The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-10-31
worrnington Advance.


Editor and Proosseeor.
wosru,zers,. MIN. oc1os,a u, ,sas
NATURAL GAS Dls0OVARY.
Natural Gas has been discovered
about three miles from Salem, South
Dakota, At depth Of lsa feet from the
surface, on tho farm of Mr.. Duc)os.
This gentleman drilled . well TO tho
depth OF PA feet hoping to And = sup.
ply Of pure water. The drill struck 4
hard rock, aud that we'll was abaa-
doned. Singularly enough Mr.. d. de-
termined to try his luck again and set
tho drill not six feet from tho well
which had disappointed him. When
tho drin reached depth Of le2 feet .
flow Of gas threw sand, gravel, and
small stones to the height OF thirty
feet from tho surface. Tho. we'll WAS
piped, and the gas is nov held uoder
control BY meeos of:.a stop cock, The
flame shot up, about thirty feet when
passing through = perpendicular tube,
AID when u lateral tube vas added, the
flame extended about fifteen feet BE-
yond it. The upper part OF the fame
is red, and the under flame = deep,
beautiful blue. At last accounts the
we'll WAS, when allowed to flow, dis-
charging 10000 cubic feet per hour. 1t
has been flowing over two weeks, aud
the volume is increasing rather than
diminishing. A company has been
formed to utilize this find by piping it
to Salem, the county town, three miles
distant. This will enable tho people of
Salem to warm their dwellings and
places of business ut less than half
the present cost of fuel. Salem, Doubt
less, has its fortune in this discovery.
It is . wise and creditable thing for ~
enterprising town to prospect for what
ever riches the earth may now be con-
sealing from the dwellers on ito sur.
face. We must seek to fnd. We must
venture, and take risk of loss, to dis
cover the things Of value which nature,
miser like, may be withholding from
mankind. Wherever natural gas is
found there various manufactures will
be established. Cheap fuel certainly
attracts. Gas, natural or artificial. is
to be the fuel Of the future for manu-.
featuring purposes. Natural sas found
in Minnesota or Dakota means . cen
tor of industrial enterprise for the CUP.
ply Of the new west.
Salem is only one hundred miles west
Of Wortl'ington. If gas is there, and
there is no doubt of the fact, there 10
u probability almost amounting to GER
tainty that it eau be found here. IL
not that probability sufficient war
rant to justify the expense of drilling
into the earth 4 few hundred feet?
Nothing ventured, nothing won. We
would advise no man to take risks
who has no capital to spare without
injnry to his business, or who has 10
property to 10 enianc. d III value in
case success crowns the experiment.
But W. do believe 1t worth while tor
our men Of means to explore the depths
below. II gas be not found, good,
pure water may be. Coal, petroleum,
salt, or other minerals, may be stored
away, for the enrichment of the cour-
ugeous adventures who may find it.
A united community effort could not
ruin anybody in Case of non-success.
While, if successful great prosperity
would he the outcome. Gas ia the
cheapest, safest and healthitst fuel,
aud for household convenience and
comfort alone, one gas we'll IN town
IL = mine Of wealth to it.
The town of Kokomo. Indiana, was,
three years ago, town of Eve thous.
and souls, 1t had fair business pros
perity, with only the prospects which
belong to the average town In tho
midst Of u thrifty farming community.
A man of means, having some real
estate there, but not resident of the
town, conceived the project Of drilling
for gas. He proposed stock company,
and subscribed for number Of shares.
He was successful 10 getting shares
enough taken to bore one we'll. At tho
timo the nearest discovery Of gas was
two hundred miles north east 1T Find.
lsy, Ohio. The only favorable indica.
tion at Kokomo was = faint odor of
gas which workmen in . quarry dis
cerned in tho seams of tho rock. No
professor or student Of geology gave
any encouragement. The drill went
down about 900 feet, and the msnufac.
turing city sprang into being. Koko.
mo 10 now city Of ten thousand. The
buildings Of ono glass works cover
ten acres OF ground, Town property
was in some cases sold for four times
tho prices formerly asked. Every acre
OF farm land was increased in value.
SO much for an experiment in which a
number OF public spirited business men
took each = few dollars risk. A word
to the wise 10 sufficient. Nothing VEN
tured nothing won. It will be time
enough to forbesr effort after q fair
experiment has been made without sat.
isfactory results.
OUT OF THE OLD INTO THE NEW.
On Monday morning last the pupils
OF the Public Schools. assembled ut the
''old hexagonsl" building for tho last
time. to form In procession, each
school with it, teacher In it. van. ia
take possession, Informally. of the
new building. Delight was upon oil
faces ~ tho bright youthful throne
came into tho splendidly furnished