THE iMINING AND QUARRY INDUSTRY 943 



Saratoga Springs, have been engaged in the production of carbon 

 dioxid during the past year: New York Carbonic Acid Gas Co.; 

 Natural Carbonic Gas Co. ; Lincoln Spring Co. ; Geysers Natural 

 Carbonic Acid Gas Co. ; and Champion Natural Carbonic Acid 

 Gas Co. 



NATURAL GAS 



Natural, gas has been found in New York over a wide area and 

 at various geologic horizons. The most productive field is in 

 the southwestern part, including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chau- 

 tauqua and Erie counties. Many of the adjoining counties to the 

 east contain deposits, though of smaller extent, and there are a 

 great number of wells within the belt bordering Lake Ontario 

 from Jefferson to Niagara county. The first successful attempt 

 to use natural gas for light and heat was made at Fredonia, Chau- 

 tauqua CO., where shallow wells were drilled as early as 182 1. 



The oil field of Allegany and Cattaraugus counties has produced 

 large quantities of natural gas from Devonic strata. The gas 

 occurs in the Bradford sand and the underlying Kane and Elk 

 sands. Some of the supply is consumed in pumping the oil, while 

 the remainder is used for light and fuel in the local towns and 

 villages. The industry is controlled by a few companies who 

 own the pipe lines. Glean, Wellsville, Andover, Gowanda, Friend- 

 ship, Homellsville and Geneseo are some of the leading towns 

 supplied from this field. 



In Chautauqua county the region bordering Lake Erie contains 

 numerous deposits in the Portage and Chemung formations. The 

 wells are mostly shallow, and the individual yield is only sufficient 

 to supply a few families with gas. Attempts have been made to 

 find larger deposits by drilling into the underlying strata. At 

 Fredonia a well has been sunk below 2500 feet, encountering gas 

 in the Medina sandstone, but the ventures have generally proved 

 imremuner ative . 



The discovery of gas territory east of Buffalo has lately brought 

 Erie county into prominence as a producer. One of the largest 

 fields extends from Lancaster to Alden near the Genesee covmty 

 line. Some of the wells have yielded as high as 1,000,000 cubic 

 feet daily. The gas is supplied to Akron, Batavia, Lancaster, 

 Depew, East Aurora, Honeoye Falls and other towns in the vicinity, 

 as well as to Buffalo. The deposits are found in the Medina 

 strata. 



In Wyoming county a small output is made around Attica. 

 Livingston county produces considerable quantities from wells at 



