Hard slate 10 to 1706 Loose white sand 50 " 1756 Slate and shells 65 " 182l Muddy slate 15 " 1836 Slate and shells 12 " 1848 Muddy slate 20 " 1868 Slate and sand shells 30 " 1898 Sand 22 " 1920 Slate and shells 8 " 1928 Slate 60 '* 1988 Slate and shells 10 " 1998 Drilled dry. Cased 380' Drive pipe 25' Crevice drained off water 120' 230' Salt water 270' Drillers reported "oil smell" in sand from 1706 to 1756' The Oleau Conglomerate in this locality varies very much in its character. It is found changing from a coarse pebble conglomerate to a rather tine or even shaly sandstone in comparatively short distances. The "blue slate rock" directly under the drift in the Bear Creek well, represents probably a portion of the Olean Conglomerate. Silver Creek Well or "Dry Hole." Burton and Wallace. Owned by Messrs. Burton and Wallace, of Rynd Farm, situated on Silver Creek, west side of County road, between Wilcox and Ridgway, in warrant 3261, Ridgway Township, Elk County. Land leased from Wilcox Tanning Company. Drilling was commenced about the same time as at the Bear Creek Well, and was completed June 26, 1878. The record was reported by Mr. M. M. Schultz. No show of oil was found. The elevation of the top of the well is 1615 feet (Bar.) above ocean. Conductor 15' to 15' Slate 15" 30 Gray sand 25" 55 Pebble sand 30" 85 Red slate 5" 90 Black sand 60" 150 Fine blue sand 70" 220 Red slate 10" 230 Fine pebble rock '. 30" 260 Dark fine sand 40" 3oO Slate and hard shells 10" 310 Fine blue sand 70" 380 White slate Hard fine sand White slate and hard shells. Bed rock Soft white slate Hard shells and slate Soft white rock Red rock White slate Red rock White slate Red rock White shells and slate Red rock White slate Hard shells and slate White slate with shells Hard black sand Hard slate Black slate and shells Hard white sand Slate 10 to 22 25 28 40 42 20 50 25 75 45 Sand and shells Hard shelly rock Pale red rock and slate White slate and shells Red sand Soft slate Hard shells Light red sand Hard shelly rock Fine gray sand Hard red rock Slate and shells Red sand and pebbles Hard shells Slate and shells White slate Gray sand Ked rock Slate and hard shells Hard fine white sand Hard slate and shells Fine white sand Hard shells Fine gray sand Proc. Amkr. Phii.os. soc. XVIII. 102. I). PRINTED NOV. 22 10 45 10 20 8 7 45 25 20 8 T 390 445 540 545 (100 610 850 750 7(15 850 872 81)7 92:; 963 1005 1025 1075 1100 1175 1220 1235 1245 1255 1300 1310 1320 1332 1345 1365 1375 1395 1405 1415 1435 1460 1475 1510 1520 1528 1535 1580 1605 1025 1033 1040 1050 Hard shells and slate 15 to 1665 Hard shells 5 " 1670 Sand and pebbles 8 " 1678 Slate and shells 82 " 1760 Drilled dry. Cased 450' Conductor 15' Salt water in slate 445 to 540' red rock 1528 to 1535' Smell of oil reported in sand 1670 to 1078' The Olean Conglomerate is probably represented in tlu record by the sand from 30 to 85 feet below the top of the well. The records of the Hear Creek and Silver Creek Wells are invaluable as having a direct bearing upon the probable existence of petroleum to the south and south-east of Wilcox. It will be noticed that the mass of the red rocks are some :i00 feet lower in the the Bear and Silver Creek Wells than in the Wilcox Wells, estimating from the bottom of the Glean Conglomerate. The question as to whether the mass of red hands in the two localities are the same and whether the strata included between them and the Olean have thickened to the south and south-east, is extremely suggestive. Note.—The records are published just as they have been reported to me. I have not even altered the phraseology, which is quite different in a number of places where the same idea was evidently intended to be conveyed. I will merely add, for those who are unacquainted with the terms employed by the drillers, that "shell" means any hard stratum encountered in the well, and not, as might be supposed, a fossil. Nature's Reforesting. By Eli K. Price. (Read before the American Philosophical Society, Septoaber 20, 1878.) The paper on Sylviculture read in November and December, 1877, has produced the following confirmatory letters of views therein expressed. They are from the present Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, who lives in Beaver, and the Professor of Botany in the University of Pennsylvania, formerly a resident of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. Continental Hotel, Febuuary 11, 1878. My Deah Silt:—I have read the address you sent me on Sylviculture with great interest, especially as some of its facts have come under my own observation. The western part of Pennsylvania was once among the best wooded portions of it, yet the destruction of timber has plainly affected springs and streams. Many oj the sprmgs have become wet weather water courses, while the floods in the streams rise suddenly and high, and subside as quickly ; the rainfall running rapidly over the denuded surface, and failing to penetrate it, as when shaded by the forest, and covered with leaves and weeds. There is a curious fact I have never read of, yet which displays the effort of nature in the spread of vegetation. ln July, 1837, I returned home from the Constitutional Convention, which sat in Harrisburg. When passing along the canal in the valley of the Juniata, I noticed long reaches of stone covered mountain sides, bare of all vegetation from base to summit, and of most curious structure, the stones being, apparently, comminuted rocks, so small and flat as to have come to a regular inclination at angles, varying probably from twenty-five to forty degrees. After I began to come to that city to the sessions of our Court, passing upon the Pennsylvania Railroad, I occasionally looked for some of these naked stons mountain sides without seeing them. At first I supposed this to be accidental, my attention happening not to be drawn to them at the proper time. In the course of time I began to think I was mistaken, and that these bald spots had disappeared. I was led to look more closely and continuously, and saw a few left, but greatly diminished in extent, and some mere dots between growing trees. At last I discovered mountain sides covered with a very small growth of trees, mere shrubs in size. The last time my attention was given, I saw one large space of mountain side covered with the small flat stones before described, and in it here and there a single sapling or shrub or two standing alone, proving that from leaves or other vegetable matter deposited by the winds, soil had begun to be formed, and vegetation to grow. From what I have noticed of other stony mountain sides covered with large timber, along the same valley, I conclude that there was a time when all these mountains were similar rocky, and stony surfaces, bare of all vegetation, and left by the convulsions of nature just as she cast them up. I am very truly yours, DANIEL AGNEW. Hon. Eli K. Price. Beaver, August 26, 1N7K. My Dear Sir :—On my return by the Pennsylvania Railroad last week I discovered at several places the evidence of the fact I stated to you last winter in regard to the growth of timber on the bald stony surface of the Allegheny Mountains. I am now perfectly satisfied of the truth of my suggestions. I saw distinctly the remaining uncovered surface as of comminuted stone in patches small and great, the young growths of shrubs and sapling interspersed, with here and there one shrub in a bare patch, indicating the beginning of covering and the different stages of progress. The first point I noticed was about seven or eight miles west of Mifflin —the second at 161st mile to Pittsburgh—the third a1 152d mile to Pitts burgh—the fourth 140th mile to Pittsburgh, and the fifth just east of the Spruce Creek Tunnel. An examination of these places I have no doubt will show them to be constant!y arising. Yours Truly, &c., DANIEL AGNEW. Hon. Eli K. Price, Philadelphia, Pa. West Chester Co., Penna., August 29, 1878. My Dear Mr. Price :—Your letter was received yesterday. Owing to the work constantly pressing me I have been unable to gel away more than four days this summer. During that time I passed (in train) along the line of the Pennsylvania Central Railroad and in the narrows of the Juniata between Mifflin and Lewisto wn, and my attention was called to the fact that on a number of rocky places all the timber was small and of recent growth. This is at or near the places mentioned by Chief Justice Agnew, and in so far may be regarded as confirming his views, when taken in connection with the fact that extensive and destructive conflagrations appear to be less frequent there than formerly. Being raised in that region, I can remember when for miles the mountain sides each year were a line of fire. Though I have not been there of late years much of my time, I still feel justified in the statement that such events are now of rare occurrence. Fires doubtless do originate each year along the line of the Railroad, but they do not appear to spread far and wide as before. Touching the motion of the rocks as preventing growth; I can only give as an instance the old mountain road between McVeytown and Kishacoquillas Valley. This ran through some of the most rocky places in the region, and where the slope was very steep, and indeed almost undermined them on the upper side. For years this road was practically abandoned, at least no work was done upon it. I do not remember the place where the rocks had slidden enough to close the road. Indeed these very places were favorite places of growth for the Purple Flowering Raspberry (llubus odoratui*) and the Hydrangeu arborescens. Motion here must have been very slight. It is a source of great regret to me that I have not been able to take the time to go into a full investigation of this matter. As it is one of interest, and closely associated with my line of work. I believe that the large rocks allowing the snow and rain to find its way readily to a considerable depth have also favored carrying the soil in the same direction (and then away). Professor Hayden alluding to similar places in ouv western domain, otters this as an explanation of the scarcity of large trees there. Very sincerely Yours, J. T. ROTIIROCK. |