The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-01-20

good sized Jet that burns brightly when
slightly confined The mouth OF Cedar bayou
IS about forty miles due north from Bolivar
point.
The next point along this line. but a.
'Srg.ng to ,he west, about thirty miles.
wasrc gss has been struck, is at Harrisburg.
hve niles below Houston. Some years ago.
while digging wen at that place. zas was
struck n sufficient quantities 20 furnish a
'F gaty burning jet when ign.ted. No. mucn
attention was pad to II at that time, bu,
Just now It is much talked about there, aud
speculation is rife,
Abou two years ago another well was
Bored az Harrisburg. The pipe had been
sunk 200 feet into the ground when sud
denly IL was forced upward again about ten
feet. lifting the derrick and machinery with
H. The pressure from below 70 do this mus
nave been Immense since the only surface
presented to the force was the lower end o.
tne pipe, and the smooth perpendicular side,
of 1t, as far upward as the sas could reach
IN a moment Of time. The pipe alone weighed
some thing over 1900 pounds OF course. al
The time everybody knew that there was gas
there, and plenty OF it. but no one tired
to confne 1t or use It, as the workmen were
after water. and not gas. and the matter
was soon forgotten.
Well oorers N and about Houston have
ot'en struck this gas in boring for water.
ana the thing has become 50 common that
no attention has been paid to the matter.
IN TACT there are wells INSIDE the clty's
Nmits which for years have shown traces Of
petroleum in the water, but so far this aim
OF OF on the water has been considered as a
dett!ment to the value OF 1t. rather than any
o.her way.
From Houston 10 Sour LAKE the line runs
almost parallel with the shore line on the
Gun o. Mexico. the distance from the gulf
70 both places being about the same rhi,
line runs through Harris and Liberty coun.
ties into jefferson county and these coin.
ties surround that Of Chambers. In ell o.
these count es sas has been found. ana In
some Of them petrNium In greater OF les,
quantities
II sas escaping at one place has proved
sure lpci'ation OF oil there can be no
doub' 70 reasonable minds bu, wha, the same
Indications may hold true in other places
Bui whether this area Of land covers an
immense oil lake or whether. as some claim
undor this large surface is the delta OF :,
mighty stream OF OIL flowing from somewhere
up In the far Northwest aud empiying ITSELF
Into the sea Is not likely TO be dsnnstely
determined for long time 10 cone.
or course there are theories aud ,heorie.
ana II any one can form 70 true one from
facts in this article, all the better. 10,
iha; purpose il may be well 10 leave m,
land for while and so out on the water
10 see what NAV be discovered.
The "oil pond so-oailed, situated several
miles d;wn the coast from sabine pass Ia.
been for many years safe refuge for coast.
ing vessels caught out in the gulf In heav,
weather and when the wind was such that
they could not go IN safety either 10 Cal
yes'on or Sabine Pass. The fact 81 n,
Mater t. that although this Oh POND Is a
safe enough place, there are many old sailors
VINO will run risks Of being driven asher,
ra'hcr than so there ana anchor IN e,,r
pAratsse,y smooth water.
Fasrs is reason for Il !. sns a very so,s