Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-16
COMPLETION OF PRODUCERS
PIPE LINE OPENS MARKET
INDEPENDENT 0ILMEN NOW HAVE OUTLET AS BUYERS AND
SELLERS OF PETROLEUM
Combination Bringing Transportation Company Initial Success
is Unique Only Instance Where Individual Operators
Banded Together for Mutual Benefit and Proec-
ton in Handling Fluid from We'll to Con-
sumner Entirely Apart from the
Standard Subsidiary


begun early in November, out of Dud-
ley early in January, and expected 10
reach the coast by the latter part OF
The line vii. handle $4,000 to $1,000
barrels of crude a day, when heated
to a temperature ranging from l4O TO
1S0 ~ ,,-..,.
The rough character of the country
and the isolation of the pipe line route
from railroad communication made the
TRANSFORMATION of pipe and equipment
the greatest problem to be met. Con-
struction was begun at a time when
the greater portion of the teams in the
country were engaged in gathering
crops, and considerable delay ensued
before a sufficient number could be
got together to make a showing in the
movement of material.
Distributing Points
Coalinga, forty-one miles from the
! Junction, and Huron, about the same
\ distance, were the distributing points
/ for the northern portion of the line, and
from Paso Robles material was handled
for the line and stations between Cres-
ton and the Junction. Paso Robles Is
fifteen miles from Creston, twenty
| two miles from Shandon, thirty-five
miles from Antelope and fifty miles
/ from the Junction. The country out Of
! Paso Robles is hilly. but the toughest
/ portion of the route lies between Ante
/ lope and the coast. and the movement
! of material and equipment through
| this territory was extremely difficult.
There are narrow. winding noun
| tain roads, with turns so sharp that
with an eight-horse team there were
| times when the driver could not see
the leaders and where a false step
or move meant drop of 800 feet TO
the rocks below. 1t is an interesting
sight to see driver with one line di-
rect an eight. ten. twelve or fourteen
horse team along these mountain roads,
where it is impossible for two teams to
pass, to safety into the valley below.
To stop and think Of what might hap
pen through some little mishap makes
a man shiver.
Conditions in the Coalinga country
We're somewhat different although
the sandy desert soil makes hauling a
hard job. 1t cost something over 500
| to move a 250-horse power water tube
| Heine boiler from Coalnga to the
| Junction. On the McKittrick- Kern
river end railroad facilities were such
that the distribution of material was
accomplished more easily in most in
stances than in the other districts, al
though in this territory a great part
of the material and supplies had to be
/ moved in rainy weather when the roads
were in almost impossible condition.
| Wet weather also handicapped trans
portaton in all other districts.
At Enormous Cost
The aggregate cost of the movement
of pipe line material and equipment
/ was enormous. At one time there were
| approximately 100 head Of horses and
mules engaged in this work out OF all
the districts. In addition to these
teams the company operated six cater
! pillar engines In the Paso Robles-San
Luis Obispo district fifteen joints of
eight-inch pipe was a load for an
eght-horse team. Seventeen joints
were handled with an eight-up in the
Kern river McKittrick districts, and
| the same number out of Coalinga. The
! caterpillars have a hauling capacity of
twenty-five tons each over good reads
| and under favorable conditions can
! travel fifteen to twenty miles in a day
! A Reliance motor truck has lately been
put into service between COalinga and
the Junction. 1t has a hauling capacity
of three and a half tons, and made an
initial trip to the Junction and return
in one day, covering eighty-tWo miles
of territory.
Construction Of the Producers system
| probably represents a record In pipe
| line work in this country 1t is said
llldl no OllleT llle III tie OUlltu States
compares in the extent of roughness of
country traversed, or presented so
many trying difficulties, not only in
laying but arranging and working out
the plans for the movement of pipe,
boilers, pumps, tank iron, and every
thing that goes into a pipe line system.
Isolated from railroad transportation
| extending over mountains. hills and
deserts, the task was one that required
a high degree of managerial ability
! The progress Of the work, under mani
! fold difficult conditions is considered
remarkable, and has attracted much
attention and favorable comment by
the representative oil interests Of the
coast
w r. Cushing, formerly Of Texas is
| general superintendent, having direct
charge, assisted by r. O. Holleron, also
1 from Texas. Mr.. Cushing WAS en-
| ployed especially TO build the Producers
pipe line system. and a fact worthy
of note in connection with his success
! full completion Of it is that he recruited
from a distant state practically a COM
plete organization. His headquarters
are in Los Angeles, where he has spent
the greater part of the time attending
| to the executive and moro important
| details of the work. Mr.. Holleron's
! headquarters are in San Luis Obispo
| from which point he has directed all
! construction, .. r. NOrNell, also from
| Texas is foreman of the Coalinga dis
| trict and L. H. Cory, former gauger
for the Standard Oil company in the
Kern river field, has looked after the
work in the Bakersfield McKittrick dis
tricts with headquarters in Bakersfield.
| The Producers Transportation COM
| pany was organized early in 1909 with
a capital of $7000,000. 1t represents
the merging of the Independent oil pro-
| ducers agencies of Kern River and
| Coalinga districts into corporate entity
with the Union Oil company under an
| agreement extending for ten years.
| The completion of the pipe line gives
these producers an Independent outlet
for their oil and places them in the
! position Of buyers and marketers as
| well as producers. The Producers COM
pany is unique inasmuch as it repre-
sents probably the only instance where
a number Of oil producers have banded
together, and made arrangements with
a more powerful body for independent
transportation, buying and selling.
It IS regarded as one Of the most sig
niftcant events that has ever occurred
in the oil business Of the United States.
Following are the officers:
l.. +. st. Clair. president; w. L.
| Stewart, vice president and general
manager Of the Union Oil company,
vice president; Giles Kellogg, secre-
tary- treasurer,