The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-03-16
GOVERNMENT SURVEY
| WARNS The PUBLIC
U. S. Geological Survey Discusses
Rumors OF OIL East Of Capital

The peak Of an Industrial boom is
invariably accompanied by wild
speculation In minig securities. The
present period Of initiation in oil pro-
duction Is no exception to the rule.
Is there oil in commercial Quanu-
ties near Washington?
Almost certainly not. IL the kind
Of science that. the big Oil companies
employ Is to be believed by the gen
eral public.
Ha1diy as single geologic condi-
ton Is favorable for the accumuia-
ton of oil near Washington. The
usual requisites for an oil pool are
lacking, and no reputable geologist
would advise the expenditure of
money under these conditions
Much OF the unwarranted boost
ing throughout the United States re-
lates to areas in which there may at
best be only small chance OF find-
ing OIL. and in which the local bus
mess men and citizens are aroused
to believe that drilling will lead to
the discovery of great sources OF
wealth in oil in the home vicinity
and county. Propositions of this class
are scattered widespread over the
country and no. one but the federal
to feel any responsibility in protect
ing the innocent. and for the most
part. small investor.
Remarkable as 1t may seem. one
OF these attacks of local oil excite
ment seems to have struck Washing
ton. One prospective ''oil field is
located less than ten miles from the
dome OF the Capitol Advertisements
that refer to the L. S. supreme court
and the u s. geological survey in
large type do not necessarily there
by prove the oil character OF the
lands near the national capital. Nor
does the increasing demand for oil
make the chances any better for md
ing it where nature did no Put it,.
The facts are: near Washington the
sedimentary rocks of Cretaceous
and Tertiary age dip gently eastward
and are underiain at relatively shall
and GRANTEES. These latter nowhere
contain oil. The oil-bearing beds
found in West Virginia and Penn
sylvania are not present In this re-
gien. The Cretaceous and Tertiary
beds comprise sands, clays. and
marls. and are well exposed around
Washington. Indication OF petroleum
have never been observed even in
these beds by the government geo
and studied the region. Moreover,
streams have cut 80 deeply into these
nearly flat beds near Washington
that had any petroleum ever existed
IL would have readily escaped and
been lost Furthermore. the struc-
ture of the rocks east of Washing
ton is such that oil would not &C
cumulate. Folds in the docks
domes or anticlines-nearfy always
present in commercial oil pools are
lacking east of Washington where
they would readily have been OBJ
served had they been present
On every count therefore. the
search for OIL near and east OF Wash
ington IS to be discouraged. Spec
ulatfon in such projects is to be de-
plored. Those unwary ones who in
vest in such projects are usually
the least able to bear the practically
certain loss OF their hard earned
savings No person who cannot
view with perfect compiacency the
entire loss OF his money should in
vest In the stock OF oil companies
purpcrting to exploit oil fields near
Washington, il indeed anywhere iese
and the geological survey feels CALI
ed upon to warn the public or the
extra hazardous character OF explor-
alton for oil in eastern Maryland. 1t
may be added that In this statement
the federal survey concurs IN general
with the opinion already expressed
by the state geological survey of
Maryland.