The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-05-14

Note: 1--WE wish the reader to know
that the term Brown Gold" means Caifor-
MIA Cruoe Oil)
When Jud Elwood awoke one morning in
his cabin, located near Bakersfield in the
state OF California, and decided to go on a
rabbit hunt, "by his lonely" he little dream
ed of the result of that decision and the
subsequent trip was to lead to the discov-
cry of one of the greatest Brown Gold pro-
duclng districts in the world; and naturally
the thouehtnever occurred to Jud, because
be had in mind simply hunting for rabbits,
not minerals.
To quote Jud as he gave the account Of
his find to the writer, he on that morning
left his cabin accompanied by his gun and
dogs; and Jud, by the way, was always fond
CT dogs and had a few that were as good
rs any in Kern county; and Jud knows a
good dog, too, and why not? His old home,
Bakersfield, is the mecca to which all real
~ good ones make an annual pilgrimage TO
attend the great National Tryout. Well, 30
continue Juds story, he started out in di-
rection to the northwest of his cabin to-
ward the foothills, and after securing
gOOd.sized bag of cotton tails was return
ing homeward, when his attention was at
tracted IN one direction to the different
hues of the early morning mist which. ris-
ing from the soil. gave off the color that
cd Laze, or a something entirely different
from that noticeable in other directions,
with the result that ElwOod was soon con
WINGED of the presence of Brown Gold and
the existence of the Kern River District to-
day proves his deductions to have been cor
rect.
Jud had hard work at first in his efforts
to convince friends and neghbors as to the
importance of his find, his deductions not
being accepted even by experts as being ut
all reasonable, which brings to mind the
curious story told of the earliest discov
cry of Brown Gold in this country during
the days of Colonel Drake. The Wise
Ones at that time smiled at the prospector,
being amused at the mere idea of finding
Brown Gold in the earth. The son of one
old farmer brought home the news of Col
brakes find which to the mind of the old
man was utterly absurd, consequently he
would not believe it. IF you had told me
that they had found whiskey, | could readi-
ly understand it, for we know that whis-
key is made from corn, and it might easily
soak through the roots of the stalk and
Brown Gold, never" AS a consequence,
the adverse opinions and criticisms to
which Jud was subject showed neither
sympathy nor support, which made him
fully realize the old truth that mo man is
prophet in his own country" and the Sc
quence in all proDapliIy "ould nave peeh
that the great body of mineral wealth
which had been lying there dormant for
many ages would have remained undis
turbed if it were not for the stranger who
took advantage of the opportunity and
backed his judgment with money. This
fact is notorious in the history of the de
Velopment of the great Kern River District.
Practically and excepting one old firm
which had pinned its faith on what is now
famous as the West Side" the district
where gushers are making millionaires
nearly everyday, the brains and means
which developed the great Brown Gold dis