The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1901-11-22
Is THERE OIL IN FLoRiDA7


element in this section of the state,
but q systematic search for it has all
the while been going on, and belief
of its existence in this locality is as
strong as ever.
This belief HIS been made stronger,
If possible, by pamphlet written by
DIR. F. T. Schneider of this city, men,
Der of the American Chemical Socie-
ty, member of the Society of Chemi-
cal Industry, and consulting and ana
lytical chemist and mining engineer,
entitled, ga Preliminary Note on the
Occurrence of Petroleum in Florida"
This pamphlet gives summary of
the conditions under which gas and
oil can occur in commercial quanti-
ties, and besides citing the most emf
nent authorities on the subject mat
ter i'm hand, the author accompanies
his statements with maps and dia-
grams.
We make the following extracts:
"Bituminous shale, containing es-
pecially large proportions of oil pro-
ducing hydrocarbons, and a close and
impervious texture, has been shown
to exist i'm large, continuous, and
sometimes very thick beds. Such de-
posts have been found exposed on the
banks of the Apslachicola and Su-
wannee rivers, and in wells at Lake
City, High Springs, Gainesville, Bron-
son, Citra, Ocala, Dunnellon, Herman
do, Leesburg, Plant City and numer-
Gus other places. From the fact that
shale has been found in so many
places and so widely distributed, it is
reasonable to assume that it will be
found TO underlie almost the entire
territory, at varying depths, and that
therefore, we may very naturally ex-
pect this necessary condition for the
accumulation of oil i'm commercial
quantities to be fulfilled. 1t has been
stated above, that peninsular Florida
il the crest of an anticlinal fold, and
although for reasons before stated, ii
is hardly probsble that gas or oil will
De found in paying quantities beneath
this fold itself. owing to the consider
able disturbance which has taken
place, there are numerous hills OF
dykes in various parts of the territory,
consisting of anticlinal terraces which
present all the desired conditions fol
the accumulation of oil in considerable
quantities.
petroleum owes its origin to the par
tial decomposition of animal or vege.
table remains imbedded in the rock oil
shale at the time of their deposition
and il is obvious that at the time Of
the formation of the limestone bed:
of Florida, the warm tropical sea:
were swarming with all manner o.
submarine life, and that the land wa:
densely covered with tropical vege'
tstion, thus providing possible source
of vast deposits of petroleum-fOrmins
hydrocarbons.
IL would seem therefore that, al
least, in the western and centred west
ern portions Of the state, all the nec-
esssry conditions for the formation
accumulation, and retention of large
deposits of petroleum are present, and
that a systematic search for the ma
terial would have every probable
chance of success. Such search should
be founded upon proper study and
examination of the relative stratlfica-
ton of the rocks and surrounding
territory, in preference to search fol
the more delusive surface indications
Such scientific examination would
furnish data upon which practical
expert would be able to form an opin
ion as to the probability of finding
oil.