The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-08-22
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.


The I'd of August, 1865, had been a
close sultry day on Pit Hole Creek.
Brown as | will call him and l had a
pine shanty on the Ball Farm, overlook
ing the whole scene of operations on the
creek, and we had passed the most Of
this day there. He had written letter
to his wife that afternoon, and after SUM-
set he proposed walk over to the POST
office. l assented and we started forth.
We passed the huge tanks of the Boston
and HoIm len wells, where the oil was
gushing forth from the pipe in green
stream, wrist-thick, and we were near
Ipg the United States well, which was
pouring lorth eight or nine hundred
barrels per day, when gathering OF
men about a derrick near by arrested
our attention, and we paused.
ga new well, just begun flowing an
hour ago." said a man in answer 10 a
question. "Sucker-rad's in yet, and she
flows beautiful. Look for yourselves"
Brown walked up to the derrick. l
followed, stopping perhaps three rods
from it, and in two glances took in every
feature and figure of the scene. The
well had been put down on the fiat, in
nook which was inclosed by trees, except
toward the creek. 1t was about five
rods from the latter, and the engine
mouse was just to the right of it.
Forty men or more were collected
near the engine-house gazing intently at
the we'll, and perhaps twenty more were
scattered about the open space toward
the creek. l stood as near to the der
rick as any OF these latter. In the der
rick were three men standing on the
platform, two were Workmen employed
about the well, the third was Brown.
He stood just under the pipe, slightly
leaning on his cane, looking tXedly at
the gray-green stream oil oil gushing IN
irregular spurts from the mouth of the
pipe, with volumes of gas. A. barrel
had been placed beneath to catch the
oil, but 1t was filled to overfowing long
before, and for an area OF at least five
hundred square feet the dingy fluid had
settled into the ground, and now lay on
the ground to tue depth of two ieet.
rhe atmosphere all abuut was to con-
extent charged with gas.
There was binding flash like the
broad-sheeted lightning of sumner
storm, and an eXpIOsion like that of ar
tillery. Great tongues of fire darted
from the ground in every direction and
shot luridly upward with a sudden
glare. / do not remember that there was
a single voice raised in alarm; every
man knew in an instant that the we'll
and all about it was atire, and that the
way of safety was to the creek. There
was rush past me; l joined in 1T and
threw myself bodily into the water, but
not before L had felt the breath OF the
tlames In my tace and was almost en-
veloped by them.
The creek was thigh.deep; it was filed
;th In tIt,EI ,ly;,,
for safety on the opposite bank. With a
knee crippled by striking it against a
stump, l waded across, and only ven
tured to look back when the other side |
was reached. The sight was sublime
beyond description. SEEING upon the
1il which saturated the ground in guam
titles, the flames shot up vertically
above the tops of the trees, filling all the
1pen space where we had just stood
With torrent of fire, which reached
lown to the creek, roaring and raging
Is if mad at being pent byit.
Nor was il entirely pent; the fire was
to the tloaling blotches O
Dill, and the surface OF the creek itself
was speedily dotted with flame. Great
spiral Wreaths OF fire curle1 round the
,lmDers Of the derrick and ran up the
rees, reminding me on the instant OF
LaocoOn and his sons in. the deadly en-
)race OF the serpents. The heat was in
,ense, and the fire threatened to leap the
narrow belt Of water which separated US
rom it.
Half stunned and bewildered by the
,uddenness of the catastrophe, | slowly
,athered my senses together. Half a
iozen figures cfaWled up the bank near
ne; the air was tilled with screams and
lowls of agony, and three or four crazy,
figures danced and ran be-
ore me with tattered clothing and TOSS
ng arms. A voice family called my
lame, and one of these figures APP
preached me. 1t was BroWn-but U
low changed! His clothing was burned
20 rags, his face blackened and blistered, |
lair almost gone, and the hands that he
leld pltifully up to me We're cruelty
,urned. Groans of mortal woe, which |
lis strong will could notcontrol, poured |
rom his lips.
The calamity had caught him with the |
wo other men Ill the derrick, in the very
,enter of raging whirlpool OF fame, |
through which he had rushed, falling |
nee headlong, and reaching the water |
llmself mass of flame. The scene at |
he moment that l discovered him was |
me to make the stoutest heart sicken /
With anguish Tor the miserable VIC
inns. They ran madly in every direc-
ion, filling the air with their shouts and |
creams; and even after they were Sc
ured and placed under surgical care |
he hours OF all that dreadful and mem-
rable nightWere vocal withtheir woeiul /
rIes.
Poor Brown was shockingly burned; |
nd though suffering the most eXcruci-
liug pain, his vigorous vitality held the |
estroyer at bay for eight days before
is tortured body released its spirit and