42 
IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 
From the above it will be seen that the occurrence of natural 
gas in the glacial deposits of the state is not an uncommon 
event and that a number of different localities have yielded it 
in small amounts. 
Before taking up the subject of the source and origin of the 
natural gas it will be well to describe more in detail some of 
the localities mentioned above, in order that the conditions 
under which the gas is found may be clearly in mind. Only 
after such a careful review of the facts connected with the 
various occurrences is it possible to form an opinion as to the 
probable source. A comparison of the Iowa localities with 
those of other states will also prove helpful in this connection. 
The Herndon wells were the first in the state, so far as known, 
to yield gas in any considerable amount. Its discovery is thus 
described in the mine inspector’s report already referred to: 
In the month of October, 1886, Mr. G. Gardner was boring a 
hole for water and had reached a depth of about 120 feet. 
Work had been stopped for the night and the family was at 
supper when suddenly a loud noise was heard like that made 
by steam escaping from a boiler, and on going out to the well it 
was found discharging large quantities of gas, sand and gravel. 
This first well was not used on account of the difficulty experi- 
enced in getting it tubed so as to shut out the sand. A second 
was abandoned for the same reason, but the third, put down by 
by Mr. H. C. Booth, was more successfal. The gas was con- 
ducted into the house and used for heating and cooking pur- 
poses. Six wells have been bored here and a good strong flow 
obtained in all of them. In two of these the flow still con- 
tinues but the others have become choked up with sand. The 
depth of the wells varies from 120 to 140 feet. The gas is 
found in a layer of sand and above this the following beds 
occur: 
TEET. 
Black loam - 6 
Yellow clay 6 
Blue clay 108 
One well at this locality is reported to have reached a depth 
of over 219 feet and went a considerable distance into the coal 
measures, but it yielded no gas. Another well, which for a 
time had a good flow of gas, was located near the town of Yale, 
five miles south of Herndon. 
The only direct evidence of any considerable accumulations 
of vegetable material in the drift of this region is furnished by 
