'.t| ORTON — ROCK PRESSURE OF NATURA1 GAS. 



we find so delightfully adapted to our i iforl and service. So tar as we are 



concerned, il La certain that Nature has done about all that she is going to 

 do in thi> line. In her greal laboratory, a thousand year- are a- a single 

 day. 



N doctri sould i more healthful influent n the communities 



that are enjoying the inestimable advantages of the new fuel than this. If 

 it were at once accepted, it would add years t<> the duration of these precious 

 supplies "I' power. The ignoranl and reckless waste that is going on in the 

 new gas fields is lamentable. The worst of it cornea from city and village 

 corporations that are bringing the gas within their boundaries to give away 

 ti> manufacturers whom they can induce on these term- to locate among 

 them. To characterize the use of a million feet of natural gas a day, in a 

 single town, for burning common Wrick, tor example, or in calcining common 



limestone, there i- a g 1 word at hand, viz., vandalism. 



4. If this doctrine of the rock pressure of gas is the true one, the geolo- 

 ho have to deal with the Bubject and the communities that have found 

 a supply owe it to themselves to keep it prominently before the people, who 

 are especially interested. They may make themselves temporarily disagree- 

 able thereby, hut by just so far as they convince those that are interested, 

 they lengthen the life of the-' precious suppli 



'I'h i. I >i elation "i <;.\- Supply. 



Judging from the presenl indications, the Trenton limestone gas of Ohio 

 i- not likely to he long-lived. It seems entirely probable that the term of 

 it- further duration can !)'• stated within the limit- of numbers that are 

 expressed by a single digit. In considerable sections of the field, the salt 

 water is very aggressive. It requires a steadily increasing pressure on the 

 will- to hold it hack. In one district last year, one hundred and twenty-five 



pounds pressure would keep the gas dry, while now two hundred pound- are 



required for tin- Bame purpot 



Then- i- likely t" be great disappointment in regard to what is called gas 

 territory. 'The pressure and volume of large areas are found to fail tog< tht r. 

 Wells draw their Bupplies Prom long distances. A farm, or even a mile- 

 s'pi tion, may be effectually drained of it- gas without a well being 



drilled upon it. 



Natural gas i- a very admirable product, hut its highest office, after all, 



uld lie to prepare the way for something better than itself, viz.. artificial 



fuel better, for the reason that while it furnishes all the intrinsic 



natural gas, it will he free from tin- inevitable disadvantaj 



of tres ocured in the way in which the stores of the great gas fields 



[ ained. 



