Wesley Boling being duly sworn deposes and says:

I reside in Ventura. In Sept. 1876 I commenced working for Adams, Thayer, and Company in the oil business in this county - my duties being especially to receive, tank, and gauge the oil produced by them. I tanked and gauged all the oil sold by them to the defendant corporation refined at its refinery in Ventura County for about two years, and made a number of tests, so as to ascertain the evaporation and deterioration of the oil and believe I am as competent to testify respecting the deterioration of Ventura oil, as any other person, and perhaps more so. From my practical tests, I state that Ventura oil deteriorates from twenty to twenty five percent in the first four weeks from the time of being tanked, although being tanked in the tightest wooden tanks protected by a building over the same. This tank was situated immediately on the sea beach and had the benefit of the sea breeze and fogs.

When first informed by the refiner of the California Star Oil Works Company that oil would deteriorate this way, I would not credit it, and only became convinced after repeated tests made by me under all kinds of circumstances. I do not know anything about Pennsylvania oils or the climatic effects upon them there when tanked, but I know that I would not anywhere in California go to the expense of finding tankage for oil if the oil was given me as a free gift, if I had to hold the same in thanks for six months. I am not interested in the said suit and not in the employ of the said company.

Wesley Boling

July 15, 1878