Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-25
OFFICIALS VISIT
OIL FIELDS AT
TAMPICO, MEX.
REPORT INDUSTRIAL CONDl-
TONS GOOD
MEXICAN PETROLEUM COMPANY
HEAVY PRODUCER
Furnishes Fuel for Mexican National
RaIIways-Huasteca Petroleum
Company Has Great
Wells

A party consisting of Edward L.
Doheney, C. A. Garfield, Herbert G.
Wylie, A. P. Harwood, r. F. Suther-
land and H. j. Mackenzie, all officials
of the Mexican Petroleum company of
California, the Mexican Asphalt COM
pany and the Huasteca company re-
turned Tuesday from a visit of inspec-
tion of their interests in Mexico, highly
pleased with conditions there. Refer
ring to business conditions in Mexico,
Mr.. Doheney said zone of the highest
railway officials in Mexico whose busi-
ness it is to know all about the conf
mercial enterprises of the country,
rather contradicted the impression we
had entertained concerning the situa-
ton. He said that never before during
his residence in Mexico, covering a
period of fourteen years, has there
been so many large enterprises, requir-
ing the expenditure of large sums or
money and promising great and lasting
results in operation at one time as at
present. He mentioned several enter
prises, many of which are being car
ried on by foreign capital, some by
native private capital and some by
public money. One of the great public
enterprises is the building of the dam
on the Nazaz river, which will require
the estimated expenditure of $17000,0OO,
and for which contracts are now be-
ing let"
The Mexican Petroleum company is
producing 5000 barrels of oil daily and
is supplying the Mexican National rail-
ways and other customers with fuel oil,
and has an income of 100000 month.
The company owns 100000 acres of land
in one tract near Tampico, and is ex-
tensively engaged in raising horses and
cattle in addition to the production nf
oil Several thousand acres are fenced
into pastures, and the acreage of pas
ture land Is being increased and
planted with guinea grass, which grows
to a height of ten to twelve feet. The
stock eats this grass, which is very
nutritious, clear to the ground.
Employees of the company are now
engaged in inclosing this land with a
five-wire barbed fence. 1t will require
1876 miles of fencing, of which sixty
miles have already been completed
The longest distance across the tract
is fifty-eight miles, and there are
ninety-two kilometers of river boun-
dary, of which sixty kilometers is nav
igable, the water averaging 100 yards
wide and thirty to thirty-five feet in
depth. Dams are now being con-
structed in the interior to conserve
water for the cattle of which there are
$4,000 on the range, including 45O white
faced blooded Hereford bulls. 1t is the
intention to put the range in shape to
accommodate 100000 head of stock.
The company continues adding to its
oil production, and is running eight
sets of tools at the present time.
The Huasteca Petroleum company
owns 100000 acres of land 100 miles
south of Tampico, and is drilling five
wells of which three are in oil and two
are flowing while being drilled. The
capacity of these two wells is reckoned
at 1900 barrels each daily, and it is ex-
pected that they will produce much
more with greater depth. The product
of these wells is stored in a 55,OO0-bar-
rel tank which has been erected nearby,
and will be transported through pipe
line to the Rio Tancochin, to be loaded
into steel barges. These barges were
built in Glasgow and put together at
the company's landing, and the move
ment of oil will commence next week
The pipe line from the wells to the
Rio Tancochin is ten miles in length,
and is the first unit of line which is
to connect the oil fields with Tampico.
Last June the company purchased ITO
miles of pipe for this line from the
United States Steel company, of which
sixtv-fve miles have been delivered
and is being distributed along the way
1T is expected that the entire line will
be completed and ready for the trans
portation of oil by May l. 1910. Six
pumping stations are to be installed,
each to be supplied with TWO cross
compound high pressure pumps, and
all the material for these stations was
ordered last week.
While the officials were on the ground
a contract was let for cutting the ties
for the first span of railway which is
to be built to connect all of the oil
mining camps and which will even
tually be extended to Tampico, a dis
tance of 130 miles
The same men are the organizers
and officers of the Mexican National
Gas company, whose plant in Mexico
City is rapidly nearing completion. The
immediate demands which will be made
on the company for services has called
for q change in plans, necessitating
twenty miles more of mains.
1--WE had a pleasant interview with
President Diaz,' said Mr.. Doheney,
and found him in good health and TAX
ing an active interest in the progress
of work of the various companies who
are operating in Mexico. The men
who accompanied US were convinced,
as we have always been, that if there
is one man in Mexico who has the best
whose sympathy goes out TO the poor
people of that country, it is the presi-
dent of Mexico"
Mr.. Doheney and Mr.. Garfield have
been invited to attach their private
car, in which the trip was made, to the
special train of the Los Angeles ex-
cursion to the oil fields of san Joaquin
valley which leaves tonight and Mr.
Doheney said that the invitation would
be accepted if they found it possible to