138 ANNUAL REPORT 
If there is one character of this sand which is more conspicuous than 
another, it is the discontinuous nature. This is often so prominent that it 
might almost be said to form a series of. lenticular basins. A driller 
of wide experience in this field has estimated than in 90 per cent, of the 
dry holes near Chester Hill no sand was found, and it is a common state- 
ment among the drillers and operators that the failure to secure oil is due 
to the absence of sand. This is not always the case, however. When the 
sand disappears its place is taken by shales. These are sometimes 
siliceous, closely resembling the sand rock; but at other places they have 
no resemblance to the rock in question. 
_ The texture of the sand is well shown by the different treatment with 
reference to torpedoing the wells. Those along the western end of the 
field are shot as soon as the drilling has been done, while farther east 
many of the wells have not been shot until a year or two after completion. 
The more open or porous the sand the less need of nitro-glycerine. 
Oil has been found in a few wells near Chester Hill in shallower 
sands. One of these is the Wolf creek or Milner sand, which lies a few 
feet above the Ames limestone. Oil has been secured also in a stray lying 
about the same distance below the Ames. These, however, are of very lit- 
tle importance commercially. Their relations are shown below: 
Feet 
WiolisCreekecaim Gis sat hot ve bee ite fies rer CGH ate na EEN ena 20 
SIATOST SSH ea OSE etait ne By aie abe ates poe aeeinen ire tn eae eT 20 
AMES! IMIESCOME iss Shia he ee ae ec oe ae oa ea eben 2 
BIOS aes Sia depend arate care onan atesttan nla URE Ti bata) Berne MerepRnr Ces ee 25 
EEL SAT Ola opacclicear scene agen eee tater tee eae c ion ere eee seers 18 
SAT SS te sore Sane et Con) Sasha dognanven asi saiawe cate ewe vole aaa Retr pira sarc 40 
COWs RUT San Ceyireee oo she eos acme nis eter ar rarest a eran ees tar ar woned 15 
One other sand should be mentioned. This is on the Mercer farm, 
about one mile due north of the junction of Coal run and Wolf creek. It 
was here that a well was drilled about 35 years ago, as has already been 
mentioned. The wells, however, are shallow, the oil sand being found at 
a depth of from 140-150 feet, while the First Cow Run probably lies 350 
feet below the surface. This sand, which lies above the “Big red,” is the 
highest stratigraphically of the producers in the northwestern part of 
Washington county. It is unimportant in a commercial sense, and does 
not give promise of becoming even a moderate producer. The sand occu- 
pies a similar position to that of the Mitchell, near Marietta. 
In 1902 two deep wells were drilled east of Chester Hill and a reservoir 
of gas was the reward. The rock pressure was 400 pounds, and the open 
flow of one, measured by the Standard Oil Company, was reported to be 
3,500,000 cubic feet per day. The second well had not been measured, but 
was reported similar to the first one. The gas has been piped to 
Chester Hill, where it is sold for 18 cents per thousand, with Io per cent. 
off for cash. 
