PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS IN NEW YORK 



479 



was as follows: soil, 3 feet; sand, 16 feet; blue clay, 20 feet; 

 black sand, 25 feet; blue clay, 20 feet; conglomerate gravel, 31 

 feet. The gravel was full of water.* At 116 feet the black Utica 

 shale was struck and at 216 feet a small vein of gas was found. 



The discovery of gas, even in this small supply, changed the 

 whole situation in the minds of the company. One of the most 

 active and influential members of the organization had seen a 

 little something of natural gas in the regions to the northward 

 already described and he now proposed that the driller should go 

 forward and develop the possibilities of this location in this 

 regard. The Trenton limestone was reached at 630 feet. A 

 second vein of gas, stronger than the first, was struck at 690 

 feet, and another considerable addition was made at 832 feet. 

 The last vein was in fact decidedly the strongest of the three. 



Drilling was continued to 1005 feet but without any other 

 notable accessions of gas. 



The well was cased at a little over 200 feet, but the work was 

 imperfectly done, some leakage continuing. A light vein of salt 

 water came with the last supply of gas and made more or less 

 trouble in the pipe. 



The use of the gas was however at once entered on. The 

 rock pressure was found to be between 80 and 100 pounds. 

 There was not enough gas to supply the boiler of the works, but 

 all that there was was turned to good account at once in this 

 way. A meter showed that the amount used ranged from 

 142,570 cubic feet a week in March to 51,490 cubic feet a week in 

 June. At this time the well was retubed with some advantage 

 to its production. 



This discovery led to a more definite and thorough search for 

 gas in Rome. A second well was at once projected and work 

 was begun on it early in the succeeding year. This well was 

 located on the grounds of the Brass and copper manufacturing 

 co., which is the most successful and important industry of the 

 town. The works are centrally situated in the town. 



The record of well no. 2 as made out by Mr J. G. Bissell is in 

 brief as follows: 



Drive pipe 126 ft 



Utica slate 509 



