32 Claypole on J^ahiral Gas. 
gas-wells have exerted their utmost endeavors to encourage this 
immigration by offering free sites and other privileges to firms 
that v^'ould consent to remove. 
Other towns felt that they were placed at a disadvantage^ and 
seeing no reason why they also should not obtain gas began to 
sink wells in quest of it, in almost all cases without success. 
Many of these explorations were undertaken and carried out 
against the advice of geologists, who saw no prospect of any 
thing but failure and whose pi"ophecies have in nearlv all cases 
been literally fulfilled. 
A review of the whole subject so far as it has been yet de- 
veloped, suggests to every observing mind the query, "What 
is to be the future of natural gas? Is it going to be a per- 
manent addition to our natural working resources — an addition 
that can be relied on for ages to come — or will it prove a pass- 
ing, fitful supply, likely to run out almost before we have 
learned how^ to use it? Will it be a star or a meteor, a lamp or 
a will-'o-the-wisp?" 
Whatever may be the opinion of the dealer and the specula- 
tor whose interests are bound up in the gas-supply, the geolo- 
gist has but one answer to this question. He feels confident 
that however great and surprising may be the present exhibition 
of natural gas it will infallibly ere long run out. It may not 
be easy to convince people generally of the truth of this opinion, 
because it is contrary to their wishes. But there can be no 
doubt of its essential truth, and that a comparatively short time 
will witness the exhaustion of all the roaring gas-wells that are 
now vomiting forth their vast supplies of natural fuel. Their 
roar will grow less and less until it dies into silence and their 
glowing flame will grow dimmer and dimmer until it fades into 
darkness. 
What ground, we shall be asked, is there for this melancholy 
foreboding? Why prophesy evil things in this our day of 
prosperity and abundance? Why play the croaker amid gen- 
eral exultation? We reply that it is better to know the truth 
even if unwelcome than to nurse a falsehood till it bursts as a 
bubble, and leaves us with nothing instead of our fancied pos- 
session. 
Though the exhaustion of our supply of natural gas has been 
