Luther — Geology cj the Salt District. 



185 



If is thirty miles in a direct line from the Le Roy wells on the north to 

 the one at Bliss at the south, and many other wells besides those specified 

 have penetrated the salt beds between these points at such frequent intervals 

 as to prove beyond question that it is continuous the whole distance. 



Although the salt bed is so well developed beneath the valley of Oatka 

 creek, it does not appear to extend very much west of it. 



In a well sunk in 1887 at Batavia, ten miles west of Le Roy, the record 

 of which was published by Prof. Charles S. Prosser, it is stated that a sample 

 brought up from the depth of 600 feet consisted of "somewhat calcareous 

 chips mixed with crystals of rock salt" and fifteen feet of rock salt were 

 reported as occurring between 600 and 650 feet below the surface. 



In the record published by Mr. Bishop, of a well sunk at Attica, ten 

 miles west and a little north of the Pioneer well, the Corniferous limestone 

 is reported, on the authority of one of the drillers, as having been reached at 

 575 feet and from samples preserved by Prof. T. B. Lovell, brine at 1135 to 

 1160 feet, "some salt in rock" at 1490 feet and crystals of salt at 1500 feet. 



The geologic horizon of the rock salt bed as found in the Oatka valley 

 and at Batavia was reached in the Attica well at between 1100 and 1200 feet, 

 and it is probable that the soft blue gypseous rock in which brine was found 

 at 1135 to 1160 feet occupied that place. The bottom of the Salina shales 

 was reached at, approximately, 1300 feet. Were this record correct, this salt 

 would have come from the Medina sandstones. 



In 1890, a well was drilled on lands leased from Mr. O. L. Tozier, of 

 Wyoming county, situated one and one-half miles northeast from Sheldon 

 Center, by parties understood to be in the employ of the Standard Oil Company. 

 The record of the drilling has not been obtained, but Mr. Tozier states 

 that at 1735 feet the drill entered a layer of pure salt seventy-eight feet thick, 

 and that the drilling ceased at about 100 feet below the bottom of the salt 

 and the well was abandoned. 



This well is twelve miles directly west from Warsaw. The geologic 

 horizon of the mouth of the well is the upper part of the Portage group, not 

 far below the heavy sandstones, and 1735 feet is about the depth at which 

 the salt layer might be expected to occur. 



In a well at East Aurora, Erie county, twelve miles west of the Sheldon 

 well, a stratum seventy feet thick that yielded strong brine was reached at 

 1165 feet, but it is stated that no rock salt was found. 



A well was sunk at Gardenville, seven miles from Buffalo, entirely 

 through the Salina formation, but no rock salt was found. 



