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Description

Scarce map showing several sections of Los Angeles and the location of oil wells within these neighborhoods.

The top map shows the area at the foot of Chavez Ravine, between China Town and Victor Heights.  The bottom map shows the area southwest of Echo Park to Third and Vermont.

The map shows a remarkably dense concentration of wells in production as of December 10, 1903, which included

  • Number of wells producing - 979
  • Number of wells drilling - 14
  • Number of wells not producing - 90
  • Number of wells abandoned = 71
  • Gravity of oil -- Maximum, 16° ; Minimum, 11° ; Average, 13.5°
  • Price per barrel - 70 cents

As noted in Production and Use of Petroleum in California (Sacramento, 1904) (pp 26-27):

The City field of Los Angeles is peculiar in that it is situated, not merely within the city limits, but in a thickly settled residence district. Los Angeles is built on low, rolling hills, and over these hills the oil field stretches in a strip over three miles long, varying in width from one fourth to three fourths of a mile, running a little north of east and south of west, through the northwestern part of the city. . . .

Owing to the location of the field in the midst of a large city, there are no pipe-lines of any length, nor do the railroads touch the field directly at any point. The oil is used locally, principally for fuel, and is delivered by tank wagon. The greater part of the wells in the City field are pumped on the jack, the wells of several owners often being handled from one power.