106 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, 



THE OTTAWA GAS-WELLS. 



By J. A. Yates, Ottawa University, Ottawa, Kan. 

 Read before the Academy, at lola, December 31, 1901. 



TN the year 1887 a company was organized in Ottawa for the pur- 

 -^ pose of prospecting for gas, oil, or anything of value beneath the 

 soil. I. N. Boycourt was elected president. Four wells were drilled, 

 as shown on the map. In Nos. 1 and 3 gas was found in considerable 

 quantity ; but having inexperienced workmen employed, and also 

 being a prospect, the gas-sand was reached before the well was prop- 

 erly cased, and it filled with salt water. From well No. 3 bubbles of 

 gas have continued^ to escape to the present time. The amount of 

 gas found was considered too small for piping, the prospect was con- 

 sidered a failure, and the company decided to abandon the work. 



In the year 1898 a company was organized for the same purpose as 

 the former company, with Mr. H. L. T. Skinner president, who, with 

 his characteristic enery and ability, has kept the drill going almost 

 ever since, and they are at present drilling the eleventh well. The 

 log of well No. 2 is given and also the partial log of well No. 11. The 

 elevation of our court-house above the sea-level is about 700 feet. 

 The average depth of all the wells is about 720 feet below the eleva- 



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