The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-05-17
Terrific Explosion of an Oil Well.

Brief mention has been made by tele-
graph of the terrific catastrophe that oc-
Cured at Oil Creek, Pa, by which fifteen
lives were lost through the explosion Of an
oil we'll on the Buchanan Flats. A cor
respondent Of the Buffalo Express, in re-
porting the disaster, says:
This farm contains, probably, more oil
wells, commenced and completed, than are
found On the same number Of acres in any
other part Of the oil region Unfortunately,
the cupidity of operators has caused wells
to be sunk in fearful proximity. The farm
lies On Oil Creek, about three miles from
its mouth aud the Allegheny River. The
well which caused this sudden and terrible
loss of life, and destruction of property,
was Owned by Merit L. Little, and un
derstand, had been pumping well, but,
failing in its supply, the proprietors were
drilling it deeper.
They hal reached the depth Of three
hundred aud twenty feet, when, at half
past five o'clock on Wednesday, the 17,h
inst, the drill penetrated a large assure in
the rock, and Immediately oil and gas
commenced flowing out of The top of the
we'll to the height of from Fifty to one
hundred feet, through a five inch hole
The atmos phere was heavy at the time,
which kept the gas near the ground, and
issuing from the well in such immense
quantities that the surrounding air was
completely filled with it. At six O'Clock
men sxtinguished the fires of the engines
in the immediate vicinity, and most OF
them went to their tea; after which, the
well being so great curiosity, and such
immense quantities of oil being wasted
people gathered by hundreds, some to wit.
ness the sight, and some to help save the
oil About seven e'clock-like the dis.
charge of thunderbolt, and with report
which was heard for miles-tte terrific
explosion took place. The air for hund
reds Of rods in circumference was one vas
sheet of intense flame, as of lightning.
The conclusion Frustrated every one
in the vicinity, and the ground around the
well, for some rods, being completely sat.
urated with oil, those who were knocked
down within this circle were immediately
enveoped in fierce flame, and in one
awful moment, nine human souls, unshri
ven unwsrned, were launched into eterni
tv, and from twenty-five to thirty serious
" burned, several of whom have since
died
The well which caused the accident,
continues to discharge through FIVE inch
hole 10 the height of forty or Fifty feet and
is still burning. They have been unable
as vet to suppress it, on account Of the
great heat and force with which the OF
and gas elected The heat is so intense
that people cannot get within seventy~fve
feet of the well, and as yet it has been i'm.
possible to secure the remains Of the killed
so that, horrible to relate, their blackenel
remains lie in full view, but out of reach
The sight of this well by nlght-only
for the thought Of the awful accident
which has accompanied it's brilliant
beyond imagination. Nothing could give
us as grand an idea of Vesuvius in itf
convusions az fierce as Vesuvius Itself
The flowing is accompanied by continua
noise, and tremendous throbs As the OF
and gas are forced above the surface o
the well. they are caught by the devasta
ting flame, accompanied TO its height, ant
separate with light reports like the explo
sion of sky-rockets, and as the particles OF
oil reach the ground they are agar
caught by the flames, which cover it tc
the distance of some twenty feet in each
direction.