140 
OIL DISTRICTS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 
Deposits of Los Angeles Valley .—. . . The asphalt is protruded through these 
strata near its contact with the argillite, forming distinct wells or springs, which over¬ 
flow. The land where they lie is owned by Captain Dryden,« who at the time of the 
visit was sinking a pumping apparatus for hoisting up the bitumen, which is very liq¬ 
uid at this locality, where it forms a small pond a fourth of a mile in circumference, 
thinner in the center than at the edges. Like the other varieties, it readily dries and 
forms a solid pavement some yards around the edge of the wells. A large quantity is 
occasionally raised and sold at the rate of 40 gallons for $5—$1 for 8 gallons. It is in 
some demand for flooring and roofing. The quantity drawn at present seems to have 
no effect in diminishing the supply, but as intervals of rest occur, owing to the limited 
demand, it is difficult to say what continuous supply could be derived from this source. 
Mr. Trask, in his report (Doc. No. California, session 1855), calculates the amount of 
asphaltum in the counties of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles as not less than 4,000 tons. 
As he only mentions two localities, that near the village of Santa Barbara and this at 
the pueblo Los Angeles, it is presumed he reckons these as the only sources of his esti¬ 
mate. He does not state what the data of the calculations are. The actual quantity 
already poured out on the Santa Barbara shore is vastly greater than at Los Angeles— 
perhaps 6,000 tons would be an underestimate for Santa Barbara, but as a source of 
asphaltum it is extinct, while that at Los Angeles is actively pouring out, although the 
accumulated overflow is much smaller. As a locality of asphaltum available for the 
present time, Santa Barbara is preeminent; as a source for future wants, Los Angeles is 
preferable. By following the line of upheaval on these hills and making borings in the 
sandstone strata, the bitumen might be reached, and thus other sources than the 
natural well might be drawn upon. Doctor Trask values the asphaltum delivered in 
San Francisco at $16 per ton, but this is an excessive valuation according to the price 
at the well or according to the calculations of freight from Santa Barbara northward. 
Allowing the value to be $7 per ton, and in Los Angeles Valley about 2,500 tons to 
be at present available, the actual present wealth of the valley in bitumen would 
be $17,500. This, of course, does not take into account the future supply. 
In addition to the descriptive matter Antisell gives a geologic sec¬ 
tion across the Santa Monica and Santa Susana ranges and another 
from San Pedro through Los Angeles to San Fernando. 6 
J. D. Whitney, State geologist from 1860 to 1874, describes the 
region from the San Fernando A Alley north to the Bay of Monterey, 0 
and in the same chapter enters into a discussion of the probabilities 
of finding oil in the Tertiary rocks of the Coast Range. He also 
severely arraigns the promotors of “wild-cat” oil companies, which, 
at the time of writing the report (1865), were preying on the credu¬ 
lous public. Another chapter is devoted to the geology of the Santa 
Monica and San Gabriel ranges and the vicinity of Los Angeles. The 
following are Whitney’s notes concerning the brea deposits in what 
is now the Salt Lake field: d 
About 7 miles due west of Los Angeles is the most important of the numerous tar 
springs seen in this vicinity. It is from here that most of the asphaltum used in the 
town is obtained. Over a space of 15 or 20 acres the bituminous material (which, 
when seen by us, in the winter, had exactly the consistency and color of tar) was oozing 
a The “old Dryden well” is located about three-eighths mile north-northwest of Westlake Park. 
& Pacific Railroad Rept., vol. 7, pt. 2, 1857, PI. V, figs. 2, 3. 
c Geol. Survey California, Geology, vol. 1, 1865, pp. 108-166. 
d Op. cit., pp. 174-175. 
