Vout. III] ANDERSON—NEOCENE DEPOSITS OF KERN RIVER 87 
Mr. Carman says: “At 2260 feet a lake of mud was encoun- 
tered; this was the soft top of a shale formation 888 feet 
thick. This shale was soft but not sticky, most of the pieces 
obtained showing distinct lamination, and all of it saturated 
with hydrocarbon gas which would burn at the mouth of the 
well.” 
“The change at 2260 feet was a distinct one, from alternat- 
ing sand and shale to a continuous shale deposit of great depth, 
and of somewhat different character from the upper shales. 
From what Captain Barker told me I should judge that this 
same shale was struck on his ranch at about 1200 feet.”’ 
“The shale also carried occasional streaks of chert and 
limestone from a few inches to two feet thick. The shale itself 
was slightly calcareous, probably due to the infusorial remains. 
A high-power microscope showed these minute shells, though 
I do not know their names.” 
“Some of this shale from about 2600 feet was identical in 
appearance with a piece from one of the Santa Maria wells at 
about 2000 feet, though I do not imagine this identifies the 
formation. At places in this shale, notably just beneath the 
hard shells, small quantities of oil were observed; I should 
judge it was from 20° to 25° gravity.” 
“At 3148 feet soft, fine-grained, white sandstone was struck 
‘into which we drilled 18 feet.” The drilling was then said to 
have been stopped, “by the strong current of salt water that 
began to flow as-soon as we had penetrated a short distance 
into the sand.” 
“This water was quite salty, though not so much so as 
ocean brine. It contained no sulphates.” 
“This flowed gently over the casing. How high it would 
have risen above this I do not know.” 
“The sand we found at the bottom, * * * is very 
similar to that found a few miles east of Poso station.” 
“From 1100 feet to 1285 feet the sands contained mainly 
water. At this point 55 feet of extremely coarse sand and 
gravel was struck, heavily saturated with oil of 10%4° gravity, 
and no water.” 
“The find of this stratum, containing no water, led me to 
believe that I was upon the summit of another oil-horizon, 
especially after passing through so much water above.” 
