616 THE OIL-FIELDS OF EASTERN CANADA. ELLS. 



worked for tlie extraction of the contained petroleum at Balti- 

 more, ]Sr. B. They range in thickness from four to eighteen 

 feet, the thicker bands being of the grey variety and found 

 near the upper part of Turtle creek in the western portion of 

 the main field. They can be mined after the manner of ordin- 

 ary coal-beds, and while the amount of ash is large, reaching in 

 parts from 40 to 50 per cent., the shale bums readily, forming 

 an excellent fuel, both for grates and for the generation of 

 steam. As determined by actual experiment it is claimed that 

 their combustion yields a greater heat and calorific power than 

 can be obtained from ordinary bituminous coals, while the 

 large amount of ash is held to possess certain elements 

 which make it valuable as a fertilizer. 



Although ; these shales contain so large a percentage of 

 bituminous matter they do 'not readily part with this in the 

 form of free petroleum either by shafting or boring. In sup- 

 port of this statement, it may be said that during the entire 

 period of mining operations at the Albert mines where one would 

 naturally suppose conditions were most favourable for the free 

 escape of the contained oils, according to the statement of the 

 late manager, but slight indications of crude petroleum were ob- 

 served in any part of the workings, except at one point near the 

 west end of the mine, where there was a slight dripping from the 

 end of the mine, where there was a slight dripping from the 

 sides of the drift. On the Petitcodiac river, near Dover, and 

 at several points in the vicinity, several oil-springs occur, and 

 have usually been regarded as indicating the presence of under- 

 lying reservoirs of this material. As at Gaspe and elsewhere, 

 however, in such disturbed rocks these are more probably 

 escapes of petroleum along lines of fracture, and can scarcely 

 be held to indicate the occurrence of oil in quantity in the 

 underlying rocks. 



Boring operations have been carried on in this district for 

 more than fifty years. Apparently the first holes were sunk in 



