Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-03-28

REMARKABLE PHENOMENON IN WESTERN NEW
YoRK-wHAT WAS FOUND IN BORING FOR OIL
A BED or ROCK SALT SIXTY FEET THICK
ENORMOUS FLOWS or GAS AND SALT WATER.
despatch to the New York Timcs1
About ten years ago an artesian well was
being drilled at Bloomfield, Livingston coun-
ty. At the depth Of 800 feet vein Of gas
was struck. The gas flowed from the well
with such velocity and volume that drilling
was necessarily abandoned. The escaping
gas was gnited, and for two or three years it
continued to burn, Illuminating thu surround
ing country for great distance. The inhab-
tants Of the neighborhool conveyed the gas
to their houses in pipes, and used it as fuel
and for Illuminating purposes. The attcn-
ton of Rochester capitalists was called to the
phenomenon. A company was formed and
wooden pipes were laid from Bloomfield to
Rochester, through which the gas was carried.
Here it was mingled with coal gas and aud
used as an illuminator. Owing to the defec-
tive nature Of the conduit pipes, and to the
failure Of the company to refine the natural
gas, it did not give satisfaction, and the idea
of turning the Bloomfield gas well into a
source of profit was abandoned. 1t contin-
ued to flow steadily for some time until mali
cious persons obstructed it by casting debris
into the tubing. Since then it has been neg
beyond the phenomenal nature of the well
and its possibilities as producer Of oconom-
ical fuel and light for local use was ever at
tached to it but, in the light OF recent de-
yclOpmcnts in this region, there is no doubt
that the Bloomfield well will bear evidence to
the existence Of an underlying formation
throughout this part Of the State which is at
variance with the theory OF geologists
and which, it is believed, is destined to rcyo-
lutonize the commercial interests of Il great
part of Western New York.
The discovery of petroleum in paying guam
titles in Mexican county, Penn, two or three
years ago, gave rise TO the belief that tho ole
aginous deposit extended northward into the
border counties of New York Profitable
wells were sunk in Cattaraugus aud All,guny
countless and prospecting began in the conn
ties adjoining them. The Vacuum Oil Com
pany, a wealthy corporation Of Rochester,
commenced sinking an oil well at Wyoming,
in Wyoming county, about year ago The
drill struck gas and strong brine at depth
of 800 feet and soon afterward entered a vein
of pure rock salt which proved to be 60 feet
thick. This being a bed of salt thicker than
ever before discovered, the owners of the
well determined to abandon the search for
petroleum and take measures to develop the
salt. The well is on the line of the new Koch
ester and State Line railroad, which affords
the only mode of transportation from that
region. The Vacuum Oil Company being
unable to make satisfactory freightng ar
rangements with the railroad company. and
believing that the Onondaga salt group was
an underlying stratum of all this region, con-
cluded to drill to the deposit in a more favor
able locality. At Leroy, Livingston county,
the company received every encouragement,
and commenced operations on well there a
few months ago.
On Feb. II, last, the drill being down 800
feet, an immense vein of gas and bitter wa
ter was entered The commotion beneath
the surface, created by the gas struggling
through the water, could be heard for some
distance around Two hours after the vein
was entered the gas rushed from the opening
with fearful velocity, and was ignited by the
fire in "A stove 10 feet away. Instantly the
derrick and engine house were filled with
flames, and the workmen barely escaped
with their lives The entire works were
threatened with destruction, but a great
spout of water from the vein followed the
rush of gas and in a few seconds extinguish-
ed the flames. The water was thrown to the
height of 40 feet, and was accompanied by n
roar that summoned people to the scene from
long distances around. The flow of water
was at first followed, after few minutes du- |
ration, by flow of gas, which in turn gave
way to the water again. This intermission |
of gas and water continued for several hours, |
when the water rushed out in a steady stream |
inches in diameter and more than 100 feet !
high. 1t flowed thus without cessation for |
five days, at the rate of 1000 barrels day. |
The fields were flooded with the brine and it |
was becoming question of no little moment |
to the dwellers in the vicinity of the well rs
to what could be done with the great water
spout On the fifth day it suddenly ceased,
and the gas rushed out again with increased
velocity. The velocity is so great that the
ignitiug point Of the jet is Il feet above the
well. 4 three-nch gas-pipe 60 feet long has
been attached to the tubing, and the flame of
gas lights up the whole neighborhoOd at
night. Operations have been suspended at
the well for the present, but will be resumed
again early in May, by which time increased
facilities for testing its value will be ready.
1t is the intention of the Vacuum Oil Com
pany to sink the well until the salt vein is
struck, and if the deposit gives evidence of
being anywhere near as valuable as the bed at
Wyoming, the present well will be used sole
ly to furnish gas for running the machinery
for putting down another well and works for
evapOrating salt The head of gas is so great
that the company thinks it too valuable to
even for a salt deposit, and if the
theory that the Onondaga salt group is an un-
derlying deposit from Syracuse to the Niaga-
ra river is not proved, it will at any rate re-
move its oil works from Rochester to Leroy.
using the gas-well for fuel, which now costs
$50 day, Prof Walton, the geologist and
expert, of Syracuse, has visited the Leroy
WELL and gives it as his opinion that
a heavy deposit of salt will be found at
n depth of less than 200 feet further.
The gas and brine were found 400 feet nearer
the surface than they were at Wyoming and
at Bloomfield 100 feet nearer the surface than
they were at Leroy This indicates that the
salt deposit approaches the surface as it ex-
tends northward, and in time will be discov-
cred very near it.