Oil Lands Joining U.S. Naval Reserve Lands No. 1
- Title:
- Oil Lands Joining U.S. Naval Reserve Lands No. 1
- Alternate Title:
- Oil Lands Joining U.S. Naval Reserve Lands No. 1
- Collection:
- Persuasive Maps: PJ Mode Collection
- Creator:
- Faulkner, W.S.
- Date:
- 1923
- Posted Date:
- 2017-04-14
- ID Number:
- 2274.01
- Collection Number:
- 8548
- File Name:
- PJM_2274_01.jpg
- Style/Period:
- 1920 - 1939
- Subject:
- Advertising & Promotion
Money & Finance - Measurement:
- 21 x 14 on sheet 36 x 33 (centimeters, height x width)
- Notes:
- This is a classic promotional broadside, addressed to oil exploration investors. It was issued by W.S. Faulkner, who asserted that he had the rights in three Sections (shown in light orange on the map) in "the famous Elk Hills" of California and was seeking anyone "interested in securing oil and gas rights" in his holdings. The Elk Hills oil field is one of the largest and most productive in the country. The text says that drilling was under way on one of Faulkner's Sections, and that it was scheduled to begin on the other two in November 1923, which suggests the broadside was published earlier that year. The map shows that Faulkner's land was located between the Elk Hills U.S. Naval Reserve Oil Lands Nos. 1 and 2 (shown in dark orange on the map). The text on the left of the broadside purports to reprint a story from the San Francisco Chronicle about the plans of the Pan-American Petroleum and Transport Company to undertake a "Mighty Development of Naval Reserves." The Company planned, according to its President, E.L. Doheny, to spend more than $150 million (about $2.1 billion in 2016 dollars), including the drilling of some 3,000 wells and building of a refinery and storage facilities. Doheny was a well-known and very successful oilman, and his confidence in the area was obviously important to potential investors.
However, this was not just another oil field or an ordinary transaction. Elk Hills was discovered in 1911, and as its potential was recognized, President Taft designated it as the country's first Naval Petroleum Reserve, intended to protect the Navy's long-term access to oil. Other Naval Reserves were established over time, included those in Teapot Dome, Wyoming. The Secretary of the Navy had the right to grant leases for production on Naval Reserve land. In the spring of 1921, he was persuaded to relinquish that power to Senator Albert B. Fall of New Mexico, who had became Secretary of the Interior in the Harding Administration. Shortly thereafter, in July 1921, Fall leased a substantial portion of the Elk Hills Reserve to Doheny - who was an old friend - in lawful but noncompetitive bidding. In April 1922, Fall leased virtually all of the Teapot Dome Reserve to Harry F. Sinclair in a similar private transaction. When the latter transaction came to light, it triggered a series of congressional investigations of Fall, Sinclair and Doheny. However, in and before November 1923 - the time period of this broadside - no violations of law had been discovered, and the reputations of the principals were intact. As the investigations continued, pressure built on Fall to disclose where he had obtained the funds to support massive personal investments. Finally, in January 1924, Doheny admitted that he had "loaned" Fall $100,000 in November 1921, in cash (in a "little black bag"), unsecured, at no interest, and that he had torn Fall's signature off the bottom of the note to prevent its disclosure. In the ensuing "Teapot Dome Scandal," Fall was convicted of taking a total of $385,000 from Doheny (about $4.7 million in 2016 dollars) and became the first American cabinet member imprisoned for a crime while in office; Sinclair, who had also bribed Fall, also went to jail; the Elk Hills and Teapot Dome leases were canceled; and Doheny himself was acquitted. See generally Stratton 1998. There's no suggestion that Mr. Faulkner had anything to do with Doheny's activities.
For further information on the Collector’s Notes and a Feedback/Contact Link, see https://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/content/about-collection-personal-statement and https://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/content/feedback-and-contact - Cite As:
- P.J. Mode collection of persuasive cartography, #8548. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
- Repository:
- Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
- Archival Collection:
- P.J. Mode collection of persuasive cartography
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- For important information about copyright and use, see http://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/copyright.