Bishop— Geology of Erie County. 



389 



may almost encircle a good one. The most experienced and intelligent men 

 in the gas business frankly say that the drill is the only means of ascertaining 

 whether gas exists in the earth or not. And after a careful study of the 

 conditions existing in Western New York, I am free to express the opinion 

 that the presence of gas in any locality in Erie county can not he predicted as 

 securely as, for instance, a salt- well might be located in Wyoming or Living- 

 ston counties. In localities already tested, the chances may be two out of 

 three that a new well will find a paying quantity of gas. In a new district 

 the first well might get it, or it might not be found by sinking five or six. 

 The wells put down during the past year, however, go to show that natural 

 gas is much more widely distributed than was at first supposed, and that it is 

 destined to wider use, both for fuel and lights. The greater part of the best 

 wells are located along the Marcellus outcrop or on the Hamilton shales, just 

 south of it ; but it is extremely doubtful whether proximity to the outcrop 

 has anything to do with the production of the gas. 



It has been shown that surface gas exists in considerable quantities in 

 the Portage shales. Although the supply from this source may not be suffi- 

 cient to pipe to a distance, it appears to me that this might be utilized for 

 local consumption. A well from 100 to 500 feet deep, if properly located, 

 might furnish fuel for several houses ; and it is by no means impossible that 

 the time will come when a gas well in that region will be considered as 

 necessary as a water well. 



A General Geologic Section of Western New York, from Lake Ontario 



to Cattaraugus Creek. 



By using the well-records from Niagara county, in connection with those 

 from Erie county, the approximate thickness of the several formations is 

 shown from the Archean, up to near the top of the Portage group. Since 

 the measurements have been obtained from drillers' records, lithologic 

 characteristics, such as hardness, color and material have in most cases 

 furnished the data by which the formations are distinguished. 



TJie Porta<je <rr<>np, in the Boston well was 938 feet thick; 

 in the Zoar wells 1,346, 1,395, 1,490; and in the Richardson well, 1,541 feet. 



The Genesee shale, at Eighteen-Mile creek, was seventeen 

 feet thick, but is thicker eastward. At Windom it is estimated, 

 without actual measurement, to be 25 feet. 



