OIL AND GAS IN THE CENTRAL BASIN. 15 



of the county on the W. A. Jackson farm found gas at 90 feet in such quan- 

 tities as to burn for several years from 20 to 25 feet above the well mouth. 

 Other shallow wells at several places in this county have furnished small 

 quantities of oil, gas and salt water. There are also many oil and gas springs, 

 one of which is located under the river bluff at Columbia, where a constant, 

 though small, supply of oil seeps from the Lebanon limestone. 



Bedford County.- The first well drilled for the purpose of testing for oil 

 and gas in this county was put down in 1886 or 1887 at Shelbyville, the county 

 seat. It was drilled by a local company on a lot owned by Mr. B. R. Whit- 

 thorne and reached a total depth of 1,000 feet. The hole was 8 inches in 

 diameter down to 363 feet, the remainder being 5 inches. Fresh water was 

 encountered at several places in the 8-inch hole and brackish and mineral 

 water at greater depths. Few indications of oil and gas were encountered, 

 and the hole was plugged at 363 feet. In 1908 this well was cleaned out, pump- 

 ing machinery installed, and the water from the 8-inch hole has since been 

 utilized by the railroad company and for ice making. In 1902 or 1903 a well was 

 drilled on the Swiver property, about 2 miles north of Wartrace, on the dirt 

 road to Bellbuckle. This well is reported to have been drilled to a depth of 

 1,800 to 2,000 feet, but no data relative to it could be obtained. In 1904 or 

 1905 a well was also drilled for oil on the Matthew Skeen farm, about 1 mile 

 north of Bellbuckle. This well is said to have been put down to a depth of 

 1,500 feet, but nothing is known of the results obtained. In 1906 or 1907 a 

 well was drilled on the Zach Crouch farm, about 3 miles east of Bellbuckle, 

 by the Wimber Oil Development Company. This well is said to have fur- 

 nished no oil or gas. Many surface indications of oil and gas occur through- 

 out this county. These consist of small seepages of oil from the limestone 

 at many places and of local deposits of gas or small quantity encountered in 

 shallow wells drilled for water. Several such indications have been found 

 near Shelbyville and a noted oil seepage exists in the bluff of Duck River, 

 south of this town. These indications led to the drilling of the deep well at 

 Shelbyville. Considerable land is now under lease in this county for oil and 

 gas. 



Rutherford County. As many as five wells have been drilled in this county 

 in search of oil and gas but without finding either in commercial quantities. 

 Several shallow wells drilled for water in the vicinity of Murfreesboro at 

 various times since the Civil War furnished good indications of gas. One of 

 these wells, on the Overall property, about 1 mile west of town, contained 

 sufficient gas to cause the owner to attempt to utilize it for heating and light- 

 ing his residence. The gas, however, was repeatedly shut off by invasions of 

 fresh water, and the attempt was for this reason, a failure. These indications 

 led to the drilling of three wells near Murfreesboro. The first of these was 

 on the House property, about 3 miles northwest of the town ; the second on 

 the E. W. Talley farm, about 7 miles from Murfreesboro and about 2 or 3 

 miles southward from Florence ; the third well about 3 miles southwest of 

 Murfreesboro on the W. B. Cooper farm. This well is said to have reached 

 a depth of more than 1,000 feet, much trouble being experienced in getting 



