68 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



numerous flint chips, such as are supposed to have been struck from arrow 

 and spear points, knives, etc. 



On both sides of our great river in this region, on the most commanding 

 sites, are mounds of earth, the works of men. These mounds do not seem 

 to be built on Loess. They are considered to be very ancient. Might it not 

 be possible that the men who built these mounds were of the same race as 

 those who pursued their game and lost their weapons by the shore of our 

 ancient Loess lake? 



THE GAS WELLS NEAR LETTS, IOWA. 



Read by F. M. Witter at the Sixth Annual Session of the Iowa academy 

 OF Science, in Des Moines. 



In the early part of December, 1890, Mr. T. L. Estle, living in section 3, 

 township 75, north, range 4, west 5th p. m., sunk a well on his 

 farm for water. In drift at a depth of about one hundred feet he struck 

 gas, which burned readily but in two or three days the gas ceased to flow. 

 Between forty and eighty rods west of this place, about the same time Mr. 

 R. M. Lee bored for water. At about one hundred feet he failed to get 

 water and stopped boring. In the evening he commenced to pull out his 

 casing, and succeeded in raising it perhaps eight or ten feet. During the 

 night a great roaring was heard and on approaching the well with a lantern 

 the gas took fire and a great flame shot several feet in the air with a fright- 

 ful noise. In a few days the flame was extinguished and the gas piped into 

 Mr. Lee's house a few rods away, where for over a year it has furnished him 

 light and fuel. This well now furnishes Messrs. R. M. Lee, T. J. Estle, J . 

 E. Lee and Robt. Lee with all their fuel and light. Robt. Lee is a little over 

 one mile from the well. 



It is carried in common gas pipe laid on top of the ground. This is two 

 inches, one and one-half inches and the last half mile one inch in diameter. 



