Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-06-22
OIL FIELDS OF GAlAClA
Alternately in Possession Of Austrians
and Russians Since War Began.

OIL FIELDS Of GAIACIA
Alternately in Possession Of Austrian'
and Russians Since War Began.
THE oil fields Of Galacia, which
have been alternately in the posses
sion of the Austrians and the Russi-
ans since the wars outbreak and
which are now again under Austrian
control, are among the most import
ant petroleum sources Of the world,
says bulletin issued by the Nationa
Geographic society at Washington
These oil fields, situated in the north
ern foothills Of the Carpathians, with
in southern central Galacia, and lying
some distance below and to the east
Of the Austrian fortress Przemysl
produce about per cent OF the
worlds total annual output Of petrol
cum, coming, thus, fourth on the lis'
of the most important sources Of this
fuel. The United States leads al
countries by a magnificent margin In
the production Of oil, turning out "a
SOC. 900 metric tons out Of the worlds
petroleum production in normal times
Of 46,5OO,OOO metric tons. The United
States, therefore, has to its credit
nearly 81 per cent Of the total oil out
put. This country is followed by Rus
sia, Mexico, and then, Galacia.
while among the earliest fields to
attract attention in the petroleum in
dustry, coming into prominence as
early as 1878, the Galacian oil fields
are only partially known and develop
ed. These fields are beyond compari-
son the richest oil fields in operation
anywhere in Europe, and, there are
indications that the future will see an
increase, rather than a decrease In
tneir working area and in their pro-
ductivity. The modern petroleum in
dustry had it's beginning in the United
States, starting to all practical pur-
poses about 1859. The drilling Of the
Galacian oil wells soon followed those
of this country. Almost coincident
with the birth Of the Galacian oil in
dustry was that Of the Russian oil
industry at Baku. The enormously
rich Russian wells, yielding about 20
per cent of the worlds total output,
were opened abut 1875.
"Dohobycz and Boryslaw are CEN
ters of the Galacian oil industry. The
high plain, southwark, to the Car
pathian hills, from Dohmobycz to
Boryslaw, is the petroleum region.
This district lies southeastward from,
the sources Of the river San, In the
higher Carpathians, and south south
west Of Lemberg. The annual pro-
duction Of the Galacian wells has been
around two million metric tons a
year, and the number Of wells has
been slowly but steadily increasing.
The growth Of this industry has, as
in other places where petroleum re-
sources have been developed, added
largely to the prosperity OF Galacia,
a land that some few generations ago
was one of the most miserably poor
to be found in Europe.
"The Dutch East Indies and neigh
boring Roumania have uncovered Oil
resources sufficient to make strong
competition with Galacia for promi-
nence in the industry during the last
few years. Rounania is sixth upon
the list of petroleum producing coun-
tries, and may have furnished large
stores of this precious fuel to the
Germanic allies during the occupancy
of the German oil region by the Rus
sian invaders. The course OF the
Austrian oil lands is toward Bukovi-
ma and Roumania. in the line Of the
Carpathian foothills.
These Galacian wells are Of special
war Importance to the German pow
ers as being, not only the most i'm
portant source of their petroleum sup
ply, but their only internal source of
any consequence of this most necessa-
ry fuel. With these wells under their
control, their stores Of oil are large
and certain; without them, the central
powers are forced to turn to uncertain
foreign sources. The enemy nation,
Russia, on the east, is assured Of an
inexhaustible supply Of oil from its
native wells at Raku, whose security
the Turks threatened up to now in
vain. Great Britain is able to draw
upon the wells in the neutral coun-
tries of the world, with every pros
pect of safe delivery. Roumania re-
mains practically the sole foreign
source of oil for Germany and Aus
tria."