82 University Geological Survey of Kansas. 
drill wells in the vicinity of Humboldt. In 1894-’95 they 
drilled a number of wells in this territory, no one of which 
proved very successful. One was in section 8, township 26 
south, range 18 east, or about one and one-half miles south- 
east of Humboldt. A few others were drilled to the north of 
town. These wells either were dry or produced a small amount 
of heavy oil, so that they were not considered worth holding, 
and consequently the leases were abandoned later. In 1901, 
Mr. George Z. Work drilled a well on his land about 100 yards 
west of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas depot at Humboldt. This 
well produced about twenty-five barrels of oil per day. It was 
rather heavy, having a specific gravity of about thirty degrees 
Baume. Some years earlier, under the direction of the city 
school board, a well was put down in the corner of the school- 
house grounds in the south part of town. It passed through 
an oil-sand of undetermined capacity and reached a supply of 
gas which was used for lighting and heating the school build- 
ing. A few other wells were drilled, but no important develop- 
ment work was done until the recent development at Chanute, 
when prospectors again began drilling in the vicinity of Hum- 
boldt. This has continued with ever-increasing activity up to — 
the present time. Drilling was first confined to the river valley 
west and south of town, but later it was-extended to the up- 
lands, particularly to the east, and soon reached the entire up- 
land area to the east and southeast of Humboldt, particularly 
in township 26, range 18, and the western part of range 19. 
From here during the season of 1903 development spread 
southward on the uplands to opposite Chanute, making the up- 
land development in two areas progress along parallel lines. 
During the spring and summer of 1895 the Prairie Oil and 
Gas Company drilled a number of wells west of Humboldt 
which produced enough gas to have considerable commercial 
value. In August, 1897, it was piped into the city for general 
domestic use. The supply was not very large, however, until 
the rapid drilling for oil began, as above explained. About 
this time large quantities of gas were obtained, practically in 
all directions from town, so that at present Humboldt is well 
supplied with gas. | 
CHANUTE.—The history of oil and gas development in the 
vicinity of Chanute is an interesting and checkered one. In 
1894, Guffey & Gailey put down one or two prospective wells, 
but, finding nothing, the territory was abandoned and a large 
