PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



MAY 2, 1880. 



Walter Ceum, Esq., in the Chair, 

 Professor Rogers read a paper " On the Distribution and Probable 

 Origin of the Petroleum, or Eock Oil, of Western Pennsylvania, New 

 York, and Ohia" 



On the Distribution and Probable Origin of the Petroleum, or Pock Oil, 

 of Western Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio. By Peopessob 



ROGEES. 



Peofessoe Rogers stated that his main object in this communication 

 was to give some account of the geological relations of the petroleum, 

 or native parafine oil, of the great Appalachian coal-tield of the United 

 States. In attempting this he should first sketch its geographical 

 position and distribution, and show its relations to the coal and other 

 formations of the country; he should next describe the conditions 

 under which it appears naturally, or is artificially procurable ; and he 

 should then proceed to consider the question of its mode of origin, or 

 of the actions, vital, chemical, and physical, which engendered it, and 

 placed it where it is. 



The geographical and geological situations of the native oil were 

 pointed out upon a small geological map of the United S,tates, a larger 

 one of the State of Pennsylvania, and some general and local geological 

 sections. It was shown to abound chiefly in the coal sti'ata along the 

 north-west margin of the Appalachian coal basin, from Western Penn- 

 sylvania through Western Virginia to Tennessee, appearing throughout 

 this zone of country in sparsely distributed " oil springs," invariably 

 associated with more or less gaseous carburetted hydrogen, or mingled 

 with the briny waters artificially brouglit to the surface in the Artesian 

 "salt wells," so called, numerously sunk into the lower coal-measures 

 to various depths, amounting in some instances to 1,000 feet, in quest 

 of brine for conversion into " table-salt." Only those springs or foun- 

 VoL. IV.— No. 2. 3 a 



