The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-02-19
ON OIL
NEAR ELY
MR. BAVERSTOCK WRITES En-
GOURAGINGLY OF THE CAVE
VALLEY LOCALITY FOLLOW
ING 4 VISIT OF INSPECTION.

Ralph S. Baverstoek. of Los An
geles, whose name is familiar In the T
list of competent and conservative |
oil experts of southern California, /
recently paid a visit to the Cave |
Valley country in the southern end I
of White Pine county. about 30 miles +
from this city.
The report given by Mr.. Baver- |
stock following his examination of
the locality Is very encouraging. al /
though he makes IL plain that the
proposition is strictly a prospect
Writing in the American Mining
Review. Los Angeles. Mr.. Baver-
stock expresses himself in manner
that determines that he made a
careful examination of the Cave
Valley locality and that he has much
knowledge of his subject. lie says:
The attention of oil operators is
being attracted to a prospective field
in the northern part of Lincoln
county. Nevada. While in the dis
triet, | spent several days on the
ground and found the formation ex-
posures very attractive. The main
shale belt, which underlies all the
other formations, has northeast
southwest trend and is exposed by
erosion for from 500 TO 1000 feet in
thickness. II is on the west side of
the field in the foothills of a fairly
high mountain range. This belt can
be traced several miles and is con-
spicnous by its lack of vegetation.
Some prospecting work in the ma
ture of cuts has brought to light a
great variety of marine fossils. of
which | secured a collection. This
main black shale belt has dip to
the east of 80 degrees and is capped
with 200 feet of clay. AT one point
is a spring from which | was inform
ed by some locators of claims, that
light yellow oil had been obtained
and burned in lamp. This is the
only actual occurrence of oil that |
heard of
Above the clay is series of sand
stone, red shale, sandstone. con-
glomerates, red shale. eonglomerates
and sandstones The sandstones and
conglomerates also contain IA great
amount of fossils. | examined an ex
posure in the syncline of red shales
which. when struck. emit a strong
oder of hydrocarbons. Lower down
the hill just beyond the stream, is
one of a series of gas bTowonts and
there are a number round the back
of the hill These are only notice
able, however, in summer weather,
when the ground becomes warmer.
At this point the first rig will prob
ably be set up.
The anticline is very plainly no.
ticeable on the east and the field
shows no signs of disturbance or
faulting. Its lull extent Is at pres
ent unknown. but the shales are
known to occur for a distance of
fully ten miles north of the present
filings.
\ number of claims have been Sc
cured by Bakersfield oil men. by
mining operators in Ely--also some
from Phoebe Mr. Rand of Seattle
has also some well selected locations.
as have Mr.. Durgee of San Fran
cisco. and my associates of Los An
geles. II is my intention TO return
to the field with other interested An
gelenos and arrange for rig from
this southern center.
The field is some 80 miles south
of Ely and in the highest part of
Cave valley. oil could gravitate
either TO Ely or Phoebe. Cave valley
will. however. in all probability, be
the route selected for the Ely-Pioche
railroad which is more than likely
TO be built in the near future.
A request has just been received
from Washington, ID. c., to send a
complete collection of the fossils,
shales and conglomerates and sand
stones to the geological bureau and
IL Investigations are favorable gov
eminent official is TO be sent to re-
port on the field
1t is claimed that oil of high grav7
fly has been extracted from the shales
and that the base is paraffine. Sam
pies of conglomerates exhibited by
me to two different Pennsylvania OPP
orators were said by them to com
pare very fayorably with the Penn
sylvanian conglomerates and the
Trenton imestones
While decidedly of the wildcat or
der, the field presents remarkably
fine showing; il remains for the bit
to prove it, II successful, many for
tunes will be added to the number of
those already won by investors who
are willing to buck oil
AFTER MASON VALLEY