The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-05-08
Singular and Terrible Accident

O1ALS tAdL NIAu ACL1l U1G hCCluSuJ
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE-EIGHTEEN PERSONS
KILLED AND A LARGE NUMBER worNpED-
AN OIL WELL IN FLAMES, &C.
Since the discovery of oil, the coun-
try around Titnsville, Warren county.
Pa, has been literally honey -combed
with oil wells, and in every direction
in which the eye may wander. it falls
upon derrickS erected over these res
ervoirs of oil, and what was a Short
time since almost solitude, is now
teeming with busy population all
active and intent uuon +" St,1kanQ lie"
and thus an'assng fortune. 1t is
true many fortunes have been made.
hut as all Offset to this. vast amounts
Of money have been sunk, in return for
which, no. singh, copper has been
received. The goddess, Fortune,
seems to exert her magic POWER in
quite an irregular and uncertain man.
ner. Success, which means oil. comes
when least expected, and fuilura when
the signs would guaranty success.
Some of the successful wells are those
That have been sunk to depth of 500
/ feet. This is unfortunate, since men
who have went down three or four
hundred feet without reachi g oil, still
continue to bore, buoy ed up by the
phantom Hope, that they NAV vet
reach it, until they reach the immense
depth of 600 feet, when, instead of oil
frequently come ruin and dispair. One
fellow, having gone down 800 feet,
ran out of funds, and was forced to
stop work but having obtained mo-
ney from his friends, he began work.
and in resUm;ng, placed over his well
this expressive sign, "OiI, He'll, or
China" We have not heard whether
he has struck either rs yet.
About II miles from TitusviIle,
Messrs Rouse, Mitchell, end Brown,
were engaged in sinking a we'll. On
Wednesday, having gone down 800
feet, they struck a very rich vein of
oil, whose yield was most extraorli-
nary. so great was the pressure that
stream of oil was thrown into the
air to the height of from so to 100
feet The dampness of the Amos
phere prevented the gas which comes
up with the oil, from rising, AMI con-
sequently the surrounding atmosphere
was thoroughly impregnated with the
gas. About I o'clock in the evening,
after the workmen had stopped work,
number of persons attracted by Gu.
riosity to see SO fine well, gathered
around it, when Mr.. Rouse, one of
the owners, taking out a segar, began
TO light il. Instantly an explosi IN
like the roar of II vast park of artillery
took place, and fame Of fire of large
diameter, shot up to the heavens, re-
sembling Il vast pillar of fire. Those
around the we'll were at once prostra-
tel |, and the ground being saturated
with oil, they were wrapped up in
winding sheet of flames, and death en-.
sued. Nine persons were instantly
killed, and twenty five badly injured
and burned, many of whom will not
recover. Mr.. Rouse, the owner was
knocked down, but recovering, ran a
short distance, and tainted Two
strangers rushed in and carried him
out Of the flames He fingered but
day or two, however, and died.
Mr.. r. had amassed a fortune of
100000 in the oil business, half of
which lie gave to the poor of Warren
county He alse gave 5000 to each
of his reScuers. Mr. r. was member
Of the House of Representatives of the
State during the session Of 1859 Up
to the last report the well continued TO
spout up its stream Of fire, rendering
it impossible to recover the bodies of
those who were killed near the well.
Eighteen persons have already died,
and more will probably die of their
wounds.
This is, probably, the most remark
able accident on record. It was so
entirely new in the history of oil wells
Il at no precautions were taken to
guard against it. Here was a well
sending up stream of oil like vast
water spout at sea, and instantly, as
quick as the fash of lightning, by the
simple lighting Of q segar, it changes
with terrific explosion into an i'm
mense volcano of fire, which1illumi-
mates the whole country for miles
around. To one unacqnainted with
the cause, it would have seemed as if
the final day had.come, and the earth
was resolving itself into ball of fire.