. Salt Lake
and Los Angeles capitalists have inter-
ested themselves in the newly-discov-
cred oil fields to such an extent that
within a short time several guSherS
are expected to be flowing. Each train
on the Salt Lake Route takes to Wash
ingtOn county parties of Los Angeles
investors determined to inspect the
ground.
In Los Angeles a company known as
the Utah-Los Angeles Oil company
has been formed, with Mayor A. G.
Harper and a number Of city officials
as heavy stockholders. Drilling rigs
will he shipped in and actual work on
the oil wells begun at once.
The rush at Virgen, the center of the
oil district, is already giving the tiny
village a congested appearance The
ONE house in the town is crowded and
tents are pitched on all sides. There
is not half enough food in the town
for the new arrivals, and many are
going to st. George, forty miles from
the center of excitement, where &C
COmmOdatiOns are plentiful.
Remarkable Oil Field.
Prices of land in the locality of the
discoveries nave UluiUDllSu SlllCS Ille
was found. Capitalists are giving the
settlers their own price for the claims
in the vicinity. Oil experts who have
examined the geological formations de-
clare that the indications point to the
most remarkable oil field in America
The transportation facilities are aid
cd in a considerable measure by ma
ture. There is d drop of 800 feet from
Virgen city 10 Lund. the nearest sta
,Ts Oh TNv-rarr ~
would carry the oil through pipe line
to Lund.
Within a short time at least half a
dozen companies viii be operating
wells in the oil region. Three cOmpa-
MES are in the process of formation in
Los Angeles; RhyOlite is headquarters
for another, and at least two are con-
templated by Utah capitalists.
The vicinity around Virgen City has
been regarded for many years by ex-
perts as a favorable location for the
finding of oil. The formation and gen.
eral contour of the country surround
ing the aforementioned town possess
all the indications Of oil fields.
Locations of oil claims have been
made from time to time for many
years, but no one did any work the To-
cations were consequently allowed to
run out
Salt Lake Men Find.
Early last January prOSpectOrs from
southern Nevada began to invade the
country in search of gold and silver,
and they. too. noted the natural forma-
ton indicating oil. Many locations
were made by these people. In Febru-
airy Z. b. Ferrar and A. J. Scott To-
Gated group Of claims called the Lone
Star group. These two gentlemen in
teTested Francis Daggett. mayor of st.
George; A. r. Nickels, d. ]. Smith and
T. !. GregOrsoh.
The Lone Star group was located in
a favorable position. About a quarter
Of a mile to the west a big oUtcropping
gave promise of oil on this ground and
a ten-inch hole was started by Ferrar
and Scott. Boring was done without
difficulty, and sixty feet of casing was
put down daily. At a depth of ITO feet
a porous lime rock was encountered,
and in this formation from ten to four
teen inches of oil was found. The flow
vas about ten barrels every hour.
Work was stopped when 1t was found
10 be certainty that there was oil in
the new field.