STATE GEOLOGIST. 99 
ties farther east, so that, all things considered, Van Wert cannot be re- 
garded as having contributed materially to this form of wealth. 
Salt-water has been found very generally with the oil. Sometimes it 
has been so abundant as to prove an expensive obstacle. The county 
appears to form the: border on the northwest for oil production, and pos- 
sibly this may be responsible for the discouraging features named. 
Many efforts have been made to develop a large pool in Van Wert 
county, but without success. Nearly everywhere a show of oil or gas is 
secured, and this has kept the drill busy. Probably other small pools will 
be discovered, but it is safe to say that no large areas will be found. 
SHELBY COUNTY. 
The only oil or gas producing territory in this county is found in 
sections 7, 18, 6, 8, 5, 4, 11, 32 and 33 of Van Buren township. The length 
of the pool is three and one-half miles, and the maximum width three- 
quarters of a mile. The pool is an extension of that found in German 
township, Auglaize county, and was opened in the summer of 1898. At 
first a few of the best wells started at 100 barrels per day, but so rapid has 
been the decline that in August, 1902, the pool did not average one barrel 
each per well. 
In 1897 two wells were drilled near Kettlerville, on the south side of 
section 11. One of them began flowing 100 barrels per day, and a year 
later was producing 10 barrels. In the summer of 1902 it was yielding 
three barrels daily. The other well was smaller. No salt-water was found. 
One of these wells found 500 feet of drift and the other 380 feet. 
On the margin of the producing territory salt-water is very abundant ; 
but near the center of the pool where as a rule the best wells are found 
it is much less troublesome. The rock is quite spotted, dry holes being 
scattered among producing wells. The Trenton appears to lie nearly 
level. The oil is very dark and heavy, its specific: gravity being 34 de- 
grees B. 
| As has already been noted in the discussion of Auglaize county, the 
deep pre-glacial channel, which has been there outlined, extends across 
the northeast corner of this county. It is shown by drive pipes from 300 
to 400 feet or more in length. 
DARKE COUNTY. 
Near Yorkshire, in the northern part of the county, several small oil 
and gas wells have been secured. The drilling was done in 1897-8. 
Owing, however, to the low price of oil the wells were not profitable. 
Quite recently the territory has been re-leased, and it seems probable that 
it will be thoroughly tested in the near future. Wells have been sunk at 
numerous localities in the county, but the results in all cases have been un- 
satisfactory. 
