J 58 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



of soil, drift, etc., and then entered the Trenton limestone di- 

 rectly. At 400 feet gas enough to run the boiler was struck 

 and there were frequent accessions as the drill descended. At 

 GOO feet, a stratum of soft rock called shale by the driller was 

 struck. The well was tubed with one and one fourth inch pipe 

 and packed at 314 feet. The casing was set, as Mr White re- 

 calls it, at 450 feet. The gas showed a rock pressure of 120 

 pounds. The driller struck granite at 915 feet and drilled a 

 day or two in this formation at the rate of 30 to 36 inches a 

 day. The total depth of the well is 921 feet. Mr White piped 

 the gas to his house and also supplied a few of his neighbors. 

 The use was enjoyed for six months or a year, but the supply 

 disappeared suddenly, like a lamp blown out. The gas was un- 

 doubtedly drowned out. 



It seemed that there was nothing in the experience to discour- 

 age Mr White. He took a new location, one mile farther south, 

 took down the derrick used in no. 1, drew the nails and put it 

 up again. He found here 33^ feet of drift, cased the well at 204 

 feet, struck gas at 350 feet and carried it to the boiler. Part of 

 the drilling was done in this way, but the gas did not hold out 

 to the end of the work. This well was packed at 267 feet and 

 was tubed with two inch pipe. It was finished in the granite at 

 950 feet. A vein of salt water was struck at 400 feet, but was 

 soon exhausted. Well no. 3 was located one half mile due north 

 of no. 2. Drilling was begun in August 1891, but only an in- 

 significant amount of gas was found here, much like that in 

 the first well. This well reached the granite at 960 feet and 

 at this point a strong flow of brine, very strong with salt and 

 also very bitter, was released. It could not be controlled by 

 bailing. It filled the casing and overflowed from the well mouth. 

 Crevices are reported as found at times in the limestone so that 

 the tools would drop a few inches. This well was packed at 360 

 feet, tubed with one and one half inch pipe, but nothing came of 

 it. The different beds of rock changed from harder to softer, 

 but if there are any sandstone beds between the Trenton lime- 

 stone and the granite, they were not recognized or reported. 

 Mr White has a large part of the original outfit left on his 

 hands. 



Small escapes of gas from the rocks are common in this region. 

 Gas is also often struck in water wells, but no large stock has 



