TWENTY-FIBST ANNUAL MEETING. 37 



"The Tertiary deposits overlap all the Cretaceous formations — Niobrara, Benton. 

 Dacotah. In McPherson county, and south of the Arkansas, they are seen on the 

 Triassic. In Marion and Sedgwick counties, they rest on ths upper beds of the Per- 

 mian — in the latter case coming east of the sixth principal meridian. A more 

 thorough study of the position of the Tertiary deposits will reveal some intensely 

 interesting facts as to the age of the erosion of our great valleys." 



After some interesting statements about the glacial phenomena of northeastern 

 Kansas and the superficial deposits of later times, the lecturer stated that economic 

 geology has had much development, and that Kansas has not only metals and building- 

 stones, but that stones — agates and jasper — are being found, of great value for or- 

 namental purposes; and concluded as follows: 



"There is a certain relation between gypsum and saline deposits. Owing to pos- 

 sible subsequent changes and omissions, we cannot always infer the existence of one 

 from the presence of the other; but there is evidence of a cumulative character which 

 we think points towards the discovery of another salt horizon of more recent forma- 

 tion than that now so successfully worked." . . . "In conclusion, we may express 

 the desire that this audience will use means to intlaence legislators to cause a survey 

 to be made of this State, which will aid in developing our resourc3s, and help to 

 bring scientitic problems to a correct solution." 



GEOLOGY OF THE LEAVEXWORTH PROSPECT WELL. 



BY E. JAMESOX, LEAVENWORTH, KAS. 



Mr. Presidenf, Ladies and Genfleinen: For some years, one of your members, a re- 

 spected citizen of Leavenworth, has been preaching to us that there were both gas 

 and oil under this city. One by one we became converted to his vie^s, until Mayor 

 Neely in 1887 prepared a bill, and had it presented and passed by the Legislature, 

 authorizing this city to vote ten thousand dollars in bonds, to be spent in prospect- 

 ing for gas. The City Council let the contract to Mr. Reed, an expert from Penn- 

 sylvania, and on the 17th day of October, 1887, the drill commenced to make its way 

 through the rocks with the intention of reaching a depth of 3.000 feet, which the 

 contract called for. 



The Leavenworth coal mine is down to a depth of 1,100 feet, so that we knew 

 the strata to that depth. At 550 feet the regular flow of salt water was struck, which 

 has been found in all the mines. At 1,150 a very strong flow of salt water was struck . 

 These two streams were shut off with casing, and in the next 600 feet live streams of 

 water were struck, which flowed to within 100 feet of the top of the wall. At 1,700 feet 

 a strong flow of sulphur water was struck — so strong, indeed, that it destroyed 500 

 feet of the hemp cable. On April 7th. 1888, at 1,802 feet, a new stratum of rock was 

 reached, and when the drill was lifted the rope was saturated with petroleum, and so 

 reported by Mr. Reed to Mayor Neely and myself. Steps were at once taken to shut 

 off the water. This was found impossible; neither casing, patent stoppers nor seed- 

 bags would shut off the immense flow. After careful consideration it was thought 

 best to go further down, and when a hard rock was struck, to shut off the water. 

 For the next 300 feet the rock was porous. The sand taken out was examined by 

 experts, and pronounced to be oil-bearing rock of the very best kind, They all 

 agreed, however, that the well was a failure, on account of the immense quantity of 

 water. 



There is no doubt gas was found in small quantities, for when the well was agi- 



