182 ROCHESTER ACADEMY OF SCIENCR. | June 22, 
The following paper was read by title : 
A SECTION: OF THE STRATA) AT ROCHES TER, Ne ie 
AS SHOWN BY A DEEP BORING: 
By HERMAN LEROY FAIRCHILD. 
By means of the drill an examination has lately been made of the 
rocks beneath the city of Rochester, with results of some geologic 
interest. In the faint hope of obtaining gas from the Trenton lime- 
stone, or other horizon, the firm of Otis and Gorsline have bored toa 
depth of over three thousand feet. These gentlemen were impelled to 
this test, partly by the objections made to the smoke from the large 
quantity of soft coal required in the burning of their sewer pipe, and 
partly from a commendable spirit of enterprise and investigation. 
Their hope was based upon the gas-yielding character of the Trenton 
limestone of other, though distant, localities, and the fact that only 
seventy miles away, at Buffalo, the firm’s establishment was sup- 
plied with natural gas from Canada. Although the search was declared 
quite hopeless, no one could say it was impossible that gas should 
be found at some horizon, perhaps under new and unexpected con- 
ditions.* 
Despite probable failure, and the large outlay of money required, 
Messrs. Otis & Gorsline showed an admirable perseverance. The 
boring began Dec. 2, 1890, and stopped March 13, 1891. The drill 
was sent to a depth ¢n the rock of 3,078 feet, where the exceeding 
hardness of the rock made further progress very difficult. Small 
but evanescent quantities of gas were found at various depths, the 
greatest at the depth of 378 feet. A little brine was encountered at a 
depth of 1330 feet. The only valuable result of the boring is the 
addition to geological science, in our knowledge of the buried rocks 
as detailed below. The desire to express appreciation of the enterprise 
and public spirit which gave us this knowledge is the writer’s apolog 
for this preface. 
At the beginning of the work the Geological Section of the 
Rochester Academy of Science appointed a special committee upon 
the well, consisting of the chairman, Mr. E. E. Howell, and the writer. 
It was impossible for either member of the committee to personally 
watch the drill and collect samples. It was consequently left to the 
drillers, who are believed to have been trustworthy, and were certainly 
willing and accommodating. They were asked to save samples of the 
rock for every fifty feet, and as often as the rock perceptibly changed 
in character. 
*In a lecture before the Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Dec. 19, 1890, the writer, by invitation, 
discussed the subject of rock gas and the conditions necessary for its accumulation. 
