PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS IN NEW YORK 



451 



some point been found to be a repository of oil as well. It does 

 not, however, follow that there can be no exceptions to this 

 general rule. 



The first well was located on the Carley farm, two and a half 

 miles southeast of the village of Parish. It was drilled to a depth 

 of 2000 feet and but very little gas was found. The depth at 

 which the Trenton was struck is uncertain, but at 2000 feet the 

 company that was carrying forward the work proposed to aban- 

 don the test, but the derrick was left standing. Meanwhile, 

 another well had been drilled a few miles west at Central Square, 

 in Hastings township, and the drill had been carried down to the 

 granite, which was reached at 2450 feet. Between the Trenton 

 limestone and the granite an interval of 150 feet was reported. 

 The sandstone already named (Potsdam) was found in this inter- 

 val and to drillers familiar with the Pennsylvania oil sands, it 

 seemed to belong to the same class. Its clean and open grain 

 was adapted to ample storage of water, oil or gas and these facts, 

 taken in connection with the discovery of oil in Lewis county, 

 before described, were thought by experienced oil producers to 

 justify a farther search in this neighborhood. This deep sand 

 was likened to the McDonald sand of western Pennsylvania and 

 great expectations were built on the resemblance. 



A few weeks after the first well at Parish was abandoned one 

 of these sanguine operators returned to the village and offered 

 to drill to the granite if citizens would cooperate. $100 was 

 subscribed by the people and the drill was again set in motion. 

 The hole was deepened 120 feet, carrying its depth to 2140-50 

 feet, when granite was reached. The latter was penetrated to 

 a depth of 7 feet. In passing through the interval below the 

 Trenton limestone, the same series previously reported, consist- 

 ing mainly of Potsdam sandstone, was found. 



The most interesting fact in connection with this well remains 

 to be stated. In the sandstone, which is about 50 feet thick, in 

 the lower half of the interval, a vein of gas was struck. The 

 gas showed considerable force and pressure. Though the 

 well was imperfectly packed, the gage put on it registered a 

 pressure of 340 pounds. This gas seemed to the drillers to differ 

 in several marked particulars from the Trenton gas, with which 

 they had become familiar. It had, as they reported, a different 



