Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-01
.INDIANA.s GAS GOING.
Nearly Exhausted Except in an Area
of 200 square Miles.

Nearly Exhausted Except in an Area
of 200 square Miles.
Anderson dnd) Correspondence Chicago Record
The crisis is at harsIin the Indiana nat
urai gas fields. No4eff6rt is made to cover
the true conditions, and State Gas Inspector
]. C. Leach and all driflers and operators
are agreed on the point that the great res
ervoir, which at one time contained 800
square miles. has narrowed to little more
than 2eO square miles of frst-class terri
tory, while the entire gas-producing terri
tory can be included in 500 square miles.
The Indiana and Illinois Company,
supplying the Economic Fuel Com
pany, which in turn supplies 10000
consumers in Chicago, shipped In eighty
eight car loads of ten-tneh mains, and this
week began extending its lines into this
200 square miles. The Ohio company,
which supplies thirty-two towns and cities
In that state with Indiana natural gas, al
ready has begun extending four lines into
the 200 square miles. The three companies
supplying Indianapolis and all the other
pipe line companies in Indiana are heading
for this small area of first-ciass territory.
Before fall it will be possible for man
to stand in the center of this limited section
and almost within a stones throw see the
terminals of the great pipe lines. which
reach as far west as Chicago, as far east
as Springfield, Ohio, as far south as Indian
apoliS, and as far northeast as Fort Wayne.
Not fewer than 325,eG0 consumers will be
drawing on this limited section within six
months. How long it can stand this great
drain is a problem which does not require
an expert mathematician to solve, when it
is remembered that the territory has mar
rowed from $500 to 200 square miles in
twelve years. AS a matter of course, there
will be natural gas for domestic consunp-
ton within the confines of the Indiana belt
for fifteen or twenty years, but it is cur
rent proposition that two years at the out
side will see the end of the great supply
companies.
This 200 square miles of frst-class terri
tory is almost entirely within Paramount
township, Grant county; Washington town.
ship, Delaware county, and Van Buren,
township, Madison county. At any point
within this territory drill will bring in
good well of 200 pounds pressure. Around
this center for twelve to fifteen miles, fair
wells, averaging from 100 TO $50 pounds
pressure, can be counted upon with certain
ty, but beyond this outer circle salt water
generally is found. There are spots in
which there are very good gas-producing
sections, but they are simply pockets
At present there are 151 Indiana towns
and cities drawing on this gas supply, TO
say nothing of Ohio and Chicago. There
are PIG supply companies, and thirteen of
these have pumping stations. The Chicago
company draws through pumping station
at Greentown, in Howard county and
forces the gas from that point sixty-five
miles into Chicago. Its lines, when the
present extensions are completed, will
Tedch twenty mics INTO the f1eId. Inc ONO
company draws through pumping stations
at Red Key, the Indianapolis companies
through pumping stations at Straw town,
Franktown and Dion, and Fort Wayne
through a station at Button. Lafayette's
station is at Kempton, and Richmond's az
CneSt erfeld. The cities thus supplied
through pumping stations may be able to
draw on the Indiana reservoir for two WIN
tiers. 1t is said, however, that some pipe
lines will be discontinued this year, and
especially those which depend upon natural
pressure The natural gas days Of Lebanon,
Charlottesville. Connersville, Shelbyville.
Decatur, Bluffton and Peru limited.
Many of the towns closer into the belt are
also on the verge of returning to coal and
wood as fuel, -,..s
Experimental dril1ings are now being
made in different sections of the gas field
in an attempt to find truth in the assertion
that natural gas IS generating sufficiently
to replenish the SECTIONS which have been
abandoned for several years. but which
We're at one time heavy producers. These
experiments have proved failures thus far.
Wells within the last month have been
sunk under the cities Of Anderson, Muncie
Hartford City and kokomo, all of which
are within twenty miles Of the 200 square
miles of virgin territory. There was d slight
trace of gas at Anderson, but salt water
followed it in At -kokomo and Hartford
City the salt water had full possession of
the Trenton rock and nor a smell of gas re-
warded the efforts Set forth. The heaviest
wells the gas territory Knew originally were
uflHeo III these cities. Ine drain by waste
was heavy and the supply directly under
them was completely ex aausted five years
ago, and since then they have not been dis
turbed. They offered excellent fields for
the experiments which haye thus far ex-
pIoded beyond all hope the regeneration
theory.
The next experiment that is to be made
is to sink a well to a depth of one mile.
II has always been a theory among gas
and oil we'll driiiers that there was deep
er reservoir under the Indiana field, and
that 1t would be opened inside of a mile.
One attempt was made to send a drill to
that depth, but after reaching l 800 feet
accidents were met with which caused the
work to be abandoned There will be a de-
termined effort to reach the mile limit this
time, and there will be sufficient funds to
accomplish the work. Aside from deter
mining the future of the Indiana natural
gas belt, such well would be of the very
greatest geological interest. as it would de-
termine what the strata in the Mississippi
valley are to the depth of 800 feet.