The Teton peak. [volume] (St. Anthony, Idaho) 1899-1904, 1903-03-12

to accommodate the constantly cooling
and contracting interior Of the earth.
The low lands, or depressions of the
crust are constantly sinking closer to
the interior and becoming heated even
to the point of converting the water in /
the shale into its component gases,
hydrogen and oxygen, and also the car
bon Of coal and oils into gases, causing
violent volcanic eruptions and the estab-
lishment of new fractures and breaks in |
the earth crust, making new mountain
ranges where once was smooth valleys |
and an even surface.
1t is very possible that the Teton
Basin hills of this valley were formed |
in this manner, AS we find them capped |
with the same lava that is found on
every side several hundred feet lower.
This view is strengthened by the fact
that the lava flow is of about the same
thickness on top of these hills as in the
valleys at their base and gradually
thckens as we proceed west and north
to the extinct volcanoes, and northeast
to the volcanoes in the national park in
Wyoming The concensus Of opinion is
that oil was formed from microscopic
animal and cellular plant life in a salt
water sea, and that coal was formed
under similar climatic conditions but of
terrestrial plant life in Il fresh water sea.
As mentioned above one proof of this is
the fossil remains OF the various organ
isms in the oil shale on the one hand
and in the coal on the other. Again,
oil and salt water are generally asso-
ciated together. 1t seems very plain to
me, that while these valley lands which
were the fields of the densest growth of
vegetation were being constantly sub
merged that immense deposits would.
could and did form, as are being formed
in the peat boys of Ireland, and that by
volcanic disturbances and sudden sub
sidence, silt and dirt washed in and
formed the base of the shale everything
the embryo beds of coal. In other cases
seams capped with sand rock as roof
At the south end of the Teton Basin and
also the mountains on the west where
the strata are upturned against the
Teton range at Haden, it is estimated
that there are from two to three thous
and feet of sedimentary deposits,
bounded on the east by the Teton Peaks
range and on the west by the spur from
the Pulusade mountains which bound
on the south. | have failed to find all
the strata upturned, makingit impossi-
strata, but in many places erosion has
cut into the shale and sandstone, expos
ing several hundred feet of such de
posts and in nearly all of which we
find more or less evidence of oil 1t il
very safe to state, however that such
deposits are more than fifteen hundred
feet thick as that different strata is ex
posed at various points of the canyon.
In conclusion, ! will state that the OF
of this valley may be encountered IL
any of the sandstone strata lying be-
! tween the shale strata which stretche
across the valley in great sheets far be
meath the rake drift, which carries on
. artesian water These oil strata reacl
2 from the spur range on the west to tn
Teton range on the east, and from tn
/ Pulusade range on the south end of tn
valley to the lava beds on the north en'
: of the Basin, country of abOnt te
4 miles by thirty. Oil, of course will no
4 necessarily be found at all points, hu
4 will follow the anticlinal swells. Blu
:. that oil is here and in large quantitie
: without actual demonstration, in tn
n existence of gusher. With oil in tn
: dust with oil in various springs an
g wells, with shale cropping out alon
/ the canyons in the west hills, not omi
l. ting asphaltum, with similar shale !
l. the mountains on either side and thos
e shales known to cross under the vale,
n what can man want short of actu;
10 demonstration to convince him that tn
IS is one of the most profitable prosperity
# oil fields in the world? Again, from a
II visible indications the strata of the va
IS ley is practically unbroken, with tn
Il single exception of the few foot hill
<. thus affording basin in which thel
Is has been the least possible seepage an
d where there has been the greatest pc
IF sible quantity conserved for the use
Is man. These indications and formation
is as stated above, exist in all the Unite
lg States and Canada oil fields.
er w. f. MCDONALD. Pres,
- Fremont County OIL Gas & Coal Co.,