Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-01-27
OOHEMY. OIL KING OF MEXICO
Heads a Huge Combination of
Independent Companies.
In n PROPRIETOR Of the Old Fashioned
Kind. hut His business Methods
Are DistinctIy Modern-Suc-
credcd by Hard work.

Oil and Mexico. 1t is said. do not mix,
and yet the two go together. 1t Is rather
ticklish subject to handle. and for present
purposes II Is only necessary to sneak Of
the man who is known as the Rockefeller
of that much disturbed country. Edward
l.. DohenYs oil interests, however. are
not wholly confined to Mexico. some of
them being located in American territory.
Doheny, president Of the Mexican Petro-
leum company. incorporated in Delaware,
will head the new $50 o0o. OON oil merger
the biggest oil deal that has been put
through since the original Standard OIL
company. with It's underlying subsidiaries.
was formed. II Is expected that all the
1872 other Independent oil companies oper-
ating in California and Mexico will join
the new consolidation. which Is to be
known as the Pan-American Petroleum
and Transit company. Doheny Is not only
president Of the Mexican Petroleum com
pany which Is the largest single unit in
the Tampico oil region. but has for years
been connected with companies controlling
properties valued at sjn.cooooO and com
prising 10000 acres of oil lands.
| Extending southwark from Tampco,
with the more choice fields lying between
| the TuXpam and the Tamesi rivers, are
| the richest oil lands in the world. Before
| 1901 they were merely barren wastes for
the most part. being sparsely cultivated
at the best. In the last year of the pre-
vious century one or two Americans had
established themselves in Tampico with
the avowed purpose Of prospecting for oil
lands. known to exist in that region be-
cause of surface outpourings of the pre-
I T.
forts. by reason of their unremittng toll
and typical American energy that Mexico
has had opened up for her a vast nc"
field of wealth. The man principally re-
sponsible for this trend of events is
Doheny.
SET OFT WITH PICK AND SHOVEL.
Previous to becoming Unidentified with
the Mexican industry Mr.. Doheny had
achieved success in this country. both in
the oil and mining field having been a
prospector from his early manhood. And
he was a proSpector of the kind who went
forth in wool shirt and jackboots. Will
pick. shovel and kit to seek out natures
treasure houses
Mr.. Doheny is a native Of Fond du Lar
Wis, where he was horn August 10. 1876
n son of Patrick and Eleanor Quigley
Doheny.
, Following course in the public school.
Of Fon du Lac Mr.. DohenY was graduated
j, from the high school of that city in 1872
A short time later he secured employment
on survey of public land on what wa:
then the Indian Territory. now the Stat,
Of Oklahoma. In 1873. he went to Mexic'
as one Of a party engaged in geographical
and geological survey employed by thu
government. While thus occupied Mr.
Doheny became interested in the posi-
l billty of locating new mine fields in wha
was an almost unknown country at tina
day. He retired from the federal servic
and struck out for himself as a prospecto
Y in the Rocky mountains. In this earl
I period he knew great hardshps but thor
= oughly learned the task in hand, and b
degrees success came to him. For
: years he followed the arduous life of
= prospector. and has never entirely give
over the work. for which he cherishes
decided fondness.
, STUDIED LAW IN BED.
l. AS result of a fall down a mineshaf'
a Mr. Doheny broke both legs and was con
e fined for some time. Not to he idle. h
: took mp the study of the law, and fare
4 80 well that he was admitted to practice
J. He followed this new vocation for abot
a year. but gave 1t up at the end of tha
time to resume his former work.
- Mr.. Dohcuys first important strike
the oil business occurred in 1892, when /
n Drought to light the great oil fields Of n
q Los Angeles district. Just five years a
"a terward he again struck oil, this time ne,
J., Fullerton. Cal. After a lapse of w
= years his efforts again were rewarde
He found more oil in the Kern river va
ley OF California. and one year later h
greatest success was scored through Il
10 discovery of the remarkable oil fiel'
- near Tampico. Mexico. This hroug'
y about the organization of the Mexican +
III troleum company. which was the only
T. producing concern in Mexico up until ~
Vi and which now enjoys the distinction
IT, being the greatest institution in the woi
ei of its kind The Mexican Petroleum cor
s. pany not only made its hackers wealth
but has added vastly to the business e
OF pansion of an important section of Me>
mt Philadelphia Evening Ledger