The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1901-06-14

TIE PROSPECT OF SAN
JUAN COUNTY.

10 has been my intention to present
she claims Of thisssciion Of the country
to the Oh seekers, since that industry ia
dominant ia these latter days, and GER
tainly he who bores and explores for OIL
here will not fail TO receiving his reward,
OF the many theories Of oil formation
the geology Of this valley meets every /
requirement whether Of shale carbon-
feroue. or foecils Is Is an here. As
to Che depth and breadth OF the petrol
cum deposits wait only exploration TO
define, the valley and basin is large, |
from sixty 70 hundred miles 10 demen-
uons even pot recognising the geological
falls or anlclanals IL extends from Wyo-
ming and idaho on the north to the
gul On the south. This district has
IN the agea been one vast ocean lagoon
arm or bay. ito size or dementions gov
erned by the different periods Of geolog-
icsl upheavale or folding. The basin In
1istrict mentioned includes all the Hed-
imentary periods of the eartbs formation
from the lower Solozian to the later sed-
imentary deposits. The coal or carbon
ifirous era was one remarkable in fora
Of rsaiopoid growth and olegicious prod
ucts the moasuls IF coal are equally re-
markable being from few feet to forty
or more 10 thickness from all direction
pitching to one axle center, which is
doubtless along the trend Of the San
Juan river from the national divide,
near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, to the
Colorado river 10 Utah but after reach
ing the Utah country the etosious or
the tooth of time hes furrowed the
Earth's Sun face SO deep that it can
hardly be expected to find oil in any
great quantity in the old sea formations,
and basins. the Colorado, White, Green
rivers with tributaries have the surface
below the Solorian formation, even in
to the primatige rocks giving drainage
to vasr extent Of country, then again
the folding Of the country, or volcanic
eruptions, have given open drainage or
leakage for all fluid deposits which
negate one Of the first principles FOR
successful oil field, and is not attrac-
tive to person who has given any at-
tention 10 the rules OF oil.
On the contrary. this fel5 hna an the
sgrosnan forisA esronn3iag ss vel
ae f1r ils production ia q complets
basin with an anticlinal fold or "hog-
back" on the west, crossing the San
Juan river at right angles, through
which the erosion Of the river has made
its way. Some distance to the south OF
the river San Juan is another fold
called the Gallup fold, that is equally
impervious to fluids. With the cont
mental divide penetrating the district on
the east, completely cuts off any avenue
Of escape for such deposits in this old
ancient saline lagoon occupants Of the
ocean, burial place Of its biyalvea and
mollusiEs generally. that once sported its
wsters hundreds Of generations with
as many years Of deposits, all find their
last resting place here.
The evidences Of oil, which yerifee
geological deductions are ample, con-
cidering fhe sand capped valley as it is
to-day, the whole basin being roofed by
an unbroEen sandstone cap; no rupture
no faulting, and scarcely fresh water
spring to be found. One Of the first
requisites for oil is shale filed with salt
salt water, impre gnated with oil and
gas. On this rim generally are oil
springs. 80 to speak. at Pagosa, on the
northeast; 81 the Navajo reservation in
the southwest On the Ute reservation
20 the west is the great oil and gas en-.
terine flssure some two miles long; O
thoaaand tons Of giant powder would
not have equalled the effect Of the OK.
osion Of the gas. 1t is not yet extinct
bd omits gas with earth saturated with
oif South near the Charco is a fount-
ain Of Oh, 90 the ground near its juno.
ton Uiih the Animas river. North to.
ward Durango, and on the La Plata river
are further evidences Of the much
sought commodity. What better geolo
eical evidence or ooula- evidence does
the oil seeker or the capital for develop
msnt went than here in the San Juan
basin
F. a. wAoGoNER,