The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-03-04

/ GAS WELLS IN New 0RLEAas.--Athough our friends
| in New Orleans have not yet struck le,' some Q
them in boring for water have struck gas at depth
of forty feet from the surface The Crescent gives
the following account of the well on Gravier street.:
Repairing next to the first discovered well at knigh
/ & Co.'S No H. our reporterfound the hame burning
BRIGHTLY and watched BY as curious crowd as ever
gentleman present, after turning OIL the hoW pacee
his handkerchief fine silk one, tightly over the OH
fee of the burner and then, turning the gas on again
to its full force, applied match. The lame ourhea
up through the covering clear and bright as ever ana
strange to relate, upon subsequently removing the
handkerchief not SINCE or stain were perceptlble
upon it. although it had been in apparent contact with
| the fame for five minutes
The following interesting and curious analysis BY
Dr. J. W Mallet professor of chemistry, medical de
partment, University of Louisiana, will throw addl
! tonal light up this important subject. He says:
Mr.. Knight, upon whose premises the well in ques-
ton has been sunk states that the gas reached at
aFdeph of forty feet on the night of the 18th lust
and has continued to flow since then in quantity su1i
Gent to supply one bats wing burner, although the
amount has somewhat diminished.
The pressure exered by the gas IN the iron tube oil
the we'll was at first equal column of mercury OF
16 inches in height, equivalent to q inches OF wa
ter this has since been reduced to Ia inches OF mer
| curry or 10 inches OF water. -
The rate of flow was measured on the Sth inst, by
means OF test meier lurHlSHeu ny tile 1ohpai4
and was found to amount to one and half cubic feet
per hour.
The temperature Of the escaping gas was found by
Mr. Knight to be 10 degrees Fahrenheit the tempera-
ture of the air at tile time being IS degrees
Five specimens of the gas were collected on the
evening Of the 18th inst in glass vessels which were
Theoretically sealed and carried to the laboratory OF
the University for examination.
The result of the analysis follows Harsh gas
(hvdrde of methyle) 91.S1; nitrogen $50; carbonlc
acid PSI; HYDROCARBONS, condensible by bromne,
trace. Total-l00.0o
Special experiments were made for the detection OF
sulphuretted hydrogen phosphuretted hydrogen, am
monia oxygen, carbonc oxide, and acetylene-allow-
ing the gas to bubble through the test solution during
whole night-but no evidence could be obtained OF
'l'e Psssetee u a!s y s.eSs
NAL conditions of temperature and pressure.
Combusble gas of similar composition to the above
most frequently occurs in nature associated with COAL
petroleum or rock salt and the present example is OF
some interest when regarded in connection with the
occurrence in Texas of gas Of the same general char
acter at The so-ca.led "Sour Lake, and near Beau
mont-a similar at the petroleum locality
in Calcaseu parish, La and the existence OF the mag
nfcent deposit Of rock salt on Petit Anse Island, in
St. Mary parish; although the large quantity of veg
etable matter Embedded in the purely superficial de-
posts of the deta,of the Mississippi must not i'll this
instance be lost ST. ht Of.