HAWORTH. | Discoveries of Oil and Gas. 23 
“In the summer of 1860 I visited a point some sixteen miles 
south of our well on the Wea, and found in a ravine there a 
great mass of Maltha, the inspissated product of petroleum, 
formed during the ages. With great difficulty, because of its 
tenaciousness, we did succeed in chopping loose a small quan- 
tity to aid in starting a camp-fire. This was before the period 
of asphalt roads, or tar walks, hence we had no thought of 
utilizing it; but if still there and unappropriated there is doubt- 
less a fortune for the owner. 
“IT saw somewhere recently what purported to be an account 
of the geological formations passed in the borings of the Ly- 
kins well near Paola; but it is far from truthful. I recollect 
giving to Professor Mudge a copy of my notes of the nature of 
the borings on the Wea, and I think I saw it afterwards quoted 
by Professor Swallow as furnished him, but I have no recollec- 
tion of giving him anything. 
‘As a student of geology, I queried whether the main foun- 
tain from which the petroleum came in all the wells had not in 
the lapse of ages been carried away, and that was my real mo: 
tive in tubing the Lykins well—to see and know for a certainty 
whether oil still came from the rock at the bottom of the well 
or dripped down from the earlier borings. The proof was con- 
clusive that it came from beneath. It was our purpose to en- 
large the size of the bore and to go down from 1000 to 2000 
feet before abandoning the adventure; and this we should have 
done but for the unfortunate interruption when all adventure 
was unsafe. 
“IT have no history of the afterwards discovery of gas. Its 
finding should not deter a further penetration of the earth for 
oil, for the gas is usually found at a higher level than is the oil. 
My whole summer and autumn of 1860 was spent in studying 
the geological formation of eastern Kansas south of the river. 
Wife and I traveled in our own carriage, with our own horses, 
and whenever we could learn of outcropping rock by which 
the formations could be discovered we would camp and remain 
for days making our investigations. For four months we 
lodged in our carriage, and never slept in a house through the 
whole period. We carried my geological library with us, and 
gave our whole time to the subject. We were on our way to the 
Lake Superior region to continue our studies in the field when 
we came here in the spring of 1865 and were over-persuaded to 
buy property here, which permanently interrupted our trip and 
purpose. 
“The notes of our observations in Kansas in 1860 were all 
mislaid or lost. Should you use any portion of this letter, 
oblige me with a copy of your report. .. . 
Sincerely yours, G. W. BROWN.” 
Shortly after this a few wells were drilled in the vicinity of 
Mound City, producing small quantities of both oil and gas. 
