The daily tribune., 1903-02-26
GAS AND Oil
A Geological Article Explaining the
Formation Of the San Luis Valley by
". o. MEIER.

There are SO many erroneous ideas
and theories afioat relative to the exis-
tence of oil in the San Luis valley that
that | dean it advisable to state through
the columns of the TRIBUNE OF the well
known and established facts relative to
the origin and existence of oil, rs gener-
ally conceded by leading geologists and
experts on coal and oil deposits.
All the carbon of gas, oil, bitumen, gil
semitic, peat, coal and graphite was once
floating in the air as carbonic acid gas
Through organic life it was reduced to
solid substance, All plant life absorbs
carbonic gas from the air in its growth
and retains the carbon in its structure
eliminating the oxygen. On burning the
coal or wood, the carbon OF il again
unites with the oxygen of the air, giving
off heat by combustion, an amount equal,
theoretically, to that absorbed by the
sun in the growing of the plant, Thus
as we sit by the fire we enjoy the heat of
the suns rays of a few thousands, posi-
bly, million years ago,
Prior to and during the luxuriant life,
when all the immense beds of coal and
deposits OF oil were being formed, the
earth was surrounded by this carbonic
acid gas which is now stored up in those
beds, The gas acted as an envelope for
the earth in much the same manner that
the glass roof of the green house acts to
retain the heat that is transmitted
through the pane of glass, furnishing a
comparatively equal temperature to all
parts of the globe, hence the evidence of
a tropical climate in polar regions, for in
the arctic zone we find fossil palms and
other fossil tropical life.
During what is known as the carboni
ferrous period and until the end of the
cretaceous, this condition existed, of
course, gradually changing to nearer
present conditions as more OF the carbon
ic acid gas was consumed by vegetable
and semi-vegetable life and reduced to
organic forms. Again, heat increased
evaporation of water and the earth at its
surface was evidently much warmer
than at present, evaporation was greater,
humidity of the air was greater than in
recent periods, all of which was condu-
Give to the growth of vegetable life and
possibly the lower forms of animal life
In proof of these facts coal contains
the fossils of trees. leaves and even the
grains of wood can be seen. In oil pro
ducing shale, fish, cellular plants and the
remains of microscopic animals are plain
ly discernable. 1t has been established
by these and many other evidences that
such is the origin of coal and petroleum
and the various modified forms Of each.
Admitting that such is the origin of
our immense carbonaceous deposits, the
next question arises, how were these
great bodies of carbon preserved and
submerged so deep beneath the surface
of the earth as we find them and i'm
bedded between strata of rock!
1t is generally conceded and in proof
thereof there are many evidences that
the earth was once a molten mass, much
the same as the sun at present. That it
finally cooled until crust was formed
at first hot, but gradually cooling, final.
ly sufficient that water would remain on
il without evaporating. That this water
began eroding the surface, producing
silt or soft earth, as we recognize soil or
clay. These, essentially then as now,
would wash into the depressions OF the
crust wherever they occurred. The de
pressions were occasioned in the follow
ing manner: Most all known substances
expand upon being heated, and vice
versa, contract upon cooling. AS the
earth cooled the first crust was essenti-
ally too large for the cooling interior,
hence the crust under the action of
gravity and lateral pressure in trying TO
accommodate itself to the shrinking
globe, would assume a wrinkled or folded
shape, making the swell of mountain
ranges and the depression Of valleys. As
the cooling continued snd the crust
thickened the hills and mountain ranges
became more rugged and the wash of
debris into the depressions more pro
nounced, making great beds of clay,
shale, sand and and lime, which sooner
or later under metamorphic influences,
also the percolating of mineral water,
become solid strata of rock.
Along the lines of the swells or hills
necessarily would occur fractures and
breaks and establish lines of weakness
or least resistance. The mountains un-
der the influence of the elements, were
and are gradually washing away and be.
ing carried to the lower valleys. the de
pressions in the earth's crust. While
the mountains under this influence, be-
ing the weakest portion Of the earth :
crust, are being pushed up higher to ac-