The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-16
0KLAH0MA'S
GEOLOGICAL
TREASURES
Fifty Billion Tons Of Gypsum
in Greer County.
AN ABUNDANCE OF SALT
Survey Party Finds Some In
tereSting information.
AN ABUNDANCE OF SALT

Quanah, Texas, July 15.-The Oklahoma
Geological Survey party spent last weel,
in Greer county and were last Sunday
camped at Quanah, Texas. Thhe first Of
this week they were studying the hills
and deposits Of gypsum at that place
with the view Of comparing them with
the Oklahoma deposits. There is perhaps
more gypsum in Greer than any other
Oklahoma county. Along elm Fork and
the creeks emptying into this stream
IN the northwestern part Of the county,
there are six Iedges of massive white
gypsum il three hills. 1t often happens
that all of these Iedges are exposed along
a single bluff. The combined thickness
Of these Lodges is seventy feet. In the
southwestern part Of the county IN the
region OF Duke and El Dorado. the gyp-
sum is not so often exposed on the sur
face. but its presence is revealed in wells
and IN the numerous sink holes that
honey-comb the country.
Perhaps a thousand square miles Of
Greer county is Underlaid with gypsum.
and q conservative estimate would place
the amount Of available material at
$1,000 00o,O0O tons
So far as known there are in Oklahoma
eight salt plains. or at least localities
from which salt water may be obtained.
The largest Of these is the plain on Salt
Fork of the Arkansas in northeastern
Woods county. This plain is as level as
a iloor, twelve miles long and seven miles
wide and is usually covered with an in
crustation Of salt. There are no springs
on this plain. but salt water is found
anywhere under the surface
The second plain in point OF size. is
the Big salt Plain of the Cimarron in
northern Woodward county 1t is eight
miles long and from one to three miles
wide and contains a number of salt
springs It is estimated that the water
from these springs viii aggregate forty
barrels per minute. Farther up the Gin
arron river is the Little salt Plain.
The plain at the head Of salt Creek
in Blain county. IS one OF the most pro-
life things in the territory. 1t is cap
able Of great development and promises
IN the near future to increase of consid-
cradle economic Importance In south
eastern KoEcr Mills county, some uIteen
miles northwest Of Granite. at the mouth
Of Boggy creek, is a salt plain containing
twenty or more springs. Salt has been
made at this place for a number Of years.
Finally in northwestern Greer county,
along small creeks flowing into Elm Fork
OF Red Run. not far from the Texas line
there are three localities containing salt
springs. one on Cedar creek is of rela-
lively small importance. Those that are
worthy Of particular note are Chaneys
plant at SaIton and Kiser's. mill down
the river. I'm these localities there are
a number Of salt springs flowing from
the bottom of a small canyon cut out
among the gypsum capped red hills. The
amount Of water at each plant win aver
age somewhere about 5o.0oo gallons daily.
Salt has been manufactured at these
places for nearly twenty years
The geological party VIII work this
week along the Red river and then into
Comanche county and into the region Of
the Wichita Mountains They expect to
remain in the field Till the time of the
opening of the university in September.