Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-27

D. S. Ewing OF Fresno, who has re-
turned from Washington, D. c., is not
oversanguine in belief of the oil pro-
ducers of California, because for one
thing any bill to supplant the Pickett
bill will have to overcome the con-
servation idea now so prevalent in the
United States, and for another reason
because of the divergent views enter
tanned by the three factions in con-
gress. Yet he hopes for the best, ard
the California delegation, he says, is
using every effort to see to it that
whatever bill is passed will protect
California's oil interests.
Mr.. Ewing left for Washington May
2 and with California's representa-
tives to protest against the Pickett
bill arrived at the national capital late
in the afternoon of the day before the
hearings set by the congressional COM
mittees and other bureaus. The hear
ings continued daily for more than one
weeks sojourn of Mr.. Ewing in Wash
i1gton, and are not yet ended. Mr..
Ewing doubts also whether any rem
eGial legislation will be enacted on the
subject at this session of congress.
The Pickett bill, it will be remem-
bered, was in terms the ratification by
the house of the presidential order of
withdrawal of all public lands ire
spectlve of character under date of
September 27. The bill passed the
house April q, and the hearing before
the senate committee on public lands
before which the Californians appeared
was set for the day following their ar
rival The Californians made their
HEADQUARTERS at the New Willard no.
tel, and on the night of arrival had
long conference, at which was outlined
the mode of procedure to be followed
at the committee hearing.
CONFER WITH SENATOR'S
Mr.. Ewing says that the hotel con-
ference was attended by the California
senators and representatives, namely,
Senator Flint and Congressman
Smith and Needham, with Major La
cey, an attorney, appearing in the in
terest of those engaged in oil produc-
tion and himself a former senate
chairman Of the committee on public
lands. Senator Perkins was unable to
attend the conference because of Ill
health.
To illustrate their proofs before the
committee. the Californians had maps
drawn of every district showing each
alternate section to be held in private
ownership by or under the Southern
Pacific company. These private hold
ings were marked in red, SO that at a
glance could be seen what Mr.. Ewing
the oil fields"
Another line of proof determined
11non was to show by actual and es-
tablished experience as well as by
geology the migratory character of oil
as distinguished from any other min
eraI, supplemented by proof of par
ticuiar instances of oil flows at dis
tances separate from each other as
much as half a mile. This line OF
rroof was to convince those who had
not studied the subject that II certain
land is withdrawn from location and
development it would simply, enhance
the value of land in the hands OF prl-
vate holders and give them the right In
time to withdraw from government
lands all mineral oils.
1--WE resolved at the conference to
establish this also" said Mr. Ewing,
"by practical experience in the helds
in different ways, as in the pumping OF
hot oil into a we'll to clean the perfor-
ations in castings, which hot oil there
after was pumped out from adjoining
wells. sometimes 600 TO 900 feet dis
tant. Another test on this line to
show the migratory character of oil
was the insertion of aniline dyes IN
wells to locate water seepage and the
taking out of the dyes in other wells
at a great distance from the wells
where they were pumped in.
CONSEhN AllON 1IlI
"Similar instances were given to
show the absurdity OF the conserva-
ton of minerals such as oils when eV-
ery other section OF land Is held in
private ownership. This line of proof
was to establish also the individual
cases of hardship upon prospectors in
good faith, if the order of withdrawal
was made to stand, such as companies
corporations or individuals having
gone on the land under the existing
laws and in best faith to discover
minerals, having expended in some in
stances 100000 without discovery
nerior to September q, 1909, and with
additional thousands subsequent to the
dav of withdrawal, rewarded by dis
coveries in some cases and not in 9TH
"We gave in proof also instances
where development work had pro-
crossed after September 27, 1909, by
operators in good faith, some making
discoveries and others failing.
"AlI this line of proof was submitted
before the senate and house commit
tees on public lands, the department
of geology, the subcommittee of the
senate on pubic lands, before the pres
tdent of the United States even, and
before various senators and congress-
men, Hearings were had every day
for week. In this connection an un-
precedented thing occurred. The bill
passed the house before the above proof