The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-03-10
TAblPlC0 IS STORY
OF AMERICAN PUSH.
SAYSU.P. STAFF MAN
Oil Frontier Is Moving South
ward; Story Is Story
of Crude Oil
Ey Ralph H. Turner.
limited Press Correspondent

ramnico. Fes. tBy mail.-The
nj, frontier is moving southwark
Where it will be tomOrroW-neltnel
the magnate nor his scout III tnt
field will hazard an answer 10 tna'
ouestion-but today the front lines
are at Tampico, down IN the semi
tropIcal, malarial lands OF Mexico's
east coast. And the same types who
blazed the way at Sistersville and
Bradford, on to Robinson and hide
uendence and down to Tulsa, Beau
mont and Shreveport, are here today
pioneering with the zest and persls-
fence that have always marked the
explorer.
The story of Tampico is tory OF
OIL and in writing that story the Am
erican has played the most consplcu-
GUS part, a part which cannot help
but bring a sense of pride to the Am
erican who sees for the first time the
MAGNITUDE of the enterprise which MS
countrymen are carrying forward to-
day in the greatest oil field OF the
world.
Tampico is about six miles up the
Panuco river, which empties into the
Gulf of Mexico at the southernmost
point of the state of Tamaulipas. Oil
fields are both to the north and south
OF Tampico No sooner, however,
has your ship crept over the shallow
bar at the mouth Of the Panuco than
both the eye and the nose are greeted
by evidences of petroleum. The smell
of oil is in the air; signs of oil
are on the land and in the water.
At the entrance to the Panuco,
stra nded on the rocks by the caprices
OF a heavy norther', is none other
than John D. Rockefeller, John D.
IN this case being a tank ship. The
swell from your boat carries on it's
crest the stains Of heavy crude, spray@
ing it against the bulls of huge tank
ers whose sterns bear the names of
home ports-Bayonne, or perhaps Los
Angeles. These tankers seem to line
the river, but a peep past the decks
reveals dock construction, terminal
facilities, filling stations and other
installation that serve to emphasize
still further the size OF the oil pro-
ducing job in Mexico. AS the eyes
moves to the banks Of the river, it
catches sight of great storage tanks
and of tank cars taking their place on
railway sidings. River craft of every
description plays its part in this great
industry, but most conspicuous, next
to the tankers, are the scores of gaso-
line launches-the property Of the oil
companies, darting about with fear
fully busy atr-rnd the enormous
barges, offering a marked contrast
to the launches, as they move slowly,
determinedly down the river with
their cargoes of wealth.
A trip to the fields provides the CHI
max, but this isn't necessary to dem
onatrate the forcefullness OF Frank
lin K. Lanes statement that this Is
the age, of oil" You already are con-
WINGED of this and you are convinced,
100. that Tampic0 is wonderful
monument to American enterprise.
All of this spectacle. it is true, does
not represent American development.
The British have been heavy investors
in the Tampico district and British
company, Ell Aguila. is believed to
possess the, greatest production. VI
she total output. however, nearly
ahree- fourths is produced by Ameri-
cans: American companies are vastly
in fine majority and American nation
ais compose the largest part Of the
foreign population.
There are between 2,5OO ana 5'VVV
Americans in Tampico-ln the town
proper and in the field. They're all
nere-ali OF the oil fraternity--from
the college trained geologist, who re-
duces the magnate's gamble to the
minimum, to the sweating, curslng
tool dresser and driller. out IN the
field "bringin' in new well.
Foregoing the comforts OF home
and taking a chance" in more ways
than one. they's pioneers. all of them
blazing the oil trail down the con
sinent