The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-11-25
RICHEST O|L FIELD IN WORLD
DESTROYED BY RED |NEFF|C|ENCY

Baku. Azerbaijan. Nov. 24-tsy
Staff Correspondent OF The Associated
Press. )-Wlthin six months the OH
fields. lying within few miles or this
city and once counted among the richest
petroleum wells In the world, wiz nave
ceased to produce, according TO expert
opinion. unless new machinery and bet
ter and more workmen are obtained.
This condition Is acutely realized by
the local Azerbaijan government which
Is controlled by Moscow. II the oil Is
not forthcoming. this will mean the
stopping Il the oil-burning steamers
OF tho c. sp!an Sea. several hundred In
Rumbe- the 1000 or more tugboats and
stear rs OF the Nolga still in repair
an" ne oU-burning locomotives OF the
en- re railway system Of greater RUSSIA.
Ettor-s are being made to obtain ma
ch!nery. possibly from the United
States. by NJ. Serabrovsky, trained en-
gineer. and now general director OF the
oil fields and also TO induce workmen
10 work.
The pre-war production averaged an
nually about $4,000 900. 900 pounds o.
crude petroleum. and this year 1t with
run about 5000. 100000 at best. There
have been but few new wells this
year. and tho old ones function slowly
The opening up OF the pipe limo TO
Batuu for foreign export Is out or the
question. as there Is not enough OIL
and Russia consumes much or the pres
cnt supply herself.
The general cause for this condition
is described by competent oil engineers
long on the feld. as the "SanGrene' or
Soviet control.
whatever tho Communists touch
seems 10 go TO rot" declared one en-
ginc~r. 1T seems like - fatality. ana
the worst of II Is that no amount OK
new machinery here VIII remedy the
situation. New machinery would be
broken up by the incompetent under
fed workmen just "a the old machinery
has been
This IS a rather gloomy view taken
Ly AN anti-l3olshevIk. Tho oil ilelds be-
Kan 70 slow down four years ago. inc
prC,cni Moscow rule has severely sur
r.r.d from the sins Of It's predecessors
here.
1t ia feared there WIN be much dlrrl-
Guilty in buying new machinery this
winter, though the AzeroalJan govern
p,.nt has a commercial mission at Con-
stantinople that may go TO the Cnlteu
States 10 get capital or credits Tor 'ho
machinery.
The labor situation Is much moro
clear. Russia is denuded OF her pes'
thinkers. lmpcr!al!sts and Communists
and likewise Of her trained workers.
In the oil fields. where are needed
10000 men, there are now possioIy nan
that number. and few OF them tralnea'
and employers say even these are ais
inclined 10 work.
ReSore tho war there were 10 pri-
yate companies here. and each with
managing director. and now the WORK
Of all these directors falls on the shouI-
dora OF a few men. The workmen get
ono and a half pounds OF black bread
nor, day and soup, with neither butter
| NOR meat, and a pay Of 5000 ruoles
(nve TO ten cepts) per month. whlch
is just the price OF pound OF orenu'
New workmon are belng brought IN
from among the troops or General "ran-
gel IN ConstantInople. and also from tho
famine zones. but with u all there seems
no WAY TO kaep tho men satished' VI
properly fed. an
BLACK Town" as is called tho OIL
refining and delivery district, presents
a sad sight as compared to tha ola
DAYS. The buildings OF the Nopef IT,
Arsry, the most important OF the COM
nanies represented are going 10 rum
Nokeshifts are the rule everywhere
When tho Moscow Soviet took over
the Azerbaljan republic year anu
hall ago by buying up Its otticlaiS anu
sanding in tho Eleventh Red army d"
expected to get oil for nothing