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of bitumen are found in the Timber Belt and Eagle Ford beds. Thus, in the counties of Sabine, Shelby, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, Anderson, Grimes, Travis, Bexar, and others, oil in small quantity has been found. Most often, it is true, the quantity has been too small to be of much economic importance, but in Nacogdoches County one of the fields has had considerable development and the results are satisfactory. Besides these deposits there are others in the Carboniferous region, where small quantities of oil are secured in wells and springs which appear to have a larger quantity of the lighter oils connected with them. The only places at which oil is at present produced are Nacogdoches and San Antonio.
NACOGDOCHES OIL WELLS.—In the vicinity of Chireno, Nacogdoches County, a number of oil wells have been bored, many of which became producers. A pipe line was run connecting the wells with the railroad at Nacogdoches, and shipments of oil have been made from time to time. This locality produces only a lubricating oil, but it has the property (through absence of paraffine) of withstanding very severe cold, and is therefore of high market value for railroad use where such oils are needed.
SAN ANTONIO OIL WELL.—Mr. Geo. Dulnig, when boring on his place for water, at a depth of three hundred feet struck petroleum, and subsequently, in another boring at some distance from the first, came upon it at two hundred and seventy feet. The flow is only about twenty gallons a day, but is continuous and regular. The oil is a superior article for lubricating purposes.
GAS.
Another economic product accompanying these beds of bitumen and oil is Natural Gas. Its existence has long been known in Shelby, Sabine, and adjoining counties, and it was found in well boring in Washington County and elsewhere many years ago. Within the last two years fresh borings have been made in the vicinity of Greenvine, in Washington County, and the flow of gas found to be of considerable amount. It has been found near San Antonio at depths of from four hundred to eight hundred feet, and also at Gordon and other places in the Carboniferous area. No attempt has yet been made to bring it into use, or even to fully test the character or extent of the fields thus far determined.









