New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-26
GAS GIVING OUT,
INDIANA INSPECTOR THINKS 1T WILL BE
SPENT IN THREE YEARS.
EFFORTS TO PREVENT wAsTE-THE GAS SUPPLY
OF CHICAGo-LOOKING FOR THE OIL
ruAr r,lN1 nNvg TILE GAS

EFFORTS TO PREVENT wAsTE-THE GAS SUPPLY
OF cH1cAGo-LooKING FOR THE OIL
THAT FOLLOWS THE GAS.
Indianapolis Ind June % (SpeciaD.-The state
Geoogist Mr.. Blatchley, announces that IN MS
forthcoming report the Gas Inspector MI Leach
will predict that the gas supply in the famous In
diana gas belt will be exhausted within three
wears Mr. Leach has made careful tests OF the
gas belt and the general result OF his nvesued''oh
is that the rock pressure has decreased eie"'ee'
pounds since a year ago Nine years ago the rocN
pressure was 325 pounds; now 1t Is l~ POUNDS
The average decrease is eighteen pounds year.
ard salt water overcomes the gas In the Indiana
gas belt at a pressure of 1870 pounds 1t Is on thls
data that Mr. Leach comes TO the conclusion that
within three years the wells in the Indiana gas belt
will be dead.
For three years" said Mr.. Blatchley In speak
ing on this subject, ut has been so evident that
the supply Of natural gas is fast being exhausted
that We have been making extensive and thor
ough study Of the coal deposits OF Indiana ana
we know just what the supply of coal In the state
amounts to. Many factories have moved INTO the
State because OF the gas, and now that the supply
OF gas fuel is giving out we desire to snow 'heSe
factories that other fuel in abundance exists III
Indiana, and so keep them here At the present
rate OF consumption there is enough coal In In
diana to last for 800 years.
80 far as is known. the only portion OF the gas
field in Indiana which has not been developed Is
an area Of about hundred and twenty -nVe
miles which lies I'm the corner of Grant Black
ford Madison and Delaware counties. and an pipe
lines are being headed for tnat smai area area,
Even there the rock pressure is only about hiteen
to twenty pounds greater than IT Is IN the 0'her
parts Of the field The gas viii dlnuse In an me
space available. AS soon as the Trenton rock Is
tapped the well will draw from the en III o Tcu
Trenton rock In Indiana would in time exhaust all
the gas In the field.
NO MORE WHEN THIS is GONE.
ct IS impossible to estimate how much gas there
IS except from the decrease in pressure -Ihere Is
no doubt that the gas now being used mas oeeh
stored I'D for thousands Of years, and no more Is
being made The gas is formed from the oil. Both
gas and oil are the results Of organisms stored up
In the past ages and when the gas Is exhausted
OIL follows This is because Of the difference In the
specific gravity. Water, being heaviest. Is last
The place where gas is struck may be miles from
the bed of oil where it originates but because OF
the porous rock It diTuses over wide area,
Chicago Is supplied with gas rom tne lnu ris
field and the Chicago Pipe Line COMPANY feS
gas in the winter but for the last three years the
Indiana companies and the great De.e dTnG tb
cold weather The Chicago company seems 10 nave
fah in The sshg q or putting i ga vast
Of money into improyements cd new not eg han
$500 900 for ten-inch pipe is now costing 81 a foot,
Another pumping station must De pull, Inc ON
S40O 900 1t is reported that II gas gives OUT OIL VIII
he forced to Chicago through the Dig MAIN. ! ne
comnany has leases on thousands OF acres or land,
and II never abandons well without carefully
plugging II.
SPENDING VAST SUMS.
Altogether the Chicago company will spend some
! thing over 81 10000 in improvements. The Ohio
company. which supplies thirty-two towns ana
cities in that State. will spend 100000 In repairs
| One answer to the question, Why are these com
| panIes spending so much money when the gas Is
| known to be falling? is the report that the Man
! haitian Oil Company is back Of the Chicago com
! pany. and the Cudahys are back of the ONO com
! panv. II is pointed out that these two companies
! reaching Chicago and Toledo, would be formidable
rivals 10 the Standard Oil Company. ,
/ AZ Mr. Rlatchley says, oil follows gas our or the
wells and the spectators that operate IN me, IN
! diana gas belt are fully cognizant or this tact'
! Thev are leasing land by the thousands OF acres
and they are willing to walt until the gas Ials Tor
! then their money will como back TO them many
| fold The last Legislature enacted law to bar me
! oil eDecuiators who are impatient and VINO waste
gas Tor the sake Of the oil The scheme was 10 eI
The gas flow into the air II acting as an elevator
| tnr The oil Mnons Of feet Of gas were being
Wasted IN this way before the new law was en-
ected The richness OF the Indiana oil neld, IL Is
| eyDected will make II the battlefield or the blS
I c@mnanjes within a few years. Even now the
/ Stapdard is gradually deserving ohio Tor INDIANA
GRADUALLY but a good deal faster than appears OF
VfaNn