The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-29

4
As the year draws TO a close, a book
i'm review over the progress made in the
DEVELOPMENT of the mineral resources
of washington county, and more par
ticuIarly that of the oil fields near Vir-
gin City, is most satisfactory. good
beginning with most encouraging re-
suits has been made in the develop
ment of these oil beds. notwithstand-
ing the delays and difficulties incident
10 the comparative isolation of the field
and the financial storm which broke
just at the time the exploitation of the
fields was to begin in earnest.
Where the Oil Crops Out.
Previous to the development work in
augurated in the spring the prospec-
tive value of the Virgin City oil field
rested principally on the outward indi-
cations of the Oil-bearing horizon as il
is exposed in the Virgin River canyon
near the falls, where the river drops
down to the St. George valley below.
Here are found exposed the Oil-bearing
sandstones and limestones similar to
certain OF the more important Oil-bear-
ing beds of the Ohio and Pennsylvania
oil beds. These beds have an aggregate
thickness of 600 feet 1t is here also
that are to be seen the principal oil
seeps of the district petroleum drip
ping from the oil-bearing sands and
shales saturated with oil and burning
freely
These outward indications. together
with the formation and cOnformatiOns
of the ground were sufficiently allur-
ing TO induce successful and expert
enced oil men with capital TO prospect
the field and seek petroleum pools on
the dip of the strata.
First of the Oil Wells.
The bringing in of No. / well by the
Virgin River Oil q Development COM
pany in July-a well affording seventy
I'VE barrels of oil per day-gave the
first impetus TO the development and
exploitation of the oil fields of Wash
ingtOn county. The development of this
producing we'll under the direction of
Messrs. Wilcox and Halihan. was proof
10 the oil men of California and else
where, many of whom were watching
the results of this trial boring, that the
Virgin river country is an oil country.
Expert Oil Men Flock to Utah.
Expert oil men from California and
eastern and southern states rushed into
the Virgin City country to confirm the
strike. They gave it and the sur
rounding country a critical and ex-
haustive examination, with the con-
clusiOn that a new oil field of ecOnom-
ic Importance and considerable area
was discovered in this southern cOun-
try.
Sixteen Rigs on the Ground.
These men, alert and quick to grasp
the opportunity. rushed rigs to the
ground in the vicinity of Virgin City,
the known oil country. Sixteen rigs in
all have been brought into this district
representing an expenditure f n drilling
apparatus we'll beyond the sI000 900
mark. These rigs were placed in COM
mission as quickly as local conditions
would permit. Delays and difficulties
incident to the securing of lumber for
derricks were encountered, such delays
as are common TO newly opened dis
triCts remote from the highways of
commerce. However, the lumber prob
lem is solved now by the better facil-
tiles of the saWmilI men on KolOb
mountain and the establishment of a
lumber yard at Virgin City by Messrs
Miner and Stair.
On the Ground Floor.
The Virgin River Oil & Development
company Immediately upon striking oil
and confirming their convictions of the
possibilities of the field. ordered two
additional rigs from Los Angeles, and
pumping apparatus also for their No.
well, with the object of supplying the
other rigs with oil for fuel in the.~
drilling operations. This they have
done throughout the fall.
They have placed these rigs, one
about two miles up North creek from
the original well, and the other about
One-half mile from their first trial Dor
ing. Drilling at the upper well is in
charge Of Mr.. Halihan. A strike of oil
is reported at this we'll Drilling at the
lower we'll is under the direction of Mr..
Wilcox.
Star & Crescent Is Busy.
To the Star & Crescent company, an
association of Salt Lake City and Ce-
dar City, Utah, men. is due the credit
of bringing in the second well of the
district. This well has not been put
down through the upper Oil-bearing
stratum, but the flow of oil is strong.
The specific gravity of the oil from this
well is said to be 80 degrees Baume.
This company has extensive holdings
of land. and is at the present time en-
gagged in performing the annual labor
on their other holdings required by
law.
Among those who are actively inter
ested in the Star & Crescent company
is Dr. Middleton of Salt Lake City,
who is president of the company
Dixie Company Pushes Work.
The Dixie Oil & Land company. in
which j. r. Clark Of Salt Lake City is
the moving spirit. has located its FIRST
well about two miles above Virgin City
on North creek. A heavy flow of wa
ter was encountered when nearing the
upper oil stratum This rig is down
at this writing waiting for casing to
prevent a heavy overhead column Of
water which might prevent a flow of
oil when the proper depth is reached.
The Smith Clark Porter syndicate
under the name of the Southern Utah
OIL company, is drilling with a Star
rig about one mile north of Virgin
City. This rig is down temporarily
waiting for repairs for broken ma
chinery.
Work of California Experts.
The Martin Development company
of Bakersfield, Cal, associated with
which is David Martin, enc of the most
expert and successful operators of the
aaast. This company is drilling the
Smith-Affleck ground on North creek.
Drilling has Just begun on this ground.
The Arizona-Utah Oil company has
just begun to drill in the vicinity Of