Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-11-15
RANBLER'S NOTE BOOK.
A Few Facts Jotted Down for the Bene-
fit Of Springfield Readers.

III ol SpflngneIu Readers.
John Nct oliough in Springfield - The
fin"-t Private Residence in Ohio-Re-
tnrn "i "a Springfield Arti>t->atur-
al Ca, Notes News and Opinions
The excitement which exists throughout
the state OF Ohio at present on the subject OF
the recent discoveries OF natural gas is OF
extraordinary lute-sIIy, snd can only be
compared 10 the oil fever which swept the
country on the discovery of the great Penn
sylVsnis oil deposi's some years ago All
through OHIO and Pennsylvania the one
theme and object OF interest 10 capitalists is
the discovery and development of natural
gas. In central Ohio the eNcieme is es-
pecislly great. because il has not been here
tofOre supposed that the natural gas deposits
exist except in the neighborhood OF coal
mines and oil wells The cities surrounding
Springfield have allowed her to make the first
experiment in boriug for gas, on the princi-
pie OF the monkey using the cats
paw TO pull the chestnut. out
OF the fire. Bat happily,
in this case the cats paw has not been burnt,
and now that Springfield has acted as the
pioneer in the business, all the surrounding
cities are sharpening up their drills and
greasing their ropes, preparatory TO boring
gas wells. Taey deserve not to find q cubic
inch Of gas tor their coSsrdice in leaving
Springfield TO bore tn hrst well, and waiting
until gas was found before commencing their
own.
Natural gas companies are forming. and
there are preparations 10 bore wells In Xenis
Crbans, yton, Columbus. Washington c.
T., aud in almost every city of any size in
this .icinity. Spriugheli's success in finding
the great natural treasure has demonstrated
conclusively that the ground OF Central Ohio
is houeycombed with veins and arteries Of
natural gas. which only lacks an opening to
rush forth and do mans work. II is said
that natural gas was discovered in q we'll
near Dayton some twenty years ago.
vein was struck in the Soldiers Home COM
parstively near the surface, and on spphca-
ton OF light the gas touk FIRE and burned
with great brilliancy TOR a time. Tue sup
ply WAS soon exhausted, as only limited
pocket OF gas had been reached. With q slug
gish indifference, hsrscteristic OF Dayton, the
proprietor of the well never thought any
more about the occurrence and never thought
OF boring further. How different from
Springfield Now that the Champion city
b as shown Central Ohio that there is gas in
this locality. Dayton capitalists have swoke
from their Rip Van Wrinkle sleep OF twenty
years, on the natural gas question. and eI-
press their determination OF sinking wells.
Hsrpers Weekly OF las, week has a mag
nihcent series # illustrations, showing the Va
nous phss Of the natural gas industry.
The appearance of full page sketch on the
subject in H.rPer's Weekly, and the columns
OF space given to the natural gas industry in
the great eastern journals shos how much
interest the country al large lie taking in the
sIbect. Oae Of the most interesting pictures
OF the seri-s is the view ef gas well which
was ignited by lightning. The well was not
completed, but gas had been srnck. and
was rushing with great violence from tie
well. Suddenly terrific storm came up and
the worknen were freed TO take shelter in
some houses in the vicinity. Suddenly q rio-
lent fla b OF lightning lllumined the heavens.
and the BOLT descended near the well. In an
instant the vicinity was lgh'ed with a ruidy
glare. and the workmeu were horrif d
TO see a vast blaze ash up from the gas well
and tower into the heavens ike some vast
torch-the lightning had ignited the gas.
Ever since the discovery Of gas in this city
the subject has formed the main topic of in
te7est; everyone is interested, since they may
soon be able TO use the gas directly as fuel
and light in their houses. For some time a
ed in natural gas, and the methods for its
utilization tor practical purposes, has made il
q practice 10 cut out every item pertaining 10
it, which ne n 1 with in his daily reading
Sirce the gas has actuslly been discovered in
thi. city, and the discovery will probably
have direct influence on the well-being OF
every resideu: OF Springfield. some Of those
items and clippings may be of great interest.
Some OF those N 1st pertinent to the natural
gas industry in this city are as follows:
Ii has been fully demonstrated that there
is no greater danger from eInlOsi )ns in the use
Of natural gas than from coal g1s. II can be
detected the moment Ii bsgins % escape by
it's intense OdOr aud perfect SAFETY is secured
by the exercise Of little care. By improved
appliances the gas is now conf aed in the
wells, thus doing away with the escape pipe,
which is in measure an annoyance 10
those living rear well. There are Al
ready over eight hundred stoves connected
with the mains, together with all
the III msuuflc,uriag establishments in the city
Of Findlay, Ohio, Of which there are not
few. BT tn use OF the gas the price of
machinery. Hour and all other useful articles
menurac IN this city is reduced 10 n
comparative low figure, thus giving flndlay
q chance to compete with the world. To
fully appreciate the value and unity Of these
gas wells personsl visit should be made TO
them. OnIv the merest suggestion of their
capacity and usefulness can be made in the
limits of newspaper article. II is safe to
saw that FlI dag is the center OF the natural
gas line and that her great flowing wells, in
creasing in number and powers, entities her
10 b. called the city Of natural gas
Natural gas is no new thing in Ohio "ln
le64s well WAS sunk a. Big Creek which
produced ga, and 1859 gs' well OF consid-
cradle power was bored in Independence. In
1872 L-wis Miller, Of Akron, sank a well
nine hundred feet deep but found no gas. A
gas well at crates mills has been in successful
operation several years"
The geologists seem to be far from infalli
ble in locating the gas; though II has beer
struck in Springfield; Xenia and Urbans