The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-14
w. HI. Davis Asks City Commits
sioners for Old Log.
Plans of Old Bore of Years Ago
When City Tried.
WENT DOWN 1858 FEET
Effort to Locate LeavenwOrth
Coal Strata Here.
Turbulent Developments Fol-
lowing Excitement of 1885.

Coincidentally with extensive pros
pecting. now under way. near this city.
for oil, gas and minerals, a flier for
fortune taken by the city of Topeka
in 1886 when the council voted bonds
and caused a prospect bore to be sunk
to depth of 1888 feet in an effort
to locate the Leavenworth coal strata
wai recalled Today when city Off
informal request of w. H. Davis. head
of the Davis Mercantile company
here. The log mas been kept on file
in the office of the city engineer. Mr.,
Davis said today he simply had q
curiosity to know what the log shows
He said he had no definite plans to
use it.
Besides recalling the story of the
prospect bore, which at the time 1t was
sunk caused a series of turbulent de-
velopments, the log is an excellent
diagram of the geological formation
under this city.
Bonds Were Voted.
The city council. in sinking the hole.
voted bonds of $4,000 or $4,000.
They were moved to do this in hopes
of finding the Leavenworth coal veins
which run in this direction Small
shale and coal lodges north of the
! city, still visible, gave impetus to the
| theory that the Leavenworth strata
| reached this far.
| The contract was let to a drilling
| company and work began. The hollow
bit went down 1913 feet, thru hum
| dreds of different strata of loan, clay.
limestone and sand. One day, when
the bit passed the 1913 foot mark. 1t
was pulled up and the core extracted
There was a foot of coal in the tube.
Overnight Topeka saw visions of be-
| ing a mining center. Rumors that the
vein was anywhere from yard to 100
feet thick flew thick and fast.
Vein Small One.
Visions of the great future were
smothered in gloom when the drillers
reported that the vein was only one
foot and four inches thick Tho
wrath of the people descended upon
the council for spending so much
money-after the vein was found TO
| be a small one.
i other veins of coal were found but
they were small. one-foot vein was
found at a depth of 1,1ss feet. Three
inches of black diamond" were found
when the drill nosed past the 1.263.-
foot mark. At 1889 feet another vein.
one foot and five inches thick. was
found. At the depth of 1888 feet a
CROOKED hole developed and drilling
was discontinued. The city paid tho
drillers between 81 600 and SIS, 900 and
due them.
Much Criticism Offered.
Several times, 1t was reported, the
core was lost. This core-earth ex-
tracted from the bore by the hollow
bit-showed the exact formation of
the earth thru which it passed
Charges that the city lost the core on
purpose and that the core showed coal
strata of paying Importance" were
hurled but never proven. These re-
ports were grounded by the fact that
the railroads and other interests were
against the venture, according to the
story of an oldtimer.
Fossilized limestone was found at
different depths. When the under
ground flow was struck water gushed
|; from the hole. 1t contained big guam
titles of salt and sulphur. The water
continued to seep from the bore for
several years until the street depart
ment found 1t was polluting the water
in the city mains and the hole was
plugged
The log does not show whether or
not traces of oil or gas were found.
| City officials point out that unless IL
had been found in large quantities. no
note of it would have been made on
the blue print.