A Lake of Petroleum. 



of this harmless looking little lake lures to death many of the 

 migratory water fowl that cross over it. \Yhen once a goose 

 or duck sets its wings and drops into this stygian pool of death, 

 its feet sink into the sticky petroleum and all struggles for free- 

 dom are useless. 



In conversation with Joe Burns, who bored several oil 

 wells in this vicinity, he said: "That little pool is a fatal 

 death-trap for anything that gets caught in it, and the deeper 

 they sink, the firmer they are held. I can push a pole down 

 eight or ten feet, but it is impossible to withdraw it. A jack 

 rabbit, when hotly pursued by wolves, often dashes out upon 

 it to escape its pursuers, when both rabbit and wolves meet a 

 common fate." 



The oil, as it comes from the ground, makes a fine lubri- 

 cator for all kinds of machinery, and has been used by the 

 ranchmen of the surrounding country for this purpose. The 

 wells that have been bored near the lake, have cut off the flow 

 from the springs. There are three of these wells in the group, 

 averaging a depth of 950 feet and furnishing a strong flow of 

 good petroleum, which, if near a railroad, would be valuable 

 property. Lander is now the farthest from a railroad of any 

 incorporated town in the United States, being 145 miles from 

 the nearest railroad point. 



Atlas Magazine. 



188] 



