The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-29

Its Influence In the Increase of Populatis

Its Influence In the Increase Of Population
and Development of Manufactures.
+. A. Carries indianapolis Letter in st. Paul Pioneer
Press.
The rapid and extensive developments of the
natural-gas interest in Indiana is not thoroughly
understood outside of the State. The first DIS
coveries were made IN country places, remote
from towns or manufactures, where people were
slow to take advantage of them. The section OF
Indiana lying on the Ohio border northeast Of
here, and adjacent TO the natural gas district Of
that State, is about as primitive In its popula-
ton and as backward in its development as
anything in the Ohio river counties, and the
march Of discovery across this strip was Glow.
II was not until it reached the considerable
and busy towns Of Kokomo and Noblesville. al
most due north of here, that the value OF tho
naiural-gas discovery was fully Appreciated.
From there eager search and Investigation
spread In every direction, north, south and
west, until the precious fluid was found in
abundant quantity within a few miles of Indi-
annapolis. and the limits OF the district definitely
established. It embraces about 81, 1000 square
miles. and extends from this city about sixty
miles north, and from a little west OF here a
hundred miles or more east. until 1t merees
with the Ohio gas fields about Fiudlay. AL
most anywhere within these limits natural gas
may be obtained II almost Unlimited quantities
by boring less than a Thousand feet, except
when the necessary geological conditions have
been disturbed by the profound breaking mp or
cuiltluE VI Strata
These apparently necessary conditions, as
they ere revealed and interpreted here, do not
afford much encouragement to the sanguine and
snterprising persons who have been boring for
natural gas In the drift and underlying primitive
strata on which st. Paul is bullr. The gas is
found, | am told. very near the level of the sea
aud Is always in contact with deep saltwater
springs. Indeed. some of the Kentucky discov-
cries were made in boring for salt. 1t is usually
about 300 feet from the surface and permeates
fhA Tranfnn hads If E,ra rNrH vvhich ora fnnnh
In varying thickness under all the district de-
fined. This rock is honeycombed by the action
of water holding corrosive acids IN solution, and
the gas which fills its cavities is thought 10 be
the product OF the chemical ac-
ton involved in this corrosion. The
Trenton beds are hero overlaid By
an immense thickness, 400 to 600 feet. of sub
carboniferous states and shales, which are abso-
lutely impervious either to water or gas. 1t is
only when these shales are broken up or tilted,
permitting the escape of gas, laterally or direct
ly upward, that the bore tails to bring a gush OF
the precious fluid. Wherever they remain in
place they confne the gas below until an arti-
fetal opening gives it exit. Borers know now
pretty well what TO expect when they sink a
well They penetrate the surface drift, and
then a few hundred feet of cretaceous limestone
and soft shale. then the thick bed Of hard older
slate and shale spoken OF; and then strike the
Trenton limestone. and, if the gas hasn't GOT
away by natural disturbance Of conditions, they
have 1t. Nearly all the wells in the district have
the same history and the same conditions.
Surely this discovery is revolutionizing in
dustrial conditions and introducing new aud
valuable elements into the civilization of In
diana. Whether it is going to affect her political
status as profoundly as some sanguine gentle
men believe remains to be seen. 1t has filled
the counties north OF here with new life, hope
and energy. It has doubled the price of land
and halved the cost of manufacture, benefting
the agriculturist and industrist alike. The towns
in Hamilton, Howard, Madison and Delaware
counties, where the possibilities of the new fuel
were first realized and its advantages most eff
fectiveiy appropriated. have trebled in popula-
ton and manufactured product, aud more than
trebled in vital energy. All sorts of small manu-
features have sprung up In the little towns along
the railroad lines 10 the gas district, and larger
ones are under way. 1t is estimated that at
least 10. 600 has been added TO the population of
this district in a year by these Influences.
it is only this summer that the city OF Indian
apolis itself has fully realized the advantages OF
the new fuel Gas was discovered a year or
more ago, within FIVE or six miles of the city, on
the banks of White river. but it is obtained
from a dozen other places within easy piping
distance. There was the usual struggle between
aspiring monopoly and the public interest. It's
history is too long to tell; but the city got the
best of it by the formation OF a peoples gas
trust. whose stock was placed in the hands of
trustees and forbidden to be sold, and whose
charter fixed the price of gas at one-half that OF
coal. Two other companies are In the field, and
Inc ACTUAL price DdS Ueeu TSuuCoO ny COmpolltlOu
TO one-third that Of coal. The three companies
have laid a network of pipes all over the city,
! and gas is now used as fuel in tho whole busi-
ness and manufacturing district and
in most private houses. 1t runs every
engine in the city, every steam-heating plant
and nearly all the furnaces, stoves and CRATES.
Modern improvements In initiative crate furni-
ture in use here make the gas fire quite as at
t~ractive, and. indeed, scarcely to be distin-
guished from the old fireplace full of blazing
logs, except by the greater heating power. The
consequences are enormous and far reaching.
Every citizen, from the millionaire manu-
facturer to the humble ~cottaeer. finds added to
his income, his surplus or his comfort fund. two
thirds Of the money he formerly paid for fuel.
Losing industries become lucrative, struggling
enterprises are solidly established and those
formerly profitable acquire a surplus for extern
sion or betterment The whole State looks for
ward to nm era OF good times, and indianapolis,
after fifteen years in the valley of commercial
depression. begins to dream Of another real
estate boom.
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