Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-07
PAGE COUNTY OIL WELL PRO.
pvcEs REFINED OIL ACCORD.
ING TO ANALvsIs.
PROBABLY sEEPAeE
FROM NEARBY TANK
State GseIesist Kay Completes Tests
and Skaters Hopes Of Blanchard
Oil Produesrs-oH Has Never Been
Found in Iowa and Drilling 10 De.
cIarsd to Be Waste Of Money,

Special to Times Republican.
Iowa City. Jan. THE oil boom in
Page county, Iowa. has been busted"
by Prof. G. F. Kay, state geologist and
head of the s. U. I. department. of geol-
ogy.
After a thorough analysis in the
university chemical laboratory pro-
fessor Kay today declared that 1.-The oil
is not natural or crude oil, but is re-
fined OIL" and he adds that at would
be useless expenditure of money to
drill deep we'll in hope of locating
comercial OIL"
Professor Kay adds: "rhe oil in
the Blanchard we'll evidently escaped
from pipes leading from a nearby oil
tank, and seeped thru the sands to the
well'
No Oil Found in Iowa.
The Iowa expert concludes his rather
lengthy report with a declaration that
oil has never been found in Iowa. He
says the Iowa state geological survey
does not contend that oil and gas will
neved be found in commercial guam
titles in the deep-seated rocks of Iowa,
but the survey does hold that it would
be waste of money and effort to drill
deep wells. solely to seek oil or gas.
| In detail, DR.. Kay's official statement
reads as follows:
From time to time during the last
few months, statements have appeared
in the press of the state with reference
to the finding of oil in the railway well
at Blanchard, In Page county. An in
vestigation has shown that the oil
which is found on the surface of the
water taken from the railway well is
not natural or crude oil but is refined
oil related to the kerosenes. This fact
has been fully established by detailed
analysis made in the chemical labora-
tory of the university of Iowa.
"At distance Of less than $50 yards
from the we'll from which the oil is
being taken is huge tank containing
oil which is being used as fuel in a mill
and which has been shown by analysis
to be Of about the same refinement as
the oil taken from the we'll.
1T is the function of the geological
survey to encourage the development
! Of the resources of the state. 1t is the
| function of the survey. also. to furnish
| such information to the people Of the
| state as will discourage them from In
vesting large sums of money in enter
prises which are not even speculations
! but which from their very nature are
doomed to failure.
Waste Of Money to Drill.
| "No; oil has even been found in Iowa.
Gas has been found and no doubt will
continue to be found In small pockets
in drift and related deposits in various
parts of the state. At no time has the
survey made the statement that oil and
gas will never be found in commercial
quantities in the deep seated rocks OF
Iowa. But the survey has asserted and
continues to asert that all the evidence
that has been gained by study of the
geology of the state more especially IN
connection with the many deel wells
that have been drilled in efforts to set
| supplies of water. points consistently
to the conclusion that 1t would be
| waste Of money and effoyt to drill deep
wells with the sole purpose of obtain
inf commercial quantities of either oil
or gas. 1t Is an erroneous notion held
by some people that it is necessary only
to bore deep enough to get supplies OF
petroleum and natural gas in any de-
sired quantities in any locality"