Translation of Geological Report on the Territory of Lower California

An original typescript manuscript by the geologist, Carl H. Beal, Vice-President of Marland Oil Company, credited with discovering some of California's greatest oil fields. Black cloth-covered boards ("spring" binder), 11 3/8 x 9 1/4 inches, 90 pp. typed recto only, 55 unnumbered pages of plates (mostly photocopies of black/white photos tipped onto the recto of pages). Laid in is a folded map, "Plano de la Baja California, Bosquejo Geologico Formado con Datos de la Marland Oil Co." (Map of Baja California, Geological Sketch Formed with Data from the Marland Oil Co.), dated 1924. The map is printed in color and measures 27 x 19 1/2 inches. The book is good (modest age browning of paper; modest worming). The map is fair --- fragile, but still in one piece and still attractive. This is much more that a dry academic geology book. It contains a great deal of geographical, natural historical and cultural information as well and reads like a travel book. Marland Oil Company was a major American oil company founded in 1917 that in 1920 was estimated to control 10% of the world's oil production. In 1929 it merged with Continental Oil by purchasing it, retaining the name Continental Oil. Although there are some similarities between this typescript manuscript and Beal's "Reconnaissance of the Geology and Oil Possibilities of Baja California, Mexico" (Geological Society of America Memoir 31, published in 1948), the former contains far more historical/cultural/travel information than the latter. For example, page 13 of the manuscript specifies, "The following list of supplies represents the quantities necessary for the nourishment of four men during a journey of thirty days"; page 15 specifies, "Following appears a list of the accessories for automobiles, which must be carried on all automobile trips". Also described are flora and fauna, natural resources, agriculture, geologic features, topography and ranches and towns progressively along the extensive route. The manuscript also contains many more photos than the book cited above. I cannot find any other holding of this manuscript. (K069).…