Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-07-09

/ visited the region of gas wells and.
saw nine wells furnishing gas. The gas
from the three largest was still passing
into the air. These are wonderful
sights indeed. The gas rushes up with
such velocity through six-inch pipe,
which extends perhaps twenty feet
above the surface, that it does not ig-
mite within six feet of the mouth of the
pipe. Looking up into the clear blue
sky you see before you dancing gold
en- fiend without visible connection with
the earth, swayed by the wind into fam
tastic shapes, and whirling in every di-
rection. AS the gas from the wells
strikes the center of the flame and
passes partly through it, the lower part
of the mass curls inward. giving rise to
the most beautiful effects, gathered
into graceful folds at the bottom, ver-
table pillar of fire. There is not
particle of smoke from it.
There are, OF course, various theories
as to the location and extent of the gas
belt. Enough wells have already been
bored in Murraysville district to indi-
cate that it is about half a mile wide,
and extends in asoutheasterly direction
from Murraysville for five or six miles.
The wells bored beyond this encoun-
tered flow of salt water in such great
quantities as to nearly drown out the
gas; for while some gas came to the
surface it was not in sufficient quanti-
ties to render it valuable, and merely
proved its existence. Experts have,
therefore, concluded that, while the gas
exists i'll such wells, it is under basin
of salt water. Several wells have been
bored in the city of Pittsburgh and the
vicinity, but the same trouble from salt
water has been encountered there. A
geological friend informs me that the
stratum dips about 600 feet near Pitts
burgh, and his theory is that this de-
preston has been filled with salt water,
and hence the attempts in that district
have proved unsuccessful. Whether
deeper boring, or some plan of shutting
out the water, will overcome this diff
Guilty, is yet to be seen. Northwest
from Marysville but little has been
done to prove the extent of the gas
belt. So much for the Murraysville
district, which is to-day furnishing most
of the gas consumed in Pittsburgh.
Many theories are advanced to &C
count for the existence of this fuel, but
the most reasonable one is that given
to me by Prof. Dewar, of Cambridge,
who recently visited us, and who was
deeply impressed by what he saw of this
new mine of wealth. He holds that
the gas is being constantly distilled
from the oil, or from immense beds OF
matter which are Slowly being ofl"nBea
to oil, and therefore that long after the
oil region has ceased to give oil in pay
ing quantities, we shall still have an
abundant supply of gas; for the shall
lower the deposit of oil the more IA
vorable will be the conditions for rapid
distillation. Instead of occupying the
bad eminence therefore of being by
far the dirtiest city in the world, which
it undoubtedly is to-day, it is probable
that the other extreme may be reached,
and that we may be able to claim for
smoky Pittsburgh that it is the clean
est city. However this may be, think
that few will be disposed to dispute
that, surrounded by such resources as l
have attempted to describe, Pittsburgh
is to-day, as far as subterranean treas
ures are concerned, the metropolis Of
the richest district in the known world.
-A1drelO Carnegie, IN Macmtttd1l's
Magazine.