The Indianapolis journal., 1895-11-11

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
Since the occurrence OF the recent shocks
of earthquakes / have noticed several ar
ticles, written by as many different au-
thors, giving their view of the cause of
the shakeups, none of which appear entire
ly reasonable to me. One writer gives it
as his opinion that the cause is attributable
to the condition OF the earth's crust, through
or resulting from the gradual cooling of
the supposed molten interior; another sup
poses the immense volume Of gas and oil
that have been drawn from the earth to
have come from a -lake-fike body or sepa-
rate strata underlying large area of coun-
try, which, having no other immediate sup
port, sank down or collapsed like bridge
with insufficient support, after the oil and
gas had been removed; another scientist,
in disputing this last theory accounts for
earthquakes upon the first, or cooling and
contracting basis. and then goes on and
accounts for the deposits of oil and gas
by decomposition of animal or vegetable
matter in the Trenton or other rocks in
which 1t is found, adding that as it is
drawn out of taety earth the vacuum or
space evacuated is fllied by salt water,
thus furnishing support to the everything
stratas equally as good as the oil and
gas taken out. While the latter theory is
more reasonable, taken as whole, than
any Of the former or other reasons given.
it will not bear a close analysis according
to my view of the subject, and as l have
not read any theory or .conversed with any
one holding views corresponding with those
| entertain. l will state them for the bene-
tit Of those of your readers who may be
interested in speculative problems.
AS to the cooling and contraction theory.
ii is based the supposition that the
Interior earth a
of which there is no evidence aside from
that of the molten matter elected from
volcanoes. / dispute such a condition from
the standpoint that 1t is a well-known fact
that gun must have very heavy breech
TO Withstand the reeoil and enable it to
throw a heavy projectile great distance,
likewise a volcano must have a solid back
ing to enable 1t to eject tons OF rock
and lava miles into the air. Volcanoes
are but safety valves for the escape of
gases that are being generated from time
to time throughout the. earths rim from
the decomposition or chemical action of
mineral substances that may be brought
In contact With each other through per-
collation. of water or other fluids, and when
ever the pressure of the. accommodating
gases reaches certain limit something
must give way and 1t starts out upon
ahcP Epphgup II succeeds n doing at point % near
est the surface, or at some ancient vol
cano, and the passage of the gases through
let and the sudden relief of pressure by
escape is what produces the shaking or
earthquaking. The lava and ashes are pro-
duced by the excessive electric or magnetic
heat causing smoke and flame in the
throat of the. crater, and while do not
date date Vicinity of a a. volcanic opening | al
ways feel that we are the safer after II
has occurred. Now, as to oil and gds-I
being directly interested in the produce
tion of both. and one of the pioneer opera
tors of Ohio and Indiana and OF specuia-
tive turn of mnd n h9a peculiar thax veWs m as as
found. Oil is a mineral, produced by chem
ical heat and action, and is the by-product
9f an is ne IS Rons
on continually; then there is another gas,
natural gas as We call It. which is entire
mineral gas, or mineral fumes and is al.
ways found in connection with mineral
veins hence l conclude it is a mineral
gas field is about eqr2lly divided between
the two kinds; the only difference in the
burning OF the e. TWO Is that Att the m mneral neral
differences. such as ,odor and effect upon
pipe and fittings. and which | can recognize
of the rocks or sands in which oil is found.
having anything to do with its formation.
the proposition is not tenable. There is
nothing in them that ever did or will pro-
duce oil; they only provide the necessary
storage or tankage reguiied, and in the
Trenton limestone & areas the nrosg;rs OIL nep1s,.s
to the system of blood veins in the human
body-and I here make the statement, and
am prepared u piOrc III, tildt HOW nciC III
the Trenton rock areas will anything cor
responding to a pool, as oil men term 1T,
he found. OF course, In sand stone or con-
glomerate formations another condition ex-
lists. and wherever basin or. trap is found
that can be fed from higher oil source
IL will furnish the required conditions Of
an oil pool. My reason for asserting that
oil and gas are by-products of some other
mineral is the fact that gas or oil Is not
and never was found anywhere except in
association with mineral deposits, and while
il may be new TO Ohio and Indiana resi-
dents to learn that they are occupying
territory that has been worked over GEN.
turtles ago by prehistoric race of people
for the mineral wealth beneath, yet such
is the fact, and i am prepared TO demon
strate il to any one who may be interested
enough TO investigate, and will further en-
gage 70 point out an oil or gas field wherc
evidence of mineral deposits can be found.
and such evidence is more numerous than
one unaccuainted with these things would
suppose. The Indiana gas and oil field COW
ers a large scope of territory i'm which test
wells were drilled In bad locations and con-
demned. which, later on, will be drilled
over again and oil or gas be found and
throughout said territory ii is simply a
matter of location as TO whether gas, oil
or dry hole is tEe result. In my own
experience of several hundred holes / reccl-
lect three or four dry holes that were
drilled within twenty-five feet of good pro-
ducers, demonstrating my theory of veins.
3. r. FULTON.
Portland, Ind, Nov. ..