Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-02
MYSTERY SURROUNDS
WORK IN LOST HILLS
Wary Locators, Fearing With
draWaIs by Government,
Proceed in Silence

BAKERSFIELD, Nov. Whether
or not the prompt action of the interior
department in withdrawing all public
lands in the vicinity of the Lakeshore
strike serves to teach lesson OF
caution to the operators in the Lost
Hills and Devils Den districts, the
fact remains that operations there are
shrouded in painstaking mystery.
Probably two score drills are drop
ping in different parts of the district,
and new rigs are constantly being
created and a constant cloud of dust
raised by autos and freight wagons
hangs over the Wasco road. But since
the belated reports of the Lalkeshore
and DEVILS Den Consolidated wells
reached Bakersfield no more strikes
have been reported. However, it is
not to be assumed that no more
strikes have been made. Scouting
parties returning from the field re-
port finding apparently abandoned
holes in the sage brush around which
are unmistakable traces of oil, and
in one or two cases, by lowering
cable into one of these wells, from
which the derrick had been removed,
oil was discovered at a very shallow
depth.
FEAR MORE WITHDRAWALS
From these and other indications,
it is evident that present operators,
fearing new Withdrawals or further
trouble from land jumpers. are fol-
lowing the example of Martin & Dud-
ley, who covered up the Lakeshore
strike and kept it a secret for several
months after the discovery well was
completed.
Not only are the prospectors in
the Lost Hills extremely reticent con-
corning their discoveries, but opinions
among oil men as to the value of the
territory is as widely divided as ever.
1t is agreed that the Lakeshore strike,
the only one concerning which full
information has freely been given, is
no conclusive proof of the richness or
the field. Some experienced oil men
maintain that the shallow oil found In
the Lost Hills and Devils Den comes
from a very thin blanket strata,
which underlies practically the whole
district, and that If there is big
prolific oil sand there 1t will be found,
as Geologist Ralph Arnold predicted,
at a very great depth. This theory is
based in part on the experience of
the Pluto Oil company, which found
a thin strata bearing light oil at
shallow depth in the Devils Den, but
passing through thin sand, failed to
find another after drilling to very con-
siderable depths.
OIL FROM sHALE OR SAND
Another question of debate is
whether the Lost Hills oil comes
from shale or sand. When the Stratum
was uncovered in the Lakeshore well
the oil rose in the casing nearly TO
the top Of the ground, and the forma-
ton which bears the oil was not much
explored. 1t is described by the Lake
shore people as "a firm SAND that
stands up we'll" which does not seem
AIo
sand. The oil also bears a general re-
semblance to the shale oil found west
of the Mount Diablo range.
Meantime. while there is less talk
about the Lost Hills than there was
a week or two ago, the genuine actlV-
ity in the line of prospecting and de-
velopment Is increasing rather than
decreasing. And not only Is the pros
pecting going on in the Lost Hills ana
Devils Den, but scattering rigs are to
be found all the way from these two
districts to Templor. The drilling In
this latter territory has not proceeded
very far as yet, and there Is nothing
on which to base an opinion as TO the
probability of striking any paying OIL
measures there. However, the time
is certainly very near at hand when
the Coast range foothills and mesas
will be thoroughly tested for oil all
the way from Coalinga to the TETON
canyon.
LOST HILLS TOWNSHIP
The survey and plat of the Lost
Hills townsite have been completed
and while the map cannot be Of
ficially filed until after its acceptance
by the board of supervisors at the
November meeting, the selection or
lots has already begun. Several build
mos are under way, and the hotel is
far enough along to be occupied.
At the next meeting of the, super
visors several applications for licenses
to conduct saloons in the vicinity OF
the Lost Hills or on the way to that
place from Wasco probably will come
Mace. and liquor dealers are realizing
that they are losing a good thing in
not preparing promptly to serve an
obvious demand for refreshments en-
route.