HAWORTH. | Discoveries of Oil and Gas. Zit 
DEVELOPMENTS IN KANSAS. 
The history of the discovery and development of oil and gas 
in Kansas may be divided into three parts: First, the earliest 
period, dealing with observations of surface indications and a 
little prospecting. Second, the period in which prospectors be- 
gan using the drill actively. This preliminary drilling or 
prospecting seems to be a necessary and proper requisite to the 
development of any oil or gas region. Usually parties drill 
here and there wherever they happen to think indications are 
good; ‘‘wild-catting,”’ as it is frequently called. Later, when 
more definite knowledge is obtained, more systematic develop- 
ment is possible. Third, the period of recent development,,. 
which begins about 1890 and continues to the present time. 
First. It is said that the earliest settlers of eastern Kansas. 
in the *50’s learned from the Indians, and by direct observa- 
tions, the locations of a number of oil-springs in several of the 
eastern counties. The Indian “‘medicine men” are supposed to: 
have used oil in their “practice,” while there are semilegendary 
tales of the great warriors holding their councils around the 
lights of burning springs. 
How great or how little importance should be attached to 
these stories no one can say. But the numerous indications led 
many people to believe that here in eastern Kansas oil might 
be developed to an extent commensurate with the wonderful 
discoveries of Pennsylvania in the late ’50’s. 
MIAMI COUNTY.—Encouragements were so great and the in- 
dications so favorable that, as early as 1860, Dr. G. W. Brown 
began prospecting for oil in Miami county east of Paola. But 
the political difficulties of 1861 put an end to his endeavors. 
His efforts in this direction, and causes which led up to them, 
are told so well in a letter recently received from him that the 
entire letter is here included: 
‘“ROCKFORD, ILL., 907 KILBURN AVENUE, 
October 28,:1903. 
“State Geologist of Kansas: Yours of the 21st inst. received. 
“In January of 1860 I visited Conneautville, Crawford 
county, Pennsylvania, where I established and published the 
Courier for seven years before going to Kansas. I found my 
old friends greatly excited on the oil question. Mr. Drake had 
opened the first oil-well at a depth of sixty-nine feet, if I re- 
member correctly, in the eastern part of the county, and a well 
was commenced near Conneautville. 
“TI recall the fact that A. D. Searl, who originally surveyed 
