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only way to market was by wagon carried in her tanks had not yet been ticularly isolated are pumped by their
over the mountains to San Pedro or successfully used as ship's fuel, although individual engines.
Ventura and thence to San Francisco experiments were underway. Production Relief Man Guy Wig-
by sailing ship. This forerunner of our modern tank- gins is about the only man who wan-
In 1879, the Pacific Coast Oil Co. was er fleet was named for one of our early ders through this ancient segment of
founded with the California Star Oil shareholders. Tragically, the Loomis history today. Some of these wells are
Works continuing as a subsidiary. (Our was later lost at sea with all hands pumped for only a few hours a day. All
present Company evolved from Pacific aboard. around him he sees the remains of other
Coast, Scofield becoming Standard's (Several years ago the old refinery oil men's heavy labors: the old steam
first president.) just west of Newhall was reconstructed plants that used to power the drilling,
A two-inch pipe line (the State's as a monument to the pioneers who had now red-rusted, with stacks prone; a
first) was laid to Elayon, the nearest built and operated it.) small hand forge; a few rotting, wood-
stop to Pico on the newly-completed Today there are 41 wells in Pico en shacks.
railroad. There the oil was loaded on Canyon: 11 are on steady production, Guy has one thing in common with
tank cars-flat cars on which two up- and 30 are shut-in for various reasons. those first employees: He, too, must
right oil tanks were awkwardly In 1879, C.S.O. No. 4 was deepened to carry a heavy stick and keep his eyes
mounted-for shipment to a new refin- 1400 feet (where 150 barrels a day were open for rattlesnakes.
ery at Alameda Point on San Francisco recovered) and converted to a pump- Seventy-eight years have seen little
Bay. ing well. Today it is producing from change in Pico Canyon. The short,
Later a pipe line was laid to Ventura l 8 to 45 barrels per month of 36.9 squat derricks are symbols of the past.
and the steam tanker George Loomis gravity oil. It is also making 350,000 But Guy's pick-up truck is evidence of
was built. The Loomis was the pioneer cubic feet of gas per month. the revolution caused by these very
of our fleet-the first steel oil tanker The wells are operated variously; same wells. A revolution that helped
built on the Pacific Coast, and the sec- some work off a jack-a central power open up California and the West and
ond in the United States. Reliance on plant from which long rods extend to epitomizes our Company's promise:
sails was not entirely eliminated as she pump the adjacent rigs. Others operate "Standard plans ahead to serve you
had two masts. The 6400-barrel cargo one another; and some that are par- better."

Among those present at the unveiling of a plaque commemorating C.S.0. No. 4 were (left to right) Annuitant 0. 0. Allen, formerly
Superintendent, Southern District, Pipe Line; Vice-President Gage Lund; Annuitant Walton M. Brown, formerly General Superintendent,
Southern District, Producing; Annuitant Al Tietze, formerly General Superintendent, Northern District, Producing; Annuitant Lin Little,
formerly General Superintendent, Southern District, Producing; Ted Cook; Annuitant Walton Young, formerly Superintendent, Newhall
Division, Producing; Ass't Production Supt. W. H. Cochems, Murphy-Coyote, Producing; Matt Powell; Annuitant Bob Wilson; Jim Gos-
line, Ass't General Manager, Producing; Warren Johnson, Manager, Southern District, Producing; Vice-President Jules Toussaint

AUGUST 1953 11