260 
Transactions Texas Academy oe Science. 
417. Weeks^ Joseph D. 
Art. Petrolenm. Min. Eesonrces of the U. S., 1894. 
Nonmetallic Products. 
Sixteenth Ann. Eept., P. S. Geological Survey, Part lY. 
(Petrolenm in Texas), pp. 378-379. Washington, 1895. 
“Conditions similar to those found in Kansas, Missouri, and the south- 
ern part of California exist in Texas. Springs, known locally as Tar 
springs,’ are found scattered over various portions of the State, especially 
in the northeast, southeast and central portions. The oil wells of Kansas 
and Missouri are found a little east of the 95th meridian of longitude west 
of iG-reenwich. The Texas springs are a little to the east of the 94th 
meridian, and some are also found on the 93rd and east of it. The petro- 
leum produced in Texas is from Bexar county, near San Antonio, about 
midway between the 98th and 99th meridians. The product of these springs 
is known locally as petroleum, and is, in this report, so classified, though 
some geologists, especially those who have been connected with the geologi- 
cal survey of California, insist on calling it maltha. At present, however, 
they aeknowledge that this so-called maltha and petroleum are similar 
substances. Chemically, they may be; practically, they are not. 
“The Texas oil is a natural lubricator of from 28° to 30° gravity, and 
is said to be found in a conglomerate. The wells are shallow, the oil 
being struck in various parts of the State at from 125 to 350 feet. The 
Bexar county wells, which produced the petroleum reported from this State, 
are about 300 feet deep. As there is but a limited demand for the oil, there 
is no 'effort to produce it in large quantities. The produeing wells, which 
are on the ranch of Mr. George Dulnig, were wells that had been drilled 
originally for water. They were found to yield small quantities of oil 
and gas. The production of these two wells in 1889 was about four barrels 
a month. The annual production is from fifty to seventy-five barrels. 
“Outside of the oil produced in Bexar county none seems to have been 
produced in the State on a commercial seale, thoug'h reports as to the 
discovery of oil at various points in Texas are frequent. At Sulphur 
Springs, in Hopkins county, there are certain so-called Tour wells,’ which 
produced a few gallons of oil. In 1887 and 1888 considerable excitement 
was occasioned by the reported striking of oil in Nacogdoches county. The 
locality was eighty miles southwest of Shreveport, The wells were driven 
wells, and some oil was obtained at the depth of eighty-five feet; in other 
cases at a depth of 300 feet. Quite a number of wells were driven in 1887 
and 1888, but no petroleum was produced in 1889. The oil produced in 
Bexar county was used for lubrication. 
“The production of petroleum in this State since 1889 has been as fol- 
lows : 
“production of petroleum in TEXAS, 1889 TO 1894. 
YEARS. 
BRLS. 
1889 48. 
1890 54. 
1891 54. 
18-92 45. 
1893 50. 
1894 60. 
