!!i "\nMTf AL GEOLOGY. (51 







and at t IIP present time (February, 1887,) they have about 4no 

 meters in use with an average consumption of about 1,500 feet 

 each per (lay. 



Three oil wells were in operation at the above date, affording 

 an average yield of seven or eight barrels of crude oil per day. 

 oi' a little more than two barrels j>er day to each well. 



The well recently sunk at Beardstown to the depth of 1,070 

 feet, obtained a flow of artesian mineral water amounting to 

 about 800 barrels per day. Both oil and gas was found here, 

 the latter, although not fully te>te<l. is supposed to have a 

 -ure of several hundred pounds to the square inch, but the 

 quantity of oil is only about half a gallon per day. The princi- 

 pal flow of gas appeared to come from the Trenton limestone.* 

 The following record of this well was furnished by Dr. H. Ehr- 

 hardt. President of the company: 



Feet 



1. Drift clay, sand and gravel w 



2. Limestone (Lower Carboniferous) 145 



3. Kinderhook and Hamilton shales 250 



4. I'.-rous Magnesian limestone (Niagara) 70 



5. Shales and slat* (Cincinnati group) 125 



6. Trenton limestone 375 



7. St. Peters sandstone, penetrated only 15 



Total depth 1,070 



The first flow of oil and gas was said to have come from the 

 lower portion of No. 3. which probably represents the horizon 

 of the Devonian system, but the principal flow of water came 

 from the St. Peters sandstone. The company will probably put 

 down some additional wells to further test their territory. 



The gas question has excited considerable interest in the pub- 

 lic mind for the last two or three years, in consequence of the 

 discoveries made in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and several experi- 

 mental wells have been sunk in search of this much desired fuel, 

 but with the exception of the one at Beardstown. none of them 

 have proved successful. Most of the borings made in central 

 and northern Illinois for artesian water have ben carried down 



*The first flow of oil and gas was found in the Devonian rocks, but was thought to 

 increase in quantity when the drill penetrated the Trenton limestone. 



