The San Francisco call., 1910-10-16
s. p. Still Claims Land

In the face of these prohibitions and
restrictions the Southern Pacific has
continued TO assert ownership. basing
its claim on the report of the mineral
division Of the general land office.
The lands lay dormant until oil was
struck in the vicinity. At first some
holdings were sold. Recently, however
the railroad companw has developed
on its own account. In 1903 IL organ
lied the Kern trading and oil company,
with its own engineers and operating
officials as directors. The * 7. and
O." acts merely as the operating agent
for the Southern Pacific.
Holding as IL does the alternate sec
tions, the territory of the company is
scattered through the length and
breadth Of the fields. Every big strike
made corners on Southern Pacific land.
Some Lands Tied Up
There has been some jumping" Of
these lands. but for the most part the
railroad is in calm and complete pos
session.
The recent withdrawal orders Of Sec
retarv Baninger have served to tie ep
3 large part OF the fields The oil lies
in great subterranean deposits. The
Southern Pacific, unaffected by the
Ballinger order. is able to pump its
land unmolested and unhampered.
Naturally the deposits under adjoining
tracts are tapped by the Southern Pa
cihcs pumps. II is conservation that
could be no more to the interests of
. the Southern Pacific than il the direc-
tors of that corporation had planned 1t
themselves.
1t has been the hope of the indepen-
dent oil operators of the state that the
federal government, as the agency
chiefly concerned and responsible,
would inaugurate the steps to dispos-
. -ses% 1f
Secretary Pierce is interpreted as a
beginning in this direction.
Won't Prove Claim
There have been some attempts on
the part of individuals to bring the
issue to focus. Suits of this inspiration
are now pending in the federal courts
Of Los Angeles.
The Southern Pacific has refrained
from inaugurating injunction proceed
ings against those who have Jumped"
its land. IT has avoided litigation which
would cast upon itself the burden of
proof
The defenders of the railroad have
raised the cry that to nuI1ify the COM
; pany's claim to the land would in7ict
grave hardship upon those who pur-
chased from the corporation in good
faith. In reply it has been stated that
such parties would have the rights of
original locators.
Pierce Is at Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES. Oct. I5.-After re-
ceiving virtual unanimous consensus
of opinion from oilmen at the hearing
today voicing opposition to the Yard
decision, Frank Pierce, first assistant
secretary of the interior, sprang sur
prise by admitting he had written the
decision himself But he added that
if il was found too stringent the OIL
men themselves should suggest a rem
edy
This decision holds that one locator
can claim only 20 acres and can not
dispose of il to another for develop
ment. This feature the oilmen con-
slider too stringent and that it retards
development.
1t was stated that in the great ma
iority of cases the locator was too poor
TO proceed with development. s. C.
s Graham Of Los Angeles was the only
defender among the 80 persons heard
who supported the Yard decision.
While conservation was out of order.
il cropped out on several occasions.
Pierce insisted on having arguments
eonaned TO the Yard decision and other