526 GEOLOGY OF NORTHWESTERN TEXAS. 



One-half mile east of Gordon another well was put down, and at the depth 

 of three hundred and sixty feet a flow of salt water was found, and with it a 

 flow of gas, but no effort has been made to utilize the gas in any way. 



At Thurber a deep well was put down, and at the depth of four hundred 

 and eighty feet a flow of salt water was reached, and with it gas, but in what 

 quantities has not been tested. 



About five miles southwest of Strawn a deep hole was put down with a 

 diamond drill, and a flow of water and gas was reached. 



Five miles north of the town of Palo Pinto, at Dalton's, a very remarkable 

 flow of gas was found at a depth of three hundred and eighty-four feet from 

 the surface. The gas rushed from the well with a noise like a locomotive 

 blowing off steam and that could be heard for miles around. The gas was 

 accidentally lighted, when there was an explosion like thunder, and the flame 

 shot up to the height of forty feet or more. After five or six hours of con- 

 stant working to shut off the gas, the flame, which had endangered the family 

 residence, was extinguished and the hole filled up with cement and gravel. 

 Since that time nothing has been done to develop the gas or examine the ex- 

 tent of the supply. The owner of the well, to whom I talked, said he was 

 " hunting for water and not fire." 



The principal reason for the delay in the utilization of these gas fields is 

 the fact that there is at present no demand for that kind of fuel nearer than 

 Fort Worth or Dallas, at least eighty miles away, and it has been thought 

 too far to pipe the gas to these cities with their present demand for such ma- 

 terial. 



COAL. 



Coal Seam No. 1 outcrops in this county for a considerable distance, begin- 

 ning about five miles east of Mineral Wells and running southwestwardly, 

 passing out of the county near the town of Thurber. 



The following is a description of the various places where I have seen the 

 coal seam on the line of outcrop in this county, and the few places along the 

 borders of other counties that are not described in this Report: 



TEXAS AND PACIFIC MINE. 



This mine is the same as was reported on in the Preliminary Report under 

 the name of jTohnson mine. See Report of Progress, page 48. Since that 

 time the property has changed hands and has been given another name as 

 above. It is situated near the north line of Erath County, at the town of 

 Thurber, about four miles southwest from the town of Gordon. The mine is 

 on the Pedro Herrara survey of 2253 acres. The company own several 

 thousand acres adjacent to this property. 



The seam of coal worked at this place is No. 1, has a thickness of twenty- 



