SCHRADER    A 
HAWOKTH 
ND]       INDEPENDENCE    QUADRANGLE,  KANSAS.  449 
Geologic  formations  of  the  Independence  quadrangle — Continued. 
Formation. 
Labette  shale. 
Fort  Scott  lime- 
stone. 
Cherokee  shale 
Thick 
ness. 
Feet. 
110 
10 
450 
Lithologic  character. 
Contains    but    little 
sandstone. 
Limestone,  10  feet; 
shale,  15  feet;  lime- 
stone, 15  feet. 
Compact  shale,  con- 
taining considerable 
sandstone  in  the  form 
of  lentils  at  various 
horizons,  in  which  oc- 
cur the  oil  and  gas  of 
the  Kansas  fields. 
Location  of  outcrop. 
East  of  the  quadrangle,  at  Gi- 
rard,  in  an  irregular  belt  4  or 
more  miles  wide,  having  a 
northeast-southwest  trend. 
East  of  the  quadrangle,  east  of 
Girard,  in  an  irregular  north- 
east-southwest belt  3  to  5  miles 
wide. 
East  of  the  quadrangle,  in  a  belt 
about  88  miles  wide  extending 
from  Missouri  a  c  r  o  s  s  the 
southeast  corner  of  Kansas 
into  Indian  Territory. 
HISTORY  AND   GEOGRAPHIC  DISTRIBUTION   OF  OIL  AND   GAS. 
History. — The  presence  of  oil  and  gas  in  the  Kansas  fields  was 
known  from  surface  seepage  as  early  as  1855.  Some  prospect  drill- 
ing was  done  in  1800,  but  development  did  not  begin  until  late  in  the 
eighties.  The  earliest  operations  were  begun  in  Miami  County  about 
100  miles  northeast  of  Independence.  Near  Paola  traces  of  oil  and 
gas  were  found  in  numerous  wells;  and  in  1865  a  small  quantity  of 
oil  was  found  in  two  wells  about  10  miles  east  of  Paola.  By  the 
drilling  of  other  wells  Paola  became  the  first  city  supplied  with 
natural  gas  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
In  1863  a  wrell  producing  both  gas  and  salt  water  was  drilled  at 
Tola,  about  50  miles  northeast  of  Independence.  In  the  latter  part  of 
the  eighties,  along  the  State  line  east  of  Paola  a  number  of  wells  were 
Irilled  that  produced  a  few  barrels  of  oil  daily.  In  the  meantime, 
and  soon  after,  drilling  was  extended,  with  fair  results,  to  Osawato- 
fiie,  near  Paola,  to  Thayer,  and  to  Neodesha,  Cherryvale,  and  Coffey- 
ille,  the  three  places  last  named  being  in  the  Independence  quad- 
rangle. 
The  first  gas  field  within  the  quadrangle  was  soon  recognized, 
rending  north  and  south,  with  Cotfeyville  over  its  center.  It 
reached  south  to  the  State  line  and  north  5  or  6  miles  beyond  the  town. 
Vt  first  the  wells  were  shallow7  and  the  gas  pressure  was  correspond- 
ingly light.  Soon,  however,  wells  were  sunk  to  depths  of  000  to  1,000 
eet,  and  a  much  larger  supply  of  gas  was  obtained;  at  the  present 
lime  an  enormous  amount  of  gas  is  produced,  mostly  from  wrells 
lecently  sunk,  about  4  miles  west  of  Cotfeyville. 
Bull.  260—05  m 29 
