Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-15
COME TO PROVE WORTH
OF CALIFORNIA FIELDS
Magazines Refusal to Accept Ad-
vertising Results in Visit of
Prominent New Workers

Jack Merrill and a party of eastern
business men will arrive in Los An
geles this morning en- route to the
California oil fields for the purpose OF
making an investigation of true con-
ditions here in behalf Of Pearsons
magazine This trip is in a measure
an answer to challenge made by
advertisers that they had the goods
in the way of California oil securities
and were willing to show the public
through the medium of Pearson's that
what they said about California was
every bit true. Jack MerrilIs special
is the first oe series of excursions to
he run to the coast and whatever Is
behind the TloVc beyond the fact the
eastern stock sellers wish to introduce
the California fields remains to be
seen, but the obvious fact at present is
that there never was a better adVer-
tisenent of the California oil fields
than this series of specials promises
to be-
The Western Engineering company
Herman w. Hellman building, received
the following telegram Yesterday,
dated Kingsley, Kas, informing II OF
the approach of the special:
Jack Merrill, private car Rainbow,
arrive Los Angeles over Santa Fe Fri
day morning. Twenty in party. Pro-
pose spending day in your city. sat
urday, Sunday and Monday in the oil
fields"
SPECIAL MEANS MUCH
That telegram does not sound very
exciting, but it means much. 1t
is the heralding of the first crowd
of what might be termed "offcial in
vestigators." Knockers have done their
work, have always done it when there
was really anything on the market
worth while, and now their bluff has
been called in the east, and local
knockers of the oil industry will prob
ably receive theirs in due time.
This series of specials grew out of a
controversy in Pearson's. The maga-
zine said 1t was willing to accept ad-
vertisements from firms which were
known to be all right. During month of
June Pearson's received the largest
advertisement contractor an offer of
such adVertising-eVer FLASHED before
their eyes," to use Pearson's own
words. 1t was for a minimum of fifty
pages The magazine replied to its
prospective customer that 1t did not
see its way clear to sign unless it
could be proved that oil really existed
in certain parts of the several fields
in California. Hence the challenge.
AS the matter points an example to
other newspapers and magazines
whose owners look through green
glasses at everything, fearful of the
real light of legitimate promotion. the
following from Pearson's for July
might help some:
During the month of June we had
offered us the largest advertising con-
tract ever flashed before our eyes. 1t
was for a minimum of fifty pages. to
be used within a year, in financing
companies for the development of the
oil fields in the Kern River, Coalinga,
Sunset San Luis Obispo, Midway,
Buena Vista Hills and San Bernardino
county districts of California"
DECLINES TO ACCEPT
The magazine declined to accept the
advertising unless it was shown. The
following is the text Of the challenge
of the prospective advertisers:
"If you will run a private car of
representative business men from each
of the four or five most important COM
mercial cities of the country to and
from our fields and agree that in the
event of the reports from these men
convincing you that our representa-
tions, not only as to the properties but
as to the personnel Of those interested
in their promotion as oil producing
companies are conservative and sound,
we will pay for the cars and all eX-
penses of the trips.
you may choose your own represen-
tative business men to make the trip.
If your editor and publisher will be
one of the party we should like it.
If he cannot CO. then let him send at
least one representative. After the
trip is made you get the views of the
men from Missouri" and decide upon
your own responsibility whether or not
you'll accept our business. We are not
afraid of the decision"
In reply, Pearson's said:
I'VE decided to accept this offer or
challenge, or whatever it may properly
be called, and the first Pearson's
magazine California oil fields inspection
car will leave New York upon the even