160 SOUTHERN BORDER OF CENTRAL COAL FIELD. 



One-half mile west of the town of Waldrip, at the Finks mine, the section 

 given on page 153 was made: 



This shaft is 84 feet deep. A tunnel has been driven from the main shaft 

 for a distance of 40 feet and a considerable amount of coal taken out, of very- 

 fair quality. The mine is not now worked. One mile northwest of this 

 shaft is a shaft sunk by Williamson. This seam of coal shows to be only 

 ten inches thick; and two miles southwest of the Finks mine the coal was 

 again found to be only ten inches thick. 



I doubt very much if this seam of coal will be found of commercial value 

 on account of its want of uniformity of thickness over any considerable ex- 

 tent of country. 



GAS. 



Natural gas has been found in boring wells for water in a number of 

 places in the country covered by the present expedition. This gas is from 

 the same shales that produce the oil, that of the lower Carboniferous. In the 

 well of Mr. L. L. Shields, of Trickham, the gas rises to the surface with the 

 water and oil. If the water be pumped out of the well, the gas rises in such 

 quantities as to produce a noise when rushing out of the well. One mile west 

 of Trickham the salt water and gas were reached at a depth of 280 feet. The 

 flow of gas at that place is said to be stronger than from the well at Trick- 

 ham. The gas at this well was lighted with a match, and burnt with a con- 

 tinuous flame, sometimes as high as 20 feet. 



Three miles southwest of the town of Waldrip, in McCulloch County, on 

 the south side of the river, on the farm of Mr. John Kellett, at a depth of 

 about 80 feet a flow of salt water was obtained, and with it gas in sufficient 

 quantities to burn continuously when lighted. 



The gas is without odor, and is no doubt in sufficient quantity to be of 

 economical value. There being a supply of salt water flowing from the same 

 wells that furnish the gas, the gas could be utilized in the manufacture of 

 common salt. 



It is probable that gas might be obtained at some of the towns in this part 

 of the country in sufficient quantity to be used for lighting the streets, if not 

 for other purposes. At a depth of about 500 feet it is probable a flow of 

 gas would be found at the town of Lampasas. 



Four miles south of San Angelo, on the farm of Mr. Nasworthy, there is 

 a flow of gas from a well 325 feet deep. The gas is probably found with 

 the salt water, which was obtained at a depth of 80 feet. This stratum of 

 salt water ought to be reached at the town of San Angelo at about 150 feet. 



