Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-03-02
THE BLACK
CURSE Of
CALIFORNIA
(From the Pittsville Record)

Eagle Rock, Cal, Feb. II, 1922.
| am at one of CALIFORNIA; little
cities that has grown up over night.
Eagle Rock had population in 1920
of $3.50 and on January 1, 1922 it had
grown to 4,500. Eagle Rock is four
miles from Los Angeles and three
miles from Pasadena. | can't say as
like Pasadena or Los Angeles SO
well as they are too big. Los Angeles
is the third largest city in the U. S.
and is expected to pass Chicago by
the end of this month.
Last Saturday I was down at Long
Beach and had a look at the Pacific.
There were several battle ships in the
harbor but | did not visit any of
them. The day before l went down
to Long Beach that city was visited
by what is termed the "black curse"
The "black curse" is caused by the
gushing of an oil we'll which IS being
bored and consequently not fully I'M
while under the process of being bor-
ed, tearing away the derrick and
throwing black oil high in the air,
spraying it over that part Of the town
which was on the windward side of
the well, filing the streets with oil
and scattering over everything a fill
thy black scum very susceptible to
fire.
The strange thing about this we'll
starting as gusher was the fact that
quite a number of wells which had
previously been bumpers and some of
them "dry holes started to gushing
more or less at the same time the big
we'll "came in.
The wind which was blowing d.
rectly toward town at the time car
ried the spray of the oil well over the
city, soaking residences and every
thing that it touched. With the oil
that is blown from the well there is
dirt, shale and gravel which piled up
in some of the streets, stopping traffic
And on account of the gravel falling
those who are fighting the floods of
oil are forced to wear steel army he'll
NETS to avoid being injured by fall
ing stones.
The great danger now is that the
oiled city will catch fire from some
chance spark or flame, in which case
the whole town would be burning at
once, meaning big loss of life as well
IS property. Long Beach has popu-
ia ion of $4,000
The vein of this we'll was struck at
a depth of $500 feet and came into
action without moments notice, de-
posting 10000 barrels of oil over a
radius of a mile. Imagine, if you
can, gas and oil coming from 12-inch
pipe thrown to a height of $50 to ESQ
feet in the air, which at any minute
well could be heard many miles and
| it threw out one stone weighing II
lpounds.
/ When the oil first made its appear
Iance it caught many poor suckers un-
awares and their clothes were ruined
This well flowed for twenty light
hours before being checked. People
are prepared at moments notice to
move should any other wells in the
territory begin gushing. Fire is te
be dreaded in case of a gushing well
The viewing of the work of this
lwell has taught me valuable lesson
It has shown me, face to face, the
terrible influences that are at work
and the terrible power which is con.
: fined in the Internal regions. We arr
told that the pressure of this we'll is
: 1000 pounds to the square inch. Wha-
must it be farther down? Figur,
this out for yourself and by that tim,
, your mind will be fully made VI
: where you prefer to spend your eter
nifty.
AS to the weather, the least said
: the better. The last two weeks ha
seen lots of fruit and most of tn
4 flowers frozen. They tell me it is tn,
0 first time in the history of the coun
: try, and | think this is an excus
: they have patented for the occasion
I But as | did not come out here to ge
n away from the cold but for my healt
am perfectly satisfied.
: | am going TO San Diego in shor
/ time to visit ny chunl, Carl Heuel
: who is there I am told. The Recor
c arrives just week TO the day fro1
, the time it is printed.
d Yours respectfully,
Il Ellis Murra.