The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-08-27

City OF Pittsburg.
Likely to Kill the Local Coal Trade in That
District-Hov 1t Is Obtained.
A Pittsburg correspondents of the
Chicago Tribune writes: The source
of the gas, speaking of its location in
the bowels of the earth, or the extent
OF those underground chambers where
it is stored, and the limit of its supply,
is still likely to remain as much a mat
ter of theory as has been tho certain
location Of all fields, except as the
genius of man for speculation demon
strates by practical experiment just
where it is to be found, and what are
its staying qualities. Its formation is
undoubtedly the result of chemical
action, but whether generated in ages
past or the result of changes now tax
ing place away below the surface of
the earth is proposition which would
probably find as many to affirm as to
deny.
GAS AND SALT WATER.
The troublesome salt water has not
deferred the enterprising seeker af-
ter hidden wealth. New derricks
are going up here and there very
enceuragingly. Gas has been struck
in every hole that has been put deep
enough. in larger or smaller guam titles,
but the inevitable salt flow was always
there. In few instances where the
salt water was cascd off, sufficient
quantity of gas remained to be used to
advantage. but in the great ajority of
wells this was not so. This, however
does not disprove the existence of large
volames of gas under that part of Al
legheny County upon which the twin
cities arc built. To illustrate: A COM
pany that has large lease of property
iii the eastern part of the city, over
looking the Monongahela River from
the north, put dewn 4 well from an ell
ovation of about 800 feet above the riv-
er, believing that they were on what is
called the anticlinal line, under which,
according to one of the gas theories,
the gas was to be found in the greatest
quantities. At about 400 feet a small
amount of gas was found. At 90 feet
strong vein was struck. The drih
was scat little deeper and the we'll
was flooded with salt water. Tho salt
water WAS cased Ell and at 1900 feet
another vein Of gas was tapped. bat it
in turn was drowned cat by stream
of salt water, which was opened Hp
little deeper. 1t was noticed as the
well went deeper that each successive
vein of gas became srengsr, that
How of salt water was invariably found
under each vein, at variable distances
and of variable but smaller ratio of
increase as compared with the CORES
ponding vein of gas. and that the low
er veins of gas and salt water were
closer together. Again, at 1915 feet
the heaviest vein of gas yet obtained
was struck. The flowing capacity was
172. 600 cubic feet per day, or equiva-
lent to about 172 bushels of coal every
twenty-four hours. With the accumu-
lated volume of gas that had been shut
off with the salt water the we'll would
then have flowed a quantity of gas
equal to about 500 bushels of coal per
day. And yet the company has not
reached the sand in which they had
expected to find gas when the drill was
started. The third sand, generally
known in the oil country as the We
mango third-the one which is usually
productive when the sands above it fail
in tho district referred to-was Thought
to be between 800 and 400 feet farther
crease the flow of gas, if possible, and
a hard shell WAS encountered. When
the bit penetrated this shell the rapid
flow of gas stopped for moment, the
well gave spasmodic gurgle. then
shot the gas and water hundred feet
in the air and ceased, choked again by
the salt water. The sand from which
the last gas came was hard, and spongy,
and white. The company are now cas-
ing off, and will drill deeper to the last
sand, in which the owners OF another
we'll aboHt six miles distant on the
same imaginary fine have struck oil.
That strike was made known the other
day. The we'll will probably prove to
be a twenty-five barrel pumper. 1t
was put down for gas. 1t is being
worked now as a mystery, like the
small we'll known as the Mount Nebo,
three or four miles below Pittsburg,
back from the Ohio River.
SOURCES OF SUPPLY.
These facts will probably serve to
show the progress in natural gas de-
IN, tbiS o;ty opI itS