The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1921-03-30
CrassIenorance
Bureau Head
Director Of U. 8. Geological Survey
Admits That Oil May Come From
Fresh Water Organisms

Canadian oil fields are represent
ed in this valley by several who have
come and taken note of conditions
in the Fallon field and have seen
certain auspicious signs here that
appeal strongly to their minds.
Among these is Fl. F. Powell. OF
Calgary. Alberta, who came here
recently after oil field experience of
several years near Calgary and he
Is SO imbued with the offerings of
this field that he has sought to at
tract a number of associates from
Calgary to undertake exploitation
here. He is in receipt of a letter
under date of last Wednesday from
o. G. Devinish, of the United Oils
Limited, leading producing COM
pany of Calgary, which contains an
inclosure from George Otis Smith,
director of the United States Geo.
logical Survey at Washington, D. C.
This letter is reproduced below
because it fully exemplifies govern
mental dereHction. 1t is admitted
by Geologist Smith that petroleum
may be derived from fresh water
organisms, yet he is apparently un-
familiar with Nevada's topography
as proven by the statement, almost
all of Nevada is very mountain
ous." II Mr.. Smith will consult the
charts and maps in his office he will
find that Nevada is In the main a
vast tableland.
1t is also Of interest to Fallon oil
field operators to know that the
governments geological head de-
nominatee Nevada's valleys as being
of "fresh-water" origin. These val
leys, notably the Lahontan valley,
are distinctly of salt water origin
and among the largest natural salt
deposits yet discovered are to be
found about 25 miles southeast of
this city.
His letter to the Canadian In
quirer follows
: THE U. s. Geological Survey has
not investigated in detail the geolo-
gy and structure of any part of the
state of Nevada with a view to de-
termining the local structures that
are favorable to the accumulation
of oil or gas. and knows of no oc-
currence of these deposits there In
commercial quantity. A few years
ago one of this Surveys geologists
made an examination of the area
around Reno, in Washoc county, and
Bulletin 3S1 outlines tho conclu-
sions reached regarding the possi-
bility of finding petroleum, besides
discussing briefly the geology of the
region, especially the supposed oil
bearing beds. The same bulletin
contains short account of oil pros
poets in two areas in Lyon county
The supply of Bulletin 381 for Sur
vey distribution has been exhausted,
but copy may be purchased from
the Superintendent of Documents,
for 65 cents.
almost all of Nevada is very
mountainous, and in most of the
mountainous region either the for
nations are of character insult
able to the occurrence of petroleum
or else the rocks have been so sharp
~ lduitcu anu IOlQeu tndt tOere Is
practically no chance of a CONNER
cial production of petroleum there
from. Other parts of the state are
underlain by Tertiary formations of
fresh-water origin. 1t has not yet
been established that petroleum can
be derived from fresh-water organ
isms, but II is the belief of many
geologists that this is possible and
that the Tertiart beds in Nevada
may possibly contain oil.
There has been considerable
prospecting for oil recently south
east OF Fallon, and showings of oil
have been reported from two or
three of the wells, but so far as the
Geological Survey has knowledge,
no important amount of oil has been
found to date.
Very truly yours.
(Signed) GEORGE OTIS SMITH,
Director"