The Washington herald., 1908-06-14
WILL REFINE PETROLEUM
Colombian Capitalists Start Plant on
Cartagena Bay.
Refinery VIII Have Capacity of
100000 Gallons Per Annum-Sup-
piled from Springs in Interior.

Consul Isaac A. Manning states that
! Colombian capitalists have organized the
! Cartagena on Refining Company. with a
capital OF Sl50000 American gold, all Of
which has been subscribed. the object be-
/ Ing TO exploit concession for the refln-
/ ing Of petroleum in the city of Cartagena.
The consul furnishes the following details
/ OF the enterprise:
The concession was granted for a Pc
| riod Of twenty years. but has already run
some four years The company has be-
I gun 70 erect the necessary buildings and
| expects 70 have the machinery all In
place and the plant in full operation by
July l. The refinery Will have a capacity
! OF about 10000 cases Of refined OF Oen
gallons 70 the case) per annum
The factory wifi be located on Carta-
gena Bay near the pier at La Machlna.
and will be Of lumber and zinc construc-
ton The greater part Of the machinery
has been tentatively ordered from Eng
land, although the president OF the com
pany informs me they will be in the mar
ket for tin cans, cases, and crude petro-
leum as soon as the refinery is in place
Il is the intention Of the company 10
import IT'S crude oil for the present. prob
ably from the United States, but there is
an extensive territory along the Carib-
bean coast OF Colombia where petroleum
seems to be present. and later the COM
pany expects to attempt the development
of these deposits.
In the valley of the river Sinu II Is stat
ed that there are a number OF petroleum
springs. from which the oil is gathered
in small quantities for lubricating pur-
poses and for illumination. one spring
there is said 20 produce an oil sufficiently
pure 20 burn In a common kerosene lamp
1t seems that little effort has been made
at any time TO develop the oil Industry
here, although the original concession
aires have a boring apparatus and COM
menced at one time 20 investigate 4 dis
trict near the town Of Turbaco. ,wenty-
six kilometers C1ilometer equals O.e2 niles
from Cartagena. but suspended work be-
fore any depth had been reached. They
state that they found gas. slate. and other
signs Of OIL. and DO not doubt that mad
operations been continued the presence Of
oil would have developed
There is no doubt that oil exists at vari-
Gus points IN Colombia. and geolocisrs
have frequently declared IL TO be present.
They have made the same declaration as
regards coal. which is said to exist IN
great quantities near the coast 20 the
south Of Certagena. A certain American
professor Of geology reported as follows
in 1867:
All this area Creferring 20 a district OF
about Eve miles that no had examined) IS
true deposit of coal. which contains the
same alternate strata Of lime, slate clay.
COAL and petroleum and sand as thar cf
the true carbOniferOus series Of the Unit
ed States Of America, and differs therc-
from in nothing. The coal is hard. break
ing in cubes; is bituminous In character.
and little harder than Richmond. Va
coal"
The geological character Of the country
would Indicate both petroleum and coal
deposits. which may both be develcped
before many years. There IS a duty of
l-2 cents per klo q Is pounds) on re-
fined petroleum and a duty Of ! cent per
kilo on crude petroleum. Hence the new
company will enjoy a very large differ.
entail.