The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-08
FR ON THE OIL COUNTRY.
The Fire upon PtthOIe-YIeId OF Pit
hole WeIIS-FRiIure of the CGquette.

hole WeIIs-FaiIure of the C0quette.
Especial correspondence of tue Cleveland LEADER
OIL CITY, August 8. 1865.
Not having yet prscticed sufficiently
pont the stage to be able to Hsppesr in
two pieces " upon the same occasion, it was
impossible for me- to have bean at Frank
lin and also upon Pithole upon the day of
the burning well in the latter locality. I
cannot, therefore, give you q graphic de-
scription from personal inspection, of that
decidedly graphic event. But it can read
ily be- imagined that the occasion mua
have been one Of fearful excitement and
apprehension. Oae who has never wit
messed either q gas or q g%unpowder explo-
sion must have but a faint idea Of the aw-
fulness Of such an event when of any con-
siderable proportions. In the case of the
Pithole well, the oil had been pumped
upon the ground, for want Of tanks, he
we'll having besn that Day struck and no
reoeptacles hsving been provided. In this
way q large space Of ground was complete
" covered or saturated with tbeoi', while
its large surface caused a great amount of
evaporation, filing the surrounding stmos-
phers with the iniamable gas. This,
coming in contact with the fire of the en-
CINE which hsd bsen employed in pump
in The well, iguited at once, and a terrific
explosion ensued, while the gas and oil
combined to make 3 flame which rose 20
the height of one hundred or more feet,
while above all rose a cloud Of dense black
smoke IS from. the pit OF q pitchy furnace.
To the spectator upon the surrounding
hills this was a reslz alton of the old le-
gends which gave to Pithole its name and
ifs pu-xstorinl reputation. as being the
abode OF me demons Of The pit
The vicinity Of the burning well (which,
during all the burning, continued TO dow q
heavy stresn Of oil, thus adding fresh !uel
TO the devouring hames) OF course was the
centre of attention and excitement. Curl
osity to get AS near the fierce fire as posi-
Bile, struggled with the caution which
warned all that it might at any moment
extend TO the surrounding wells, TO the
enormous tanks of the Homestead well,
only five hundred feet distsnt-snd thence
come to the United Ststes welis, y quarter
of 8 mile below, and thus engUlf the entire
valley in its fiery food. Reports of all d.
mansions spread rapidly around IS to the
number Of persons who had been attacked
by ths flames. 1t was apparent to all that
all who might lave been in and about the
derrick or engine house at the time of the
explosion must inevitably have been fright
fully burned, il even their lives were spar
ed, but scarcely any two Ggreed as to the
number Of those thus ENDANGERED Three
men had rushed through the flames to The
outer air in horrible agony, portions of
their flesh chsTred and crisp, but none of
them were in b condition TO know or tell
how many companions in misery there
might be ldt behind unable TO escape.
Meanwhile gangs Of lsborers were en-
gagged for the smothering Of the fire, and
Ut length its progress WINS stayed by dig
ging up the earth and covering up the oil
! that was on'the ground After great labor
this was accomplished, and a long and
, crooked tubing was sttsched TO the tubing
st the well, through which the oil was es
Cagiug, and thus TIE hoW WAS conducted
away from the fire, which was then sub.
dued and ex.in guished. So far as l can
learn there were 10 lives lost outright, the
three men above mentioned being the only
ones seriously burned. II is wonderful
that many persons were not burned tC
, death. Had the fire extended to the othel
large wells, with their thousands of barrels
of oil in their tanks, the consequence
) would have been wondel fully appalling.
The csuse of this disastrous fro GbC
pouring of the oil upon the ground ior tht
want Of tsRks,) will not be likely to be re
. pested. Tn lesson is too costly TO be for
gotten.
Pithole Is adding each day 10 It's reputs
> ton as oil producing territory. TIL Re ar,
now, l believe, ten wells in the vicinity o
/, the United States well, all flowing largely
50 that their united product cannot be shor
!. Of three thousand barrels per day. Tn
MISUNDERSTANDING 4e-HaA+ketEte esthe
I with the Increasing production, tends &
keep the price down. l hear OF sn offer 0
ten thousand barrels at two dollars and
: half at the wells.
The Coquette well, upon the Egber
farm, wss tapped q few days ago by 3 vel
owned by Graf & Hsssan, and ceased t
5 flow. SiRcetheD, an en- CINE and pump hsv,
been ftted up, and The Uoquetie is pumpin,
: about one hundred barrels per day. Tn
: Coquette has yielded 8 pTinceiy revenue t
) her owners, and shall ever he renowned a
among the big things Of the oil region.
CHIPS.