The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-09-17

,.,rs In tho Pittsburgh Dispatch and
o.ber eastern papers. hisau imprOb.
.blO story and is given for whatl Is
worth:
uonday as Tho Norfolk & Western
geStbound passenger train pulled up at
m Isolated station couple Of small,
sleVant looking Frenchmen stopped
rom the train, and, addressing tall,
SSWkS, green looking native, inquired
oIbim the direction TO the big gas wells
situated q few miles below hero on Tun
river, near Warheld.
They employed tbis young man as
0uIde and baggage carrier, and he has
in,t returned from down the river and
rolates the following interesting, but
startling nows, which he was enabled 10
pIck up from their conversation, car
ried on 10 French, Of which he has O
slight knowledge:
Il seoms that both OF theae gentle.
nen, Mcssrs. Paul Metz and Conrad
DuFand; Of Paris. came over to this
country secretly tor the express purpose
Of experimenting In novel way with
sono OF natute's forces. They are vol
known writer's for scientific journals In
France. The cause Of earthquakes is o
problcm which has created great deal
a discussion between them, and on
which they have both different ideas.
NATURAL GAS AND EARTHQUAKES
Mr. Duraud holds that oil conVulstona
and upheavals are caused by large
Quantities Of notural gas accumulating
in cayerns or natural reservoirs under
Inc earth's surface, and that II is the OK
plosion Of this gas through iguition that
causes the rupturos; while, on the other
baud, Mr.. Metz holds TO the generally
accepted theory that It Is tho gradual
cooling Of tho earth's crust and Its more
rapid contraction than the interior.
Not long since these gentlemen 70.
ccIyed from O civil engineer who had
visited these gas wella letter In which
thew were described at length. They
we're told OF tho comparatively isolated
situation, the nature Of the soil, tho
geological formation aud the probable
Imposition Of q largo reservoir, from
which the gas was escaping.
On receipt Of this information Mr..
Durand Immediately determined 10 try
an experiment, the ultimate result OF
which may produce O convulslon, or an
earthquake that will shake up q largo
area Of this wild and thinly settled
country, and startle some Of the sleepy
denizens into mental activity. II moth
ing moro, or 1t may end In "hasco," as
Nj. Metz says. Durand bases his theory
on the fact that an explosion will cor
tainly follow when o spark OF flame
comes into contact with stored or
accumulated eases, as frequently hap
pens in coal mines.
THE WE'LL DECIDED UPON.
On hts arrival In Now York he pur-
chased o small magneto-electric ex-
ploder, together with several miles Of
mall insulated copper Wire Arriving
a. the wells he decided to experiment
on the first we'll bored, which Is at the
mouth Of Burning crock on tho East
Virginia side. 1t Is reported that when
Ills well was bored tho we'll augur, at q
depth OF /, 200 ieet, seemed to drop into
a largo cavity, and tho volume OF gas
was 80 strong that 1t blew tho augur
clear out Of the well.
He will lower two wires twisted To-.
ruthor with carbon points, so arranged
on tho onds that sending IN electric
current Of great intensity through one
wire will produce spark Of sufficient
heat, as Il passes from one point to the
other in making the circuit. to fire tho
gas In tho cavern.
Alter arranging aud securing the
Wlrcs in tho we'll he will then string
out two wiros far up on old Mount ster-
ling, ut tho head Of Burning creek.
There ho can got good Wow OF the sit
uOtion through HE glass. On some
high projecting promontory overlook
Ing tho foothills lar below no will To-
cato his electrical instruments and pro-
pare for what no hopes will be sue
cesslnl termination Of this scientific OK
pertinent. These gentlomon have care
fully examined the territory, and with
their charts and maps, fool confident
that gas lies In limestone cavern, run
ming northeast and southwest, begin
MIG somewhere In Southern Pennsyl.
vania, theuce through Wcst Virginia,
aud extending probably as far south as
Northeastern Tennessee. 1t has al
ready boon traced through sur!oco
ronts, through Logan county, this state,
snd Martin county, Kentucky.
THEY HAVE PLENTY OF FRENCH GOLD.
OF courso tho uatIvos living In the
immediate vicinity OF theao wells arc
not aware Of tho contents Of these prop
ara,ions, or It is moro than likely thoy
would put stop to Thorn in short or
der. However, my informant goes on
to stato, Mr.. Durnnd docs not wish to
damage their lito or property II no can
help Il. go he Is prepared to entico tho
people, whom he believes 10 BIO in tho
greatest danger, away from their homes
with como FreEch gold, and should
there actually occur any damages 20
stock OF property, no vii! pay Tor tne
sanlc literally.
The question that would now nntur.
ally arise ia: Suppose tho experiment
proves successful and lifo is lost, and
the two gentlemen got away In safety
aud back 10 France, what sort OF an IN
te'national question would It bring
about between Franco and Anotlca'
since these two arc going 10 try this OK
pertinent on thoir own responsibility
and without any leave OF license from
this country or the property owners In
this state?
While Mr.. Metz docs not beltUvo that
Nr. Durand will be successful owing to
the thickness Of tho earth's surface over
this gas bolt, still no has consented to
como over and assist his friend In evory
ma, It'll =. 49,. ,,nk Nhn,P inion.