Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-05-09


the Dovonian measures In the Mar
cellus states. It has been found IN
the Chemung sands, for example ii
the Bradford field, it has beer
found higher, but the rocks w
have mentioned suffice for the
present. They are all within the
limits of Juniata county. The best
Exposure of the Chemung rocks
that we know of in Juniata county
crop out on the high ridge over.
looking Tuscarora creek on the
north side of Squire Stimmell's
farm in TuscarOra valley. VIEWS
tied the cliff once in company with
Squire VIM. Groninger. The Che.
mung sand rocks lie too near the
surface in Juniata to contain coal
oil or gas. Lower down in the geo.
logical scale are found the Marcel
lus shales, the black slate in which
Isaac Etka has been digging for
stone coal at Van Vert. The same
slate appears at Blue Springs be-
yOnd Port Royal and on George
Groninger's farm west of Port Roy
al, the same slate that ex-Sheriff
LOudon's father dug in for stone
coal more than a generation ago
north of East Waterford. There
are places in the United States
where coal oil and gas has been
found in the Marcellus states, but
in Juniata county the slate lies on
the surface or so near the surface
that the oil it once contained has
long since escaped. A long dis
tance below the Marcellus in the
geological scale coal oil and gas is
found in the Trenton limestone.
There are men learned in the SUBJ
ject of the finding of coal and gas,
who express the belief that coal oil
and gas are manufactured in the
Trenton limestone and by capillary
attraction work their way up and
deposit themselves in certain rocks
and sands in higher measures. If
their view is correct it would be
an easy matter for coal oil and gas
to manifest themselves in such a
valley as Licking Creek Valley,
particularly on an anticline such
as Licking creek crosses in ZOOk's
mill dam. There are other men
who say oil and gas are manufac-
tured by the processes of nature
wherever they are found. Another
anticline of the same formation is
crossed by the same creek between
LeOnard's mill and McCulloch's
mill near Port Royal, and singular
from the days of the pion-
GERS there have been recitals of the
finding there of salt; of the finding
Of a peculiar scum on the water,
and Jack and is-lantern manifes-
-atiOn.
The most striking manifestation
If gas aflame has recently
been made in looks mill dam, the
inest sheet of water in Juniata
county. The dam is only one and |
l-half miles from the railroad
tatiOn at this place. What a bon
MA for Licking creek valley |
hOuld gas and coal oil be found
here. ZOOk's mill dam is located
n gap in ridge of what a Penn
ylvania Geologist would designate
Linton formation, Number 5 in
he geological scale of Pennsylva-
ia. 1t is formation high enough
bOve the Trenton to permit of a
leep basin for coal oil and gas. Up
o this time the scum on the water
las not been gathered and tested
s to its infamable quality. The
as revelations surprise all who
ave witnessed them. The Zook's
am gas is not of the Jack and Ian
ern manifestation. 1t is not a
luminous bubble, but a flame that
hrows off heat, so those who have
cen and felt it's heat say. Its dis
overy was made by boys who
7ere fishing in the dam. By chance
torch set fire to the gas above
7ater that had been agitated by a
ole in the hands of the boys.
'ince that time many exhibitions
AVE been enjoyed and wondered
yer by those who have become ac-
TAINTED with luminous lights that
nay be produced at night time
long Licking creek. Men in a
oat over water five feet deep, can
I'll ng out a flame from the depth
f the dam. Sometimes the flame
caps to the heigth of five feet and
urns with heat that causes those
ear it to get away from it. The
anne is of light blue and reddish
olor. What chemist would say
bout the color indications is not
:nown. The color test would be a
OOd one. The gas manifestations
an be produced in daytime as
'ell as at night with the exception
f the weird effect, which can on
Y be produced at night. The night
ime manifestation jsstartling, like
s if some incarnation was going on
Glow the waters and sending up
heir offerings in light, blue and
ed flame to flicker and wave as a
lystic wand from demon land.
drill hole deep enough to strike
he Trenton limestone would solve
he problem. Away back from
ime out of date, from the time
hen the white man came tothe In
ians' tent in Licking creek valley,
ertain appearances of soil and wa
er peculiar to themselves attracted
ttentiOn. Forty years ago the
resent Zook's mill property be-
)nged to miller named Daniel
peece. Mr.. Specie had two