Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-12-23
United States Geological
Survey Issues Advance
Report on Local Field
THE HOH LOOKS GOOD
The Report Of Investigation
Of the Geological Survey
Very Encouraging

Consistently watching out for the in
terests of it's wards, the Quiniault In
dians in Washington. the government
has just completed a field examination
of the oil and gas prospects on the
Pacific slope of the Olympic penin-
sula. The investigation which was q
reconnaissance, was made by the
United States Geological Survey in
behalf of the Office of Indian Affairs,
and in view of the necessary delay in
cident to preparation and printing of
even brief report and maps, the
Geological Survey is Immediately is.
suing the following advance state
ment regarding the surface indications
of oil and gas noted by the geologist
who examined the region. The re-
port itself, which will be published
within few months, is being pre-
pared by the survey for the Indian
Office and will contain all the infor-
nation obtained during the examin-
alton of the Quiniault Reservation and
the adjacent lands having reference
to the presence of oil and gas.
The Survey geologist who made the
examination, c. T. Lupton, reports
that the main surface showings of oil
in the region are situated Is to 20
miles north of the Quiniault Reserva-
ton, near Hob river. Two prospect
holes, about 1S feet deep haye been
dug in this locality, one in section r..
township rs north, R., IA, w. and the
other in section II, T. 26 R. 10, w.
about miles farther east. The form
er is known as the Jefferson Oil Com.
pany's seep and the latter as the
Lacey seep.
Analysis of the samples of oil COL
lected at these prospects by Mr.. Lup-
ton show paraffin oil of very high
grade, containing no asphaltam. Near
the jefferson Oil Companys prospect
a well has been drilled to a depth Of
5000 feet, and near the Forks another
we'll has been drilled to a depth OF
1400 feet or more. In both of these
wells, the drilling of which is still in
progress, some gas and traces of oil
have been encountered, though they
have not yet been struck in sufficient
quantities to be of economic import.
ance.
Near Tahola, at the mouth of the
Quiniault river. is mound about 50
feet in heighth and 300 or 400 hundred
feet in diameter at the base, with a
small opening at the apex from which
gas and mud issue. This mound
which is locally known as the Garfield
gas mound. has undoubtedly been
built up by mud carried up by the gas
and developed around the opening
The adjacent spruce trees indicate
that the mud is hundreds of years old
some with trunks three or four feet
in diameter being located within G
or eight feet from the top of the
mound The gas issuing from this
opening contains about 95 per cent.
of methane and only small amounts
of nitrogen and carbon dioXide.
At distance of 125 feet from the
apex of this mound a well is now be
ing drilled for oil, by means of
rotary outfit, the depth SO far reach
ed being about $50 feet.
Another prominent gas vent was
examined by Mr.. Lupton on Hob river
about 25 miles above the mouth, near
Spruce postoffice. At this place the
gas is escaping from a funnel-shapeG
hole which is full of water. The ven
is known locally as the Devils Mush
Pot, and the gas is apparently of the
same quality as that collected in
Taholah.
Other places within the general re-
gion were visited where outcrops OF
sandy clay gave the odor of gas and
oil, the clay having long been refer
red to by the Indians as smell mud"
A few anticlines. which may serve as
reservoirs for oil and gas, cross the
region, mainly in a northeast-south-
west direction. These features will
be described and mapped in Mr. Lup-
tons report to be issued later
The seeps in the gas vents en-
courage a reasonable expectation that
petroleum and natural gas may be
present in paying quantities, but their
existence in this locality can be prov
4 dril