The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-12-05
Natural Gas.
Edltor 1nle oharles Echo:

/ huituT hhiNt NuNASe AsShVs
Having noticed an article in the
Times Democrat, on natural gas and
its utilization at Pittsburg and other
manufacturing cities in the United
States, the writer Of the article asks
the question, "cannot New Orleans
hope for something Of this kindp The
fact that petroleum has been found in
CaIcasieu, would hint toward the pres
ence of gas; also, would say in an
swer to that question, that we have
not only found petroleum in Calcasieu,
but many other evidences that amounts
to positive proof that gas docs exist
in unlimited quantities in Southwest
ern Louisiana. say positive because
it can be found in many places, es-
Gaping freely at all times, and has
been known to escape continually for
the last forty years. Other evidences
that this country is nnderlaid with an
abundance of gas producing element
is the thousands of gas chimneys, or
little round mounds in our prairies,
extending from the Mermentau to
Sour Lake, in Texas. ] have heard at
least a hundred different theories as
to the probable formation of these
mounds, but there is but two ways
that these little mounds could have
been formed, and in either, gas was
the force that built them. If they
were built at time when this country
was covered with water the escape Of
gas in the form Of a boiling spring
forcing fine particles up and deposit
ing them equally around, the force
which was the gas, escaping through
the center. This was the theory |
adopted some twenty-seven years ago,
but later observations have caused me
to change my mind as to the forma-
tion of these gas chimneys.
This country is underlaid at some
depth with heavy bodies Of petroleum
and other gas producing elements. !
say heavy bodies because small bodies
never would have made its appearance
at different points through stratums of
clay and sand four or five hundred feet
thick. These little mounds, | think,
we're built after this section became
dry land, in this way, by the escape
or the bringing up by the force of
gas, crude petroleum, which neces-
sarily contained a great deal of sand,
as it would have to travel some four
hundred and forty feet from the time
it left tho bed rock, through sand and
clay, before it reached the surface,
consequently the finer oil would all be
absorbed, leaving the asphalt and sand
to reach the surface, which, after being
thrown out equally all around the hole
through which the gas escaped, as
high as the force would carry 1t, the
top would then crust over and close
up the vent, consequently there being
no fresh supply the asphalt would
soon rot and be washed out by the
heavy rains leaving the sand behind
to be eventually turfed over with
grass, as you find them now.
| repeat again, that we have every
assurance Of an unlimited supply OF
natural gases, for It is well known
that we have three of the elements In
large bodies that furnish the most Of
the gas that has been utilized. lst,
the salt mine at AVery's Island and
sulphur mine aud petroleum wells in
Calcaseu. II is probably not gem
orally known that salt mines furnish
gasses in quantities sufficient to be
utilized in any way. But if you will
refer to the Vol. 9th edition Encyclo-
padia Britannica, which says inAamma-
Bile gases are formed in great abun,
dance within the earth, 40 connection
with carbonaceous deposits, such as
coal and petroleum, and similar accu-
mutations not unfrequnently occnr in
connection with deposits Of rock salt
In the Province Of Szeehuen, In
China, gaa IL obtained from beds Of
rock salt at a depth of fifteen or six
teen hundred feet, being brought to
the surface It is conveyed in bamboo
tubes and is used for lighting as well
as for eyaporating brine. Also at a
salt mine in Hungary, gas ia obtained
at depth of one hundred and twenty
feet, and nsed for illuminHtipg the
mine. ! have great faith in the near
future Of Southwestern Louisiana,
when we have the inhabitants and
capital to utilize our natural resources,
and they are actually needed, Our
sulphur mines and petroleum wells
will be made to yield in abundance, as
tho hidden treasures are only brought
to light as they are actually needed
by man. w. Fl. X.