The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-02-12
OIL AND GOLD III GARRETT.
In the Opinion of DIR. Martin, an Anthor-l
ity on Geology, None Exists.

In the Opinion of DIR. Martin, an AuthOr-i
ity on Geology, None Exists.
In view of the discoveries of prec-
ious metals and petroleum which are
reported from time to time IN Carl
rett county and the regions close
about it, it is interesting to note a!
statement on this subject which is
made in the Maryland Geological Sur
vey's report on the physical feat ures
of this county, recently issued. The
subject is briefly discussed by DR.. g.,
G. Martin in the summary of an ex-
haustive article on the mineral re
sources of the county. He has spent
several years in systematic study of
the Garrett geology and his opinions,
based on that work, must therefore
be regarded to be at least as compe-
tent as others not so carefully found
ed.
Considerable misdirected time and
money have been SPENT reads the
report, lin search for precious metals
in the valley of Savage RIVER. Be
lief in their presence was occasioned
by the discovery of thin flakes of the
sulphides of lead, zinc, iron, and
copper in the Devonian shales and
sandstones. The rocks have been
slightly faulted and slickensided and
on the planes of movement a little
calcite carbonate of lime) is deposit
ed. This calcite (Which was incor-
rectly determined as vein-quartz) con
tains, as it often does in other regions,
small amounts of the metallic rulp-
hides. The parties interested have
had assays made which showed small
amounts of gold and silver. Even if
the assayed samples were correctly
selected the deposit would.be absolute
/ ly Yalueless, for the sulphides are
confined entirely to fractures in the
rock in very narrow zone and never
permeate the sandstone. The calcite
vein does not exceed one inch in
thickness at any point seen by the
writer, and does not average one
eight of an inch in thickness. Even
at the rate of the highest reputed as
say, the value of the entire amount
of orswhich could be taken out in a
year of extensive mining operations
would not pay for the powder used in
single blast. Further prospecting
is usless, for the conditions essential
to the formation of workable metallic
veins never existed in this region.
| Similar occurrences of the sulphides
have ong been known in the adiac
ent regions of Pennsylvania and West
Virginia, and careful investigation
has in every case shown the deposits
/ to be valueless.
THE idea prevails in some quar-
tiers that Garrett county lies in the
oil and gas belt and that these pro-
duets can be secured by drilling.
! This belief has been encouraged by
/ drillers who wish to sec ure employ
ment for their outfits, and by pro
motors. AS a matter of fact no oil or
| gas has ever been found in a region
geologically similar to Garrett coun-
ty. Moreover it is impossible for any
to exist in such a region at ordinary
depths, because of the extent to which
the rocks have been folded and tract
ured. DR.. l. G. White, the foremost
authority ON oil and gas in this coun-
try, says: In most mountain regions,
the fracturing of the strata has been
carried on to such an extent that all
the available stores of gas and oil
that may have existed in the beds
have passed out of the original reser-
voirs through their defective covers,
escaping into the air, and hence it is
useless to drill for oil or gas to any Or
binary depth in typical mountain
regions
ct is barely possible that under
great thickness of close grained beds
or shales the gas and petroleum orig
inally contained in rock reservoirs
so situated may still be imprisoned.
No boringin mountain regions have
sunk to a depth sufficiently great
(4000-5000 feet to test the truth of
this supposition.'
"Thisis not mere theory. Numerous
wells have been put down in regions
similar to this and not one has ever
been productive. The deep wells near
Mountain Lake Park and Cumber-
land, which were complete failures,
have fully tested the possibilities of
this region in this regard