The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-06-13
Oil In Maryland /?
Geologist Clark's Warning.

state OF Maryland:
Cecil county, according to dis
patches published in the Philada.
newspapers, is considerably excited
over the prospect of striking oil.
1t is said that John S. Byers, the
well-known magnate of Greensburg,
Pa, has purchased several hundred
acres on Welch Point, on the Elk
river, about eight miles from Elk
ton. The North American, of
Philada., says:
Many Philadelphians are inter-
ested in the development of this
section Of the country. One we'll
known business man of this city,
whose name is omitted at his re-
quest, brought sample of sand
to the North American Office which
he. had taken from land in Cecil
county nearly Is months ago. The
sample had been taken out about
four feet below the surface, and it
consisted of nearly 80 per cent.
iron ore. The iron was plainly
visible to the eye, and magnetized
needle placed in the box was with
drawn completely covered with fine
particles of pure ore.
"When 1 took this sample from
the ground" the owner said, sit
was damp with some kind of oil.
This pasteboard box was soon
saturated, and the sand would stain
paper by momentarv contact. l
nave also seen oil floating on the
surface of a creek which flows
through the land"
This business man is only in
terested in small amount of land,
but he went to Elkton recently
to look into the situation and in
crease his holdings, if he finds
that the syndicate has discovered
either oil or precious metal.
James Mallen, formerly of Elk
ton and now head of firm of James
Mallen & Co., manufactures of
muck bars at Danville, Pa, recent
ly wrote a letter to friend in
Cecil county, in which he said he
had long belived that oil would be
discovered in Northern Maryland.
Mr.. Mallen some years ago took
the preliminary steps toward organ
izing a company to sink test wells,
but other business became so press
ing that he gave up the project.
WHAT GEoLoGIsT CLARK SAYS.
Prof. William Bullock Clark,
State Geologist, was asked to give
mis- views concerning the possibility
of striking oil in Maryland. He
said:
"The chances of securing petro-
leum are so slight that do not
think operators or the public
generally are justified in investing
money in such enterprises in Mary
land. The reasons for this opinion
are based on the geological struc.
ture of the State. This is not favor,
able at any point for the production
of petroleum in commercial guam
titles. Furthermore, bore holes that
have been made for artisan wells,
especially along the Atlantic bor-
der region, show no traces of oil,
or else indications are so slight as to
be of no importance.
"The two areas in which pros
pecting has been carried ON for oil in
Maryland are, first, that of the old
paleozoic rocks of the Appalachian
district of Allegany and Garrett
counties, and, second, the much
more recent and differently con-
strucred formations in the coastal
plain of Southern and Eastern
Maryland. In the first, or Appa.
lachine region, the idea prevails
that oil may be found under con.
ditions similar to those existing in
Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The region lies, however, far to
the eastward structurally of any
district which has thus far pro-
duced oil, for the trend of the earth
folds is from northeast to south
west. Furthermore, the folds are
much closer than in the oil-beariug
districts and the rocks fractured
and eroded. All investment of
capital in this region can only
meet with total loss.
IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN MARY
LAND.
"The second, or coastal plain dis.
trict, includes the Eastern and
Southern counties, especially the
districts of Prince Georges and
Cecil counties, where recent pros
pecting has been under way. Here
the rocks are of much more recent
age. The beds dip slightly to the
and follow each other
in succession from the oldest to the
youngest in that direction. Slight
traces of petroleum in the form of
small hardened masses of bitumen,
and here and there slight oily
scum on the waters, have pointed
to the probable existence of small
amounts of oil in the strata. A
bore hole put down at Parsonsburg,
in Wicomico county, some years
since penetrated small pocket of