Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-09-21
Nj iSc e lIany.
From the Wisconsin Farmer
Petroleum in Wisconsin.

Why tbe existence OF petroleum III Che
state is extremely improbable. if not
impossible.
The rock deposites Of the state are
few, and their order Of deposition IS at
no point in any degree complex. ln
other words the layers are regular
they have never been broken up or dis
turbed by volcanic agencies-and ex
cept the denudation Of the surface by
the action Of water, are as undisturbed
as when left By the waters of the pri-
meval ocean.
The base, or bottom deposite, is Of
course, the primary or granite flooring,
covered but lightly with drift material
over most of the northern central conn-
ties Lying upon this primary is the
lower or potsdam sandstone, Of variable
depth, but probably nowhere in the
south end Of the state over 1000 feet
thick. Much Of t IS depositc is mass
Of granular quartz, entirely incoheront,
crumbling by the touch, and even des-
titutc Of lines of qualification. The top
layers only which form the quarries as
far south as Madison, are sufficiently
cermented for building stone. This de-
posite, except ierruginous sand az an
upper crust, has no qualities, nor has it
any of the conditions leading TO the be-
lief that it could hold or retain the val
liable ores Of any metal, and much less
any such substance as Petroleum.
Above this sandstone lies deposite
about goo feet thick, most commonly
designated for convenience, the Lower
Magnetism, though biologists ordinarily
group the two together under the name
Of Calciferous Sandstone This depos-
lite. contains lead and copper ore in
small, but, so FAR, neverin paying guam
titles. Lying on and above this is the
Upper Sandstone, a deposite scarcely
fifty feet in thickness, and both of these
are destitute Of every physical condition
leading to the belief that petroleum now
has, or ever had any existence in either
ofthem. AS this takes us to the high
est geological point in which any claims
to petroleum have been yet advanced,
it is scarcely worth while to speak Of
the balance, except to say that there is
nothing whatever in any other deposite
leading gcologist to infer even, that
such a product as petroleum ever exist
ed, but on the contrary exactly the re-
verse. sd. al o m
am aware it is commonly supposed
that biologists know nothing about the
conditions Of existence Of the recently
discovered petroleum product. Still
there are some things they do know
which seems to throw riucl light upon
the subject. For example they know
that Petroleum has never been found in
quantity at great distance from large
coal deposites. They know that it has
not been found in undisturbed strata
anywhere, that volcanic action in up
heaving mountain chains and breaking
up the superintendent rocks, seems to
be one Of the essential conditions of its
accumulation in quantity by creating
assures or cavities at great depths, and
the proper tilt Of the strata for drain
age to these subterranean reservoirs
Hence, while it is well known that pc
troleum is largely disseminated in the
rocks underlying the coal fields of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, &c, it is very
reasonably inferred that it will not be
found in large reservoirs tempting to
deep boring and large outlay Of capital
in those States. At least it has not
been found SO far, and geologist might
have inferred it's non existence inquan-
tity before any work had been done to
test it. For the same reason, they might
reasonably infer its discovery in Ken
lucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Tenn
ossee, and wherever coal exists and vol
canic action has largely disrupted the
deposits, as not only possible but very
probable.
notwithstanding a great many in
genious theories and learned surmises,
the known facts warrant the belief that
Petroleum is the product of slow distil-
lation Of the coal deposites. 1t may,
indeed, be made in part from animal
matter. deposited thousands of feet in
thickness in the FOSSIL ferrous limestones
of the coal region, and which may also
undergo kind of distillation under en-
ormous pressure. But to coal, and it
may DO to fossils, we may with reason
able certainty attribute the product of
Petroleum as natural process, without
resorting to fine spun chemical theories
to account for it which, if true. some
how may operate extensively at points
remote from vegetable and fossil depos-
ties or in sections undisturbed by vol
sanic forces.
If we compare the coal fields OF
Pennsylvania or Virginia with the rock
deposites of Wisconsin where petroleum
is stalled Of, we shall find in the geolog-
ic scale of deposits that they are nearly
two miles apart; or if We compare the
shallow coal fields south of US, We shall
md our rocks about 1900 feet too low
down Coal never had An existence in
TINS State, or any part of-nor have we
immense tossilifferous LAYERS of lime
stone-nor has the surface Of the State
N any modern period been disrupted by
volcanic action. Fence none Of the
conditions for the product of petroleum
now exist or ever existed and hence,
u won't be found, even BY the most en-
thusiastie oily dreamer.
iou may. perhaps, conclude that my
conclusions are too absolutely stated