Smyrna times., 1904-08-10

ware four thousand feet below the
surface? There may be, but we do
not know and geologists do not know.
Would it not pay to bore and find out?
Not for one individual to spend three
or four thousand dollars, but for two
or three hundred persons to try it
backed by the State. If 1 had farm
[ would give 800 to know. AS [ have
not, 1 would give $25. Some farmers
in Delaware think they have seen
signs of oil and have just read two
letters from Maryland farmers in
which they say they have oil on their
farms. If we bored under Dover four
thousand feet and found nothing l
would still think I had the worth of
my money, just in knowing. Is there
farmer in Kent, in Delaware, in the
United States who would not give
something to know?
1t would be money we'll spent for
our next Legislature to offer the citi
zens of each county $1,000 provided
they raise 5000 in each county for in
vestlgating their resources. A number
of gentlemen, in Dover, have expressed
their willingness to contribute to this
fund. Some have promised 800, some
S25. Would not the land owners of
Delaware approve of an appropriation
of the States funds for this purpose?
We bored at the Dover Water Works
and struck an artesiau we'll at depth
of 200 feet. A greater depth might
have given us a greater pressure and
would have meant a saving of coal to
Dover. Our coal costs us six or seven
thousand dollars year. In Dover
the place to try the experiment IS near
the railroad station for several reasons.
| We need water to bore and there is
stream there. If we should strike
anything it would be we'll to be near
the railroad, and then the railroad is
short of water and might be willing to
purchase.
Government Might Be Induced to Appropriate
Have not the people of Dover in the
past invested much in wild cat mining
schemes? Would not this be legiti-
mate, sensible, praiseworthy specu-
lation? and the small sum each man
puts into it would not cost much and
might be the means of bringing pros
perity to our State. l believe Presi-
dent Roosevelt, who is broad enough
to advocate storing the winter SHOWS
of the mountains in great reservoirs to
feed the arid plains in summer, would
approve bill to aid each county in
investigating, provided the money
was hedged about with proper restric-
tions, and l should like our Delaware
United States Senators to have the
credit of fathering such bill
The Government geologist might
aid with their knowlege. but the in
vestigations should be under the di-
rection of the commissioners appointed
by the Governor, one from each coun-
ty. The pure water problem is be-
coming harder to solve every year and
deep artesisn wells might give us q
supply free from typhoid germs. The
good water that we might find in the
towns and cities in the country might
be worth all the enterprise costs US.
To make this go in Delaware, we must
pull together. No one man, or q
dozen men, can accomplish it. The
Delaware Boring and Prospecting
Company would be a good name and
its field should be the whole State.
We ask the views of your readers. As
nearly every one with whom L have
spoken is willing to put some money
into it, perhaps it may strike the pub
lie favorably. Men from each county
should be in the Board of Directors
and the first boring in New Castle
should be in Wilmington; the first in
Kent in Dover, and the first in SUSSEX
in the town where the most interest il
manifested and the most money raised
If any of our first efforts should prove
successful we could make other ven
lures. Will those who are favorabl,
please notify me so I can report pro
gress in, your next issue.
WALTER MORRIS.