The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-03-30
EHE DEEPEST NHLL
Ia the United States is What
Prof. White Proposes.
OF THE STRATUM
Under which the OIL aud Gas OF
Canada are Found. Some Good
Reasons why the Boge's Run
Well Should Go Deeper.

Hon. N. B. Scott, who has taken {
lively interest in the well Of the Wheel
ing Development Company, and who
with Mr.. J. @. Brady and Prof. ]. O
| White made an examination Of the well
last week as stated in the IHTELIIoRHcER
at the time, has received the following
letter from Prof. White:
"Roa. NJ B Scott, PrtsLdeat ceRtral Cos &C.
'sMY DEAR sIR:-Ihaye looked up the
question as TO how deep you would have
70 20 on Boggs Run TO reach the Corni-
ferrous limestone, the great oil and gas
rock OF the Enniskillen fields in Canada,
and l find the question somewhat an
certain. The nearest points TO Wheel
ing where this rock has been drilled to
are Akron and Msssillon, Ohio. At
Akron the depth to the topot Cornile.
rous limestone was 2,125 feet, and this
would correspond TO about $500 feet in
Boges Run well had the formations not
thickened any.
"Massillon got the top OF the lime
stone at 2,5l5 feet, and this would cor
respondent to about $500 feet Ia your
well had there been no thickening.
find that at East Liverpool well was
drilled $500 feet below the Goutx oil
sand, and did not yet reach the corniter.
GUS limestone. This would correspond
to about T. $50 feet in your well, IL you
begin, say 200 feet above the Wheeling
coal vein (Pittsburghl, since 1t is about
/, $50 feet from that coal TO the Goutz
iWellshurg, Eureka, Macksburg, Bersa,
&c. ! sand in the Wheeling region.
"Wheatland "a few miles below
Sharon, PAY, which is about twenty
miles east OF you, got the corniferous at
3,S77 feet, and this would correspond to
4677 feet in your well. Still further
east, near franklin, Pa, forty miles east
OF sharon, they got the corniterous at
s, $40 feet. This would be equivalent to
s, $50 feet at Bogg's run. From these
facts you will perceive that the rocks
thicken rapidly eastward, and that they
also thicken scarcely any toward the
southward. Under the circumstances l
think you ought to get the corniferons
by 4,5OO feet, and certainly by 400
feet, the depth It would be on the par
allel OF Wheatland.
'tYour well Is, now the third in
depth Of any in the country, the West
ipehouse well at Pittsburgh leading all
(46lS), and Erie coming next ,460. As
you are down this far (4,i081, think
you ought TO go on down to the oorni-
ferrous even II it makes 1t the deepest
we'll in this country. ! will give SlO0
myself, and I think / could raise some
more from my scientific friends, simply
as donation in the interest Of geology.
Hence trust your people will pluck mp
a little more courage and put 1t on down,
as it will be quite a feather in your caps
to have drilled the deepest well In the
United States, even If you don't get
either gas or oil. II you go on down
have lois OF samples saved, and If you
don't, | wish you could let the casing
remain in the well until can get the
United States Geological Survey to make
some tests as TO the temperature Of the
earth at that great depth, ete.
~ think lean get considerable sum
from Major Powell, Director OF the
United States Geological Survey II the
we'll goes on down and the Survey Is
given the opportunity to make tempera-
turs tests, etc. This Is something that
has never been done in this country at
that depth, and ! trust you will net have
the casing pulled until 1t ia done. l
leave here Monday for the interior OF the
State, and will not be back for week.
Write me as to your conclusion in the
premises, but I trust you will conclude
10 90 deeper.