Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-09-30
VIII the New Fuel Last?

II there Is any class whose opinions
and theories we distrust more than an
other, tits our present race of scientists.
When some phase Of natures workings,
not before observed, developes itself,
they are, of course, the first to rise and
explain, and for unusual display OF
dynamic power, they are ready with
reasons "as plenty as blackberries. "
The first pulsation of the earthquake at
Charleston had scarcely ceased to throb
when a dozen professors" had an
nounced dozen theories, to be explod-
ed by the observations of less learned
but more common sense Investigators.
When the natural gas deposits of North
western Ohio were first discovered, it
was but natural that the attention of
the State Geologist should be attracted
to them. 1t is unfortunate, We think,
that the learned gentleman did not
take more time to ponder over the mat
ter. He seemed to act as though afraid
some one might get in an hypothesis
ahead ofhim. Article after article ap-
peared from his pen, or were born of
interviews, which seemed only to cor
rect some of his Impressions before
given to the public. In his last publi-
cation, which we have seen, and which
appears to be an elaborate revision of
his first crude ideas, he appears to be
fearful that disastrous waste of the
new fuel is being made by explorers in
releasing the gas from its reservoirs be-
fore provision has been made for its
economical use. This cautionary advice
is evidently based upon o conviction
that the supply of gas depends on slow
accumulations held in store in assures
of the rock or i'm porous formations. If
this were so the waste made at Find
lay and this place, during the last two
years, might we'll be regarded with
alarm by those interested in its develop
ment and consumption, and would be
fearfully suggestive ofa non con-tinu-
ance Of the supply.
Nature is no niggard in her operations
and the Creative Intelligence which
placed the vast fields of coal for mans
use in the qualifications of the earth's
crust is not probably depending on lit
tie crevices in the rock to hold the fuel
of the future. The vast amount of
natural gas which has escaped from the
recent discovered territory, as we'll as
from the older oil fields of Pennsylvan-
ia, demonstrates, we think, that natural
gas is being constantly generated, and
that the supply will be inexhaustible
for many centuries to come; material
from which it originates being vastly
more abundant than even the deposits
of coal. A writer in Bradstreet's Re-,
view gives a theory of the modus
operandi by which natural gas is made,
and this theory is fast obtaing favorable
recognition among the more reliable
scientists:
1.-THE contact of water with carbonif-
erous formations of any class cOntinu-
ally generates the gaseous hydocarbon
which is to take the place of all fuels.
In the permeable strata of the sedimen-
tary rocks there is. everywhere room
for more or less of the development of
this hydrocarbon. When these are
pierced by excavation or drilling the
gas merely makes room for
the generation of more. The force is
very great, yet it is uniform and con-
tinuOus, such as constant source of
supply alone can create. In view of
the vast bulk of the carbonaceous de-
posits, which occupy not less than 3d.
900 square miles of the surface ON the
western slope of the Alleghanies, and
have a depth or thickness of 900 to q
500 feet, it does not appear probable
that this alternate from of carbon as it
may be designated, is likely to fail in its
normal course of supply for long
period of years to come"
If this theory be correct then increas-
ed efforts should be encouraged to
develope the "placers," of natural gas.
No waste need be feared and the more
paying territory that is developed will
tend to multiply its uses and cheaper
its introduction for manufacturing and
domestic purposes.-Er.