Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-06-08

! condition will keep Tor any time.
[From the Belefonte watchmanI
Correspondence from the Oil Region
Mn. Enron As have seen several dstor
ted and very incorrect accounts of the recent fire
and loss of life in the Oil Regions, and as a cor
rect and full description Of that terrible causuaty
has not yet been published, have concluded tc
send you one which you one may either commit
to the flame ofyour columns as suits your hu
NOR.
In order that your readers may fully under
stand it, it will be necessary to briefly desc be ar
oil we'll
The mode of making these differ in dfferen,
localities in depends on the nature of the earth
which is to be penetrated in reaching the rock
In some sections the rock in usually reached by
digging but on Oil Creek it is cove. cd by a very
deep deposit of aruvia, which is SO filled with
water as to render digging impossible. They
therefore, are compelled to drive iron pipes of s
or inch calibre to the rock. In some instances
they have been driven 100 feet, but usually from
80 to 60 feet When the rock is reached and
the pipe firmly driven into it, drilling commences
and is carried until "oil is struck" issure
containing it is found, when the gas which always
accompanies it throws it out with great violence
and with pulsations as regular as those of the
human heart when the body is at rest. This
discharge frequently contiues until sufficient oil
is discharged to ray all expenses. and has given
rise to those absurd stories Of fabulous yields OF
oil which one frequently secs in print. Often it
has ''blown out" pump Is sssSsrted, worked with
steam and the product which at first was perhaps
100 barrels per day, diminish to S, 10 or Is har'
rels per "a hours.
The land upon which this well is located be.
longs to ex'Representative Rouse and Mitchell,
and is covered with oil wells at intervals of or
8 rods. They were drilling it and had reached
the depth of $50 feet, which vein was "struck,
which threw up oil and gas In far greater quaint
ties than had yet been seen. 1t discharged a
column the full size of the pipe, l6 inches, with
such force as to raise it $50 feet in the air, and
the quantity of gas which is identical with that
used in lighting Cities was great as to he dis
tinctly visible. The evening was calm, and it
therefore became exceedingly dense in the neigh.
borhood Of the WELL and in three quarters of an
hour it had apparently dlIused itself through the
whole, as about that period it ignted and expod.
cd with report louder than the heaviest artillery
and with shock that shook the earth for miles
around. Then followed q scene which entirely
beggars description. The ground near the well
full of cavities containing oil, SO that it stood
knee deep over most of the surface. When re.
Gently pnmped it contains large percentage Of
a volatile explosive and very inilaHmabe liquid
called bepzole or benzne. Within and surround
ed by this mass Of inAnmmable matter, were Mr..
Rouse and a number Of men, some engaged in
barreling oil, while others were attracted by Gu.
riosity. All these simultaneously with the ex.
plosion were enveloped with, and several appa.
rently instantly killed hy:s tie explosion. and
Al. 81 - a. a. al.
clothing saturated with oil and flaming high
above their heads. Some rushed out and with a
shrek fell dead, blackened, charred and burned
out of all semhlance of humanity. One heroic
young man, Mr.. Skinner, after escaping him
self, rushed back and recovered two, but in re-
turning for the third he unfortunately fell and
was burned to DEATH
Mr. Rouse was one of those rescued by Skin.
ner, and when found it was impossible for his
most intimate friends to recognize him. When
asked who he was by those who had just from
him in health, he appeared to be greatly shocked
and exclaim, is it possible that no one knows
Rouse? Parts of his body were completely con-
sumed and the whole surface charred, yet in this
horrible condition he lived eight hours entirely
free from pain, and with a mind as clear it
ever was. He dictated his will, conversed cheer
fully, and could scarce believe the physicians
when they assured him that he must die, decla'
ration that he never felt better in his life.
Including him since the fire, l6 have died, and
ls are still vnde treatment, of whom three are
in great danger but may recover if the weather
remains cool. The remains of five are known to
be under the heap Of manure and earth with
which the FIRE was smothered, but as there were
several strangers present it is believed that there
were more, and this is strengthened by the recent
discovery of the irons of some carpet sacks in the
vicinity OF the well, the fire continued for sew.
eral days, and the heat was sufficiently intense
in some parts to entirely disspate every vestige
of man. The number will never be certainly
known. This is correct statement of the
casualty as can be made. and as AN one of the
attending physicians, have had every facility
to acquire correct information
As to the causes that produced the explosion,
there are various opinions. Some believe it was
ignited by cigar, but the immense amount Of
gas and its extensive diffusion render it probable
that it gnited at distance from the well.
Regarding it as pyrotechnc Gf you will
allow the expresson) display, it was the most
awfully grand ones ever presented to mortal
eye. More than half an acre Of ground, in.
GLIDING four wells and buildings attached
with large barn, was covered with dense
vivid, and roaring mass Of fame from so to
l0c feet high, whilst in the centre, towering
high above the rest, was the above mentioned
column of OIL now burning with fury and
throwing off particles iu every conceivable
angle while exploding in the air, threw out
myriads OF brilliant sparks others of larger
size fell with graceful curvature to the ground
where they exploded with loud report
High above this column famed the burning
gas, and the whole was capped and envelop'
ed by the black, thick. dismal smoke of burn
ing bitumen. the whole surgiug up aud down
TO and fro, with each pulsation Of the mighty
force below, each throb of which was attend
ed with hideous, roaring, rushing sound.
Add to all this the cccasionrl glimpse of q
human body as it was tossed about on the
fiery billows, tho fact that each spectator
feared that it might be the remains OF q
friend or.relative, ond the shrieks and cries Of
men and women as they run frantically
around, calling upon the names OF husband
brother, or friend, and you have an accumula
tion OF horrors which no pen can describe.
WM. B. SHuGERT.
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