Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-08-28
HONOLULU OIL COMPANYS STATUS
IS UNCHANGED, SAYS LAND OFFICE

II further developed that there
were 20SS acres in the Honolulu Com.
pany's claims that were clear listed
last September.
Referring TO the Elk Hills country
testimsly from Willis n. Mills, il was
adduced that attention to that country
as an oil possibility was brought about
by the efforts OF Capt. Matson ard
his associates in drilling the HonollGu
well and bringing In a gusher.
think Il was in 1908 or 1909, and
know II was before the first OF Sep
TENDER withdrawal order.
Vast Difficulties Overcome.
Capt. Matson went out IN the brok.
en- Blena Vista hills, which rise TO
an elevation OF from, 500 To 700 feet
above the floor OF the valley. There
We're no roads and not a drop OF wa
ter for six miles. They had TO haul
their machinery. They were over sew
en- miles as the crow flies from the
nearest discovery He and his associ.
ates went out there and with conspicus
Gus business courage that was never
known before in the oil Industry In
California spent $4,000 in an en-.
deayor to develop 81 oil wells at cost
of 100000 each. They based their ac-
ton in sociological deduction alone. on
nothing else They spent a fortune.
The wells cost 500. 900 each. there
were 81 of them They lost IA be-
cause they have not yet made dis
covery but they got Il discoveries.
Capt Matson made every one OF these
discoveries with the possible excep-
ton OF section before the creation
of naval petroleum reserve No. 2.
when he had made those discover
les the navy stepped in and drew an
imaginary line around them and said,
These are our lands. He had earned
vested right in those lands before
the reserve was created He was en-
titled to his reward for going Z or 8
miles from the nearest well. He built
80 miles of macadam roads, telephone
lines. gas and water lines to all loca-
TONS
interference Is Not Justified.
Continuing and referring to the ac-
ton of the navy department Mills
said: They have asked the seere-
tary to hold the patents In allegiance
which would automatically held up
the decision until the department OF
justice could investigate the facts and
laws and present its views
In answer to a question from Sem
ator Clark he said that the law In
relation to disposal OK the government
domain provides thai the facts shall
be presented 10 the interior depart.
ment, the secretary shall pass on the
sufficiency of the facts and law APP
plicable to them and determine wheth-
err or .lot the title shall pass from the
government. That such decision Is
final and that 50 far as the disposition
Of public domain goes no part Of that
disposition lies within the Jurisdiction
of the department of justice.
The encouragement said before the
committee that the Honolulu case,
understand, Is regarded by the In
terror department and by attorneys OF
my department ASA case supported
by state Of facts far more favorable
to the claimants than in any OF the
other cases in suit
So favorable was all Of the testi.
mony adduced before the senate com.
mittee that among those interested in
California oil lands. and especially In
the Honolulu OIL Company, the I'm.
preston prevailed that the land Of
flee could harlly do otherwise than
issue patents and such belief has been
little & any shaken by the delay in
issuing those papers which win per-
feet the title of the company to the
lands upon which oil was developed
under such tremendous difficulties.