The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-10-20
EARLY DAYS OF
TEXAS PACIFIC
BY HOLLAND

New York. Octoerb 1s,--(Special)
Col. Thomas Scott at one time promi-
nently associated with the Pennsylvania
Railroad company. was persuaded 20
invest the greater part of his fortune
in the prom otion OF 4 railroad which
was to cross the sttae of Texas and
ultimately reach the Pacific coast This
Undertaking was an unfortunate one
for Colonel Scott lie could not have
SUSPECTED that hidden wealth Of almost
inconceivable ma gnitude was ready for
development while he was building the
Texas Pacific. Nor did Jay Gould,
who afterwards came into the possess
sion of this railroad property sus-
meet that there were many millions of
wealth awaiting development along the
line of that railroad and in fact un-
derneath considerable sections of its
roadbed Today this wealth is OBJ
tanned. represented By millions almost
staggers the imagination.
1t is only few years ago that
the men of science began to demon
strate the way in which the oil fields
in eastern Texas near the cosat, could
be exploited profitably. But even then
few suspected and almost no one
knew thai vast areas of the state of
Texas contained beneath the surface
of the oil. enormous pools OF petto-
leum In fact. only q few years ago
the wonderful development OF Texas
as an oil producing state began To-
day the capture of this underground
wealth is serving to make Texas the
receiver yearly of many millions. all OF
1t representing new ~ealth.
correspondent of the Manufactur-
ers Record of Baltimore, who is man
Of good information. one whose al'
thority is regarded as reliable, reports
that there is hardly county in the
state Of Texas where prospecting tor
--oil is not in progress. Some OF enc
Reproduction already made. should the
event prove that they are accurate,
4 justify the belief That the Texas oil
s1sfields will yield greater wealth than
j any of the mines of precious metals
q gold or silver have sfeided in like
-a-parjco Of evnloitation
CALIFORNIA GOLD AND OIL
- When the production of gold in Cali
.--.fornia a year or two after the discov-
! cry of gold in that state was reported
a5@ offic.ali, to be approximately $780,
e 600 000. Wonder was stimulated in the
east and in France. because the money
VALUE Of a years production of Cali
fornia gold seemed incredibly large
In recent years. Caliiornia's production
-.of oil is reported to have matched IN
value her output OF Sold in the five OF
six years which followed the discor-
49, cry of gold.
-~~ Texas. however. appears to be max
ing a new record. One of the best es
Inmates that have come within few
days from Texas names 5000. 100000 al
- the amount which is bein gexpendet
lin prospecting or what is sometimes
called wild eating" And this sun
of money does not include the amour
that which represents the develop
work in the Texas oil field
which are yielding large amounts =
8 oil
- The authorities of sne state of Texa
-r--are carefully and wisely watching tn
- progress of this, development of new
wealth The railroad commission re
---~ ports that there are 1400 oil companie
----- esta blished in the state. Of which OF
-~-ficiai notice has been taken. and tina