Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1921-03-10
OUR NATURAL GAS
WORTH MILLIONS
(By W. A. BartIete.)

7 the local oil ana gas SIludtlOH' III
my opinion. is not that this district
has every proof of being rich gas
! field with good prospects Of oil, but
( that so many people in the Payette-
Ontario district are absolutely asleep
on the subject and some even oppos-
ed to any effort to develop these re-
sources which mean so much to the
prosperity and wealth OF this district.
1t is strange that every practical
oil man and geologist who has visit
ed this district in the last few years,
so far as l have been able TO find out,
including both government and state
Representatives, have been most en-
thusiastic over what they say is one
of the great natural gas fields of the
country, while many Of our local resi-
dents scott and laugh at the posi-
biIity of our natural gas being yalu-
able.
The only excuse one can make for
their attitude is that they have been
disappointed so often in investing in
highly colored blue-prints of distant
oil fields, which they have never
seen, and in the ill-adyised prospect
ing which was done on this district
without geological advise years ago,
they think every oil or gas PROPOSE
ton is a fake.
Their attitude can also be eI-
planned by very common trait of
human nature which We can Illus
trate by saying that the grass always
looks better in the OTHER mules
pasture. Few people in any commun-
ity appreciate the advantages which
lay at their own door-steps. The fish
ing and hunting always looks better
further up the creek.
People like to invest in an oil
prospect in southern Texas, and for
get that We have had several flowing
gas wells furnishing natural gas right
in Payette and Ontario for the PAST
NINE YEARS.
I have talked to business men in
both towns Ehe have never taken
the trouble to walk a few blocks and
examine that gas. They have begrudg
ed few minutes time to read state
and government reports as TO the
PRESSURE and LIFE of that gas,
the development of which would
mean so much TO their business
prosperity and land values.
And when some one tries to en-
liven their interest in gas for local
lighting, heating, and power, they
say that it is only small pocket of
vegetable gas, or that the well was
"salted" and the gas poured in the
well.
Now to answer such arguments,
it is only necessary to turn to our
State and Government reports, both
of which give the gas pressure from
40 to $50 pounds to the square
inch, which is from eight to ten
times as much pressure Of gas now
being used commercially in other
fields. And the fact that these
wells have been furnishing gas for
eight or nine years is very good proof
that they are not from small pockets
OF marsh gas and will probably fur
nish gas for many years yet to come.
With no such gas deposits found
any where else within 500 miles in
any direction from this district, the
; industrial prosperity and wealth its
development would bring to this dis
trict can hardly be estimated.
A coed gas well is almost as val
liable as an oil well. This district is
consuming about half million dol
lion dollars worth of coal every
year, according to conservative esti-,
mates, and gas would replace a
large part OF this fuel, in addition
to bringing in many new industrie:
which require cheap fuel.
The question of there being nat
ural gas here is not guess nor spec
ulation. 1t is something anyone cal
see, smell, burn. examine and test
if they wish. After it has been FLOW
ing here steadily for nine years, W
know it must come from some great
almost inexhaustibie sources of ma
ture's stere-houses below the sur
face of the ground.
These can easily be reached will
a drill and furnish this district will
a commodity which will bring read!
cash, active industrial growth, anC
prosperity which will benefit ever!
laborer, land owner, and bushes:
man of this district.