The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1909-03-26
Leavenworth, WASH, Friday, March %, 100
NATURAL GAS AT MONROE, WN.
While Boring for Water Strong FLOW of
Gas Was Struck Last Saturday.

A special edition Of the Monitor
Transcript Of Saturday last gives a
glowing account Of the discovery of
natural gas in that town last Saturday
afternoon. Monroe is about 70 miles
from here, on the west slope Of the
Cascades. The Monitor Transcript
says:
Natural gas was discovered this af-
ternoon by the well drilling company
which is boring wells for the Monroe
Water & Light Company on the island.
The flow was through half-inch pipe
attached to a cap placed on the well
casing, and burns a steady ten-foot
fame with tremendous pressure.
The company was boring for water
and struck the gas at about 80 feet.
1t was noticed Friday afternoon when
the drill was down 80 feet in small
pockets OF clay strata where the drill
dropped foot at a time. This after
noon at a depth Of 95 feet the pres
sure became so strong as to blow the
water out OF the eight-inch casing. AS
the pressure could not be controlled
cap was put on the casing and a small
gas pipe attached. The gas from this
small pipe which has burned steadily
with great pressure shows that the sup
ply is very considerable.
Natural gas has been noticed in the
vicinity Of Monroe before E. Milton
Stephens discovered that there was
gas in the marsh at the old mill and an
expert looked into it but thought it
was only from decomposition in the
marsh. The gas found on the island
is averred to be pure petroleum gas
by Mr.. J. F. Mccarthy, who is man
ager of the Pacific Well Drilling Com
pany, which is doing the work. The
odor shows this and Mr.. Mccarthy,
who had fifteen years experience in oil
and gas drilling, claims that the gas is
sure indication Of the presence Of oil.
The nature Of the various strataS
passed through in drilling indicates
most favorably the chances of steady
supply. The first fifteen feet of drill
ing was through river drift. The next
so feet sand and then clay showed
containing pockets from which the gas
escaped and the drill dropped foot at
time. This was noticed yesterday
when rumblings of the gas were heard
in the well casing. This morning the
drill got into a composition Of decayed
wood with the clay and the flow Of gas
became so noticeable at noon that the
work had to be stopped. 1t increased
and the water and sand was blown out
of the well and the gas came with tre-
mendous pressure. No fire was ap-
piled by Mr.. Mccarthy who recog-
nized the danger to his outfit, until af-
ter the cap and small pipe were at
tached.
The fame from the pipe shoots
horizontally and against the stiff breeze
blowing maintains itself fercely; If the
pipe was perpendicular the small Jet of
gas would spurt fame fifty feet.
Gas and oil are new natural pro-
ducts in the State OF Washington, and
the find in Monroe will create furor
equal to the discovery Of gold. Its
meaning to the town is of the very
greatest significance. A local supply
OF gas for heating and power purposes
would mean much and if the flow con-
tinues sufficiently to be Of real COM
mercial benefit, the possibilities are
unlimited.
The find means much to Monroe.
Its importance cannot be grasped nor
determined at once. It's enough to
say that you can't keep good town
down"