In 1826 the upstate New York settlement of "Jamesport" was renamed "Gasport" when engineers working on the Erie Canal noted the natural gas rising from local springs.
Most of those springs are long gone, but a few remain.
One of those is located in a woodlot south of Slayton Settlement Road.
Here, a pipe was placed in it and a small vent was lit for an eternal flame. You can see how, decades ago, when hoboes traveled the land, they used such flames for cooking.
In this video you can see gas bubbling from the water and watch its effects on a kitchen match.
