158 The American Geologist. March, 1901. 
there any reason for hoping less in CaHfornia. That the sup- 
ply is finite is of course undeniable, but though finite it is so 
vast that the present generation and perhaps one or two more 
that will come after it may be enriched by this wonderful fund 
of latent power stored in the distant Tertiary era from the 
remains of Tertiary life. 
The California conditions, moreover, render many wells 
which in the East would " be useless, because unprofitable, 
sources of profit to their owners. Wells yielding one barrel 
of oil daily would scarcely be valued in Pennsylvania but here 
they are, to say the least, quite above the line of "no profit." 
The initial cost is small often not above $200 or $300. and the 
pumping can be done at a price not exceeding fifty cents 
daily, while the price is seldom below and often above one dol- 
lar at the well. If the bore is deeper and the cost therefore 
higher the oil obtained will probably be lighter and consequent- 
ly of greater value in the market. 
The duration of the individual wells also is not verv 
different from that expected in Pennsylvania. Some have been 
pumped for twenty years and still are yielding a paying 
amount of oil. There is, therefore, no more ground for dis- 
trusting the duration of the Californian wells than there was 
thirty years ago for distrusting those of Pennsylvania. 
Besides the kerosene produced from the crude petroleum 
a large quantity of lubricating oil is obtained occasionally in 
a pure form, otherwise by distillation. Then there is the 
asphaltum base of the oil, either left after the lighter portions 
have been distilled ofif or found in beds in the earth — the pro- 
duce of natural distillation. At first an annoyance as a by- 
product and a waste, tending to cause smoke on burning the 
kerosene, it is now one of the valuable products of the re- 
finer}-. Masses of it are even thrown up on the beach in some 
places — the product of petroleum escaping from the sea-bot- 
tom. Elsewhere, as at Obispe, near Terminal island, huge 
masses of this mineral are quarried in the cliff, as rock, re- 
fined and sent abroad and to the eastern states chiefly for pav- 
ing purposes. It occurs in disjointed and contorted strata 
or seams, often many feet thick and in quantity can be com- 
pared only with the great pitch deposits on the south Amer- 
ican continent or the lake of Trinidad. It is sent largel\ to 
