Map Showing Petroleum Withdrawals Outstanding On November 1, 1915 In The State Of California - Protecting Public Lands From Oil Barons During The Early Years Of World War I. United States Geological Survey

"The oil industry in the public-land States is of so great magnitude and is so intimately affected, especially under recent court decisions, by withdrawals of Government land, that a demand has arisen for trustworthy copies of the orders creating or diminishing the withdrawals." - Max Ball, 1916. This massive map of Central California was designed by the United States Geological Survey and published in 1916. The year prior, an important Supreme Court decision in United States vs. Midwest Oil Company upheld the government's right to withdraw public lands and their resources from private acquisition. Prior to the ruling, the Oil Placer Act of 1897 allowed individuals and private enterprises to occupy and purchase oil and petroleum deposits on lands dedicated for public use. The image highlights the tracts of withdrawn lands in yellow across several California counties, with a key map in the upper right offering additional context for the scope. Naval petroleum reserves - a contingency source of fuel for the military - are outlined near McKittrick. Patented lands and those covered by applications for patent are also noted according to the legend in the lower right. Published by the Government Printing Office in Washington D.C. as Plate II in Petroleum Withdrawals and Restorations Affecting the Public Domain (U.S.G.S Bulletin 623) by Max Ball. The volume and its accompanying maps reflect the conservation aspect of the government's changing roles and responsibilities near the end of the Progressive Era. Sources: USGS; The Midwest Decision, 1915;" Sheet Width (in) 44 Sheet Height (in) 63 Condition Description A huge sheet with moderate wrinkling, creasing, and several spots of separation along originally issued fold lines. Some oxidization on the verso in the upper left has resulted in several small spots of discoloration, though the image is hardly affected. Good to very good condition overall.