The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-24

railway Tn the Sipsey 5WampS. AL depth of about 1500 feet he found salt water. Oil indications had already been found but as that Is common occur renee in and near coal deposits little was thought of it. But the salt water meant something to the experienced geologist.
 Gets His Bearings
 About 50 feet away in railroad cut he found a bit of rock formation ex- posed and with this as a base for his calculations he figured out the pitch of the geological formation of the section. It was an easy matter to calculate the direction and the distance to the cap of the antcliSe or inverted 'chicken coop as MT. Hobson describes it. which is all ways found covering a deposit of gas or oil
 About 200 yards away in the depth of the swamp he moved his drill and bored a well. He was hampered by a lack of funds and the natural timidity of inves- tors in putting money into a scheme that might prove visionary. But MT. Hohson believed that he was on the track of something worth while and his very per- s;stence and faith in himself finally brought enough assistance to sink the well. The result has been told in the first few paragraphs of this article
 The roar of gas like the roar of young waterfall is music In the ears of the dar- ing prospector, as, indeed, 1t Is. to all visitors.
 Hundreds of people from different sec tons of the country have fiocked here to see the well. The company has said but little about the discovery, while other wells are being sunk as rapidly as pos sible to test the extent of the deposit.
 Columbus Interested
 J. P. Lee of Birmingham, one of the directors of the Providence company, aas accepted an invitation from the bus mess men of Columbus, Miss. to visit that town within the next few days to figure on a plan for laying a pipe line into Columbus, a distance of 40 miles. MT. Lee will go to Columbus tomorrow or ext day. The business men of the Mis- sissippi town who were out in number last night are very much interested and a pipe line to Columbus Is almost a cer- .ai-ity and that in very short time
 If gas Is found to be as abundant as is believed 1t is the plan of the company to build line. into Birmingham, dis tance of S2 miles.
 Upon the arrival of he Birmingham party ycsterday morning the gas escaping from the two-inch exhaust pipe over tho well was lighted and the flame stood a height of about 5 feet all day and LID tc about g o'clock last night when it was cut off The full pressure of gus was not turned on for tie req son that the pressure is so strong that 1t blows out the flame.
 Inspiring Scene
 The flame licking out from among the tops of the trees was most inspiring spectacle. The rear Of the i'aae can be heard for perhaps a mile and at night inc glare >ln be seen from -he streets of Fayette two miles away on higher level. The glare is like that sent rp by the iron furnaces in the Birmingham district except that it is steady and strong
 Those who visited the well from Blr- minsaarn yesterday were J. P. Lee. T. II Aldrioh, J. l.. Edwards. commercial agent for the Southern railway; J. '. Davidson Dr. + IT May. and J B Babb. secretary of the Chamber of Commerce.. z. A. Hnb- SGT. also accompanied the party from Eirming, am and explained the manner of discovery Of the gas and the geological forma tion of 1he section.
 Several rren came over from Columbus in the morning and they were followed by party of 5 prominent citizens in the evening.
 The people of Fayette are interested in the discovery but they are amazed that any gocd should come from the mosquito infected swamp that has never produced anything of value