Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-02
RAMBLER'S NOTE BOOK.
SoAE STRAY sHEAvES FROA rR E
VEINS HARVEsT or NEWS.

In walks and Talks About tho champion
C"y-Boring for Natural -Disposi
"on OF the Art Treasures Of John W
sookwaitsr-The 8overnment Buiidiu
matter--Notes and News.
There has been no lucal event for years
"nich mas attracted 80 much attention iron
'ne public generally, as the reported discover,
VI gas at the foot Of Factory street, on tn
banks Of Buck creek in this city. II Messrs
runk, Minahan, Mcintyre and Pretzman
the owners Of the land, had employed tel
private secretaries TO answer the questions o
'he curious public :on the subject their ser
vices would have been in constant requisitior
curing the past week. The question
struck that gas YETI" has been fred at then
Two million times, at the least calculation
Inc reason for this overwhelming general In
terest on the subject. is the enormous valu,
which a large well Of natural gas would b,
toSpringfed me manufacturing interests. Onl,
afew weeks ago natural gas well was struck
at Cincinnati. Within a week a sinu,,
manufacturing establishment was using II a,
fuel, and ef,cting saving Of 81 800 month
l-$ls,ooo a year-thereby. At Findlsy, O..
natural gas has been struck in large quaint.
titles, and Is now being utilized TOR lighting
and heating purposes. A baker from tina,
city, who was 10 Springfield recently, stat,
that he did all his baking with the natural
gas ss fuel. Up near Tiffin they have re-
sently been struck with the gas fever and
have commenced to bore for gas. All over
)hio there seems 10 he . general dispo o,ltion
IN the part Of capitalists to see II this, one of
he greatest Of natural treasures, lies in the
sround beneath their feet.
Springfield manufacturers are more or less
ucited over the prospects OF the discovery
ince they could make arrangements to use it
n place Of coal at heavy reduction 10 eI-
rnses. "A pipe Of . few inches diameter
would run our entire factory, provided well,
With good steady pressure Of the gas WAS
discovered" said Mr.. o. 8. Kelly, the other
~.
As there have been so many different &C.
cunts Of the finding Of the gas. and the pres
ett state OF the enterprise, q true history Of
the subject may be of interest. Some
months ago 1t seems that Mr.. AL
bert Mcintyre noticed that the water
refused to freeze, even in the coolest weather,
in certain spots near the bank of Buck creek.
At the foot OF Factory street. Firdiug this
was somewhat peculiar, he Investigated the
phenomenon, and found that it was caused by
some kind Of gas, which rose in bubbles from
the bed Of the stream to the surface OF the
water. Further investigation showed that
SIMILAR gas issued from crevices and In lodges
OF the bank OF the stream. BY means of q
snail rubber balloon a considerable quantity
Of the gas was obtained for experimental
purposes. BY 6ting pipe to the
mouth OF the balloon the Jet was
readily burned. The gas gave a very whit.
flame, bluish toward the bottom, and gave of
intense heat in burning. Mr.. Mcintyre said
nothing about his discovery for some time,
his first idea being the gas was probably only
common marsh or sewer gas, which is Of
little commercial value, though it forms an
element of natural gas. 1t was not long,
however, before he became con vinced that the
product was natural gas. He acquainted the
three gentlemen who are associated with
him in the enterprise, and the four acres OF
land were bought for $1,000. The
gas has siuce been collected
in considerable quantities, but has
not yet been com llete'y aualy2ed. qusr-
tity was submitted 10 Wiiieube~g s;udenl
OF chemistry, bat he 'a'ed, owing lack OF
proper 'sCii. "a. Some % tue gas W II how
ever be submitted 10 Virgil Copenz or a
complete aus yss. The Owue-s O. toe land
have put down n,pe 20 con.,de ahe d-r,t
but no gas has besn found AS vet. and NAV
not be STRUCK until dep h Of l,Ooo TO 900.
feet is reached. The owners have not vet
decided whether to 90 to the expense OF lor-
ing we'll TO this depth since 1t would neces-
state very heavy outlay. The we'll would
be bored, not in the rocks, but in the bottom
land Of the valley.
Many persons do not hesitate to pronounce
the gas nothing but common marsh gas, and
worthless. They point out the fact that there
are dozens Of places in Clark county where
gas Of combusible nature bubbles out OF
the water, and which offers just as reliable
signs Of the presence of the gas as the Buck
creek property, on which, after all, the only
evidences of the gas 90 tar 10 the small guam
tity which comes from the water and crew.
ices on the banks. Others are more san
guine, and firmly believe in the success OF
the enterprise. II 10 hinted that certain cap
italists are anxious to buy their way into the
scheme. If the Springfield natural gas COM
pany 10 organized and the stock put on the
market, 1t is just possible that investors may
be brave enough to trust their money In it,
and We might have the old oil fever enacted
on small scale in Springfield. Ono thing
10 certain, however: II natural gas 10 struck
oil those interested will become millionalres
in very short space Of time. The village Of
Fredonis, N. Y, is lighted entirely with nat.
ursl gas obtained from an immense we'll.
Natural gas is also extensively used in China,
It being conducted from depths OF 1870 to
1000 feet In the salt mines to the surface 10
bamboo tubes. In Pittsburg the great roll
ing mills almost defy competition since they
use natural gas for fuel at an immense sav-
ing in expense,
There are also many valuable gas wells st
Cleveland. 1t 10 most likely after all tina,
the gas in Buck creek bottoms will be dis
covered to be pure mar b or sewer gas, but
still, after the discovery of the product iu