The sun., 1913-11-30

valleys Of tne Atrato ana Masdelena !
abound in oil formations. and their test
ing out should be only q question Of
time and courageous capital. Colombia
has 466,0Oo square miles Of territory
even after It's loss Of Panama. 40 that
the field for the we'll heeled, we'll
mounted and funded prospector Is
pretty large.
In Panama there 10 undoubtedly some
oil. but its extent is not yet dehnable.
Promising Indications exist In thu
neighborhood Of David on the Pacific
side OF the isthmus, where develop
mont 10 in progress. The consumption
Of oil. mainly In connection with the
building Of the canal, has been high,
running up to 100000 gallons
year
Guatemala has no distinct oil history
a. yet.
Honduras has found its oil seepases
in various parts Of the territory. and
q special company has grabbed an ex-
elusive concession. but there IL no
available proof that II has made prog
rese.
Nicaragua has 10 far no development
to its credit nor has Costa RicA, though
no one need be surprised II both coun-
tries enter the oil procession.
Having thus noted the oil fiow down
the inner Atlantic curve from Mexico
to Colombia, w should next glance at
veneGuela, another great Tom Tiddler's
ground Of the future, It's northern coast
line ending the curve on tho south.
Venezuela has undoubtedly some OF the
greatest asphalt deposits in the world
From one lake. the Guanoco, over
10000 tons Of asphalt are taken yearly.
most Of It In the dry season from jan
uary to June. The Barber Asphalt
Company owns largely here. Near Fort
San Carlos on the Limon River in the
Lake Maracaibo region rich asphalt de-
pos!ts have been found. Petroleum has
also been discovered there. There are
oil springs along tho west coast Of
Puerto Cabello. and seepages at Cumana
and Trutillo near Puerto Cahello. and
close to Tocuyo. Capadare and Cura-
michate. An English company holds q
concession for thirty year period for
the exploitation Of petroleum in the
States Of Tachira, Tru1lllo. Merido
Zulia, Lara. Falcon. Carabobo. Yaracuy,
Sucre. Monagar. Nveva Esporta and the
Orinoco delta-A pretty vigorous appe-
t!te. one might think. but 40 far no re-
suit. which is always likely enough
with such wholesale giving Of privi-
leges. An American corporation Is 1T
, tie behind tho British company, with
a forty-seven year concession for tho
oil fields OF Pedernales. Island Of Peder-
, males. the peninsula Of Paria and the
district OF Benitez.
Turning now to the outer courss Of
tho West Indian islands, wo At once
touch Trinidad, the British outpost,
. which In veritably rich in asphalt and
the promise OF much petroleum. Here
Is tho famous pitch lake on which ono
, may walk. occasionally coming to a soft
spot where II one stands still for a min
ute ono sinks to the boot soies, fur
, ther sinking following further delay.
, nutil the crust gives way, when one sud
denly disappears. The soft spots are
supposed to cover tho chimneys through
. which the pitch comes up under rhe
water from the rocks below. A great
deal of British promotion has been CON-
, cerned In the Trinidad petroleum prop
osition. The most persistent exploita-
tion has been around tho pitch lake rim
F'orty-two holes were driven in all, and
, one splendid we'll giving 10000 barrels
day came in. But there has been a
regrettable sequel. After running
freely for some time It unfortunately
Z choked itself Tho sad thing Is that it
, is cholIed with mixture OF sand, mud
and pitch which solidifes in a disheart-
ening way, suggesting that even n the
hole be redrilled the same automatic
sealing will quickly follow. There are,
however. other wells in the limited ter
, ritory. A great deal OF British capital
: has been spent without much hops of
return. Perseverance and Ingenuity
may accomplish much. Thraugh the
, smaller islands curving northNard and
westward few oil indications are re-
ported.
In Hayti-santo Domingo. there are
} extensive signs Of oil, At Mi-sgoane. ir
western Hayti At Furcy. near Potion.
/ vile; At Hinche and on the Marolics
River IN the centre Of the centra
|. plateau. Asphalt and bitumcn have beer
found near Leogane The completion o.
the railroad from Port au Prince t
: Cape Haitien will open up an oleaginoul
! feld Of promise.
Santo Domingo has a performance I,
= Its credit. Several years ago at
r depth Of $40 feet an uncontrolabl,
q gusher was tapped near Azun. 1t raj
. $500 barrels a day. but as the workers
could not cap 1t the oil ran away. Their,
are oil fortunes yet In SantO Domingo
y Cuba. 80 rich agriculturally. 10 no
3 without Its mineralOgic wealth. on an,
Q asphalt indications have been know,
: there since 1903, when Sebastian d.
. Campo careened ant caulked his ships II
. Havana harb0r, using native btume1