The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-03-11
TERRITORY ASPHALT
Land of That Character to Be
Sold at Public Auction.
DEPOSITS ARE DESCRIBED
They Are Found in Northwest
Corner of Quadrangle

Washington, March 10-In view of the
fact that 1898 acres of asphalt land in
the Indian Territory will be disposed of
at public auction in few months, it may
be interesting to many people to know
something about these deposits. Over
1900 acres of these lands are in the Tish-
veyed. geographically and geographically
by the United States Geographical Sur
vey. Mr.. Joseph A. Taft is the author Of
the geologic folio which was recently pub
lished as a result of these surveys. In
this he gives detailed description of the
asphaltic deposits of the quadrangle.
These deposits which are of economic
Importance are found in the vicinity of
Gilsonite, near the northwest corner of
the quadrangle. They occur chiefly as
impregnations the sandstones, lime
stones. conglomerates, and grits of three
distinct geologic formations
Bituminous Sandstone-The richer BIZ
luminous sandstone contains to Il per
cent of bitumen, and grades outward into
the barren sand in peculiar ways In
some instances the bitumen occurs in
layers or streaks parallel with the bed
ded structure and alternating with the
purer and at present porous sand. There
are at least five acres of economically
valuable bituminous sandstone in the vi.
cinity of Gilsonite. Four of these are
in the Tishomingo quadrangle and the
fifth is just beyond its border, on Rock
Creek, 2 miles a little north Of west from
Gilsonite. In the mine at GilSonite the
impregnations of bitunen have entered
some Of the associated siliceous and fos-
siliferous limestone layers A second area
of bituminous sandstone occurs nearly
half mile west of Gilsonite. In the n. w.
Il Of Sec %. T. 1 S., R. E. there is a
third area Of bitumen impregnating the
sandstone. Here there are three quar-
ries known as the Kirby mines. The
fourth area of the bituminous sandstone
in the quadrangle is in the eastward ex-
tension of the same sandstone member
as that in which the Kirby mines are
located The two mines located in the
bituminous sandstone of this area occur
half a mile north Of Gilsonite, in the
south side and west end of a low ridge
capped by a heavy limestone conglom-
crate The fifth and least valuable bi
luminous sandstone deposit known in this |
vicinity occurs at the base of the high |
bluff in Rock Creek, near the southwest |
corner of Sec. 81, T. s., R. E. Only a |
small area of the highly bituminous sand |
stone occurs here
Bituminous Limestone-The better grade |
of bituminous limestone carries to per |
cent of bitumen. IT occurs in two areas, |
one at Gilsonite, and the other / mile to |
the southwest. Two mines have been |
located upon the bituminous limestone 1 |
mile south of Gilsonite The larger Of |
Viola limestone ridge and the other on the |
crest, about 600 feet farther east. The |
bituminous limestones are most advantag- |
eously situated for economical mining, |
being in bluff 50 feet high. at the termi-
nus Of the ridge. where the rocks are
steeply tilted southwark. exposing more
than 300 feet OF the strata. Of the $40 |
feet of bituminous limestone at this local
ity. 12S feet in the lower part contain
to per cent of bitumen.
BiBtuminous Rocks in Carboniferous
Conglomerate-Certain beds about half a
mile west of Buckhorn contain the rich
est bituminous deposits known to occur in
this field The bituminous and associated
beds consist Of conglomerate. grits, shale.
and limestone interstratified. The rich
est bed. which is locally cOnglomerate at
the base and about 10 feet thick, will pro-
duce approximately IA per cent of btu
mon