The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-02-27
4 pERILOUs BUSINESS.
How the Operation ef Torpedoing OIL
Wells In Conducted.

How the Operation ef Torpedoing OIL
Wells In Conducted.
The Pittsburg Leader says torpedoing
oil wells has grown within the past ten
years to be a business of considerable
magnitude. There is not well now
operated in the oil country but what is
more or less torpedoed. Those who have
never seen an oil well, and are unac-
uuainted with the business, will no
doubt wonder why this is the case. For
their information it might be well to
state the reasons: The first is for the
purpose of blasting the oil rock, thereby
creating crevices through which the
fluid finds its way into the well. Asau
illustration, many wells are put down to
the proper depth without producing one
gallon of oil until torpedoed, and then
they would flow. Before torpedoing
came into vogue hundreds of expensive
holes were put down and abandoned
which would no doubt have proven
"spouters had they been properly
immediately after they are down,
whether they are good ones or dry holes.
The second reason is, after wells are
opened awhile the oil sand becomes
clogged up with parafine. 1t is then
necessary to clean them out, and nitro
glycerine has been found to be the most
efectual. Torpedoing is rather expen-
sive, but it of course pays, or the pro-
ducer would not pay the steep prices
asked by those who follow the business
The price charged for torpedo is regu-
lated by the quantity Of explosive ma
terial which it contains. For instance,
a shell containing a quart of nitro-gly-
cerine costs $40, and 500 is charged for
each additional quart. Four quarts is
the average amount used for q single
shot; sometimes, however, as high as
sixteen quarts are used.
The Roberts Torpedo Company for a
long time monopolized the business,
and operators were compelled to pay
the prices asked by Roberts, who claims
to be the inventor of the process, and
had it patented. The immense profits
of the trade soon had the effect of in
ducing many others to 60 into the dam
gerous traffic. Other torpedoes were
patented, but E. A. L. Roberts, claimed
that they were all infringements on his
patent, and prosecuted them to the bit
ter end. The large capital which he had
accumulated out of the business enabled
him to do this, and in every instance he
was successful in gaining the suits. FL
nally, however, class of men went into
the trade who defed the monopolist,
and even the law. These men are now
known throughout oildom as Moon
lighters" and in truth they have the
sympathy of the producers, and their
patronage, too, to great extent. The
moonlighter does the work for about
one-half the price charged by agents of
Roberts Torpedo Company, and then he
makes a big thing out of it. The "moon-
lighter" is indebted to the appellation
to the fact of his being compelled to do
his work after night, for if detected in
theact of shooting hole :" by one Of
Roberts detectives, he is served with an
Injunction. If he is found to repeat the
ofense, he is then ARRESTED for con-
tempt of court and jailed or put under
bail. The Colonel pays very literally
| for information in respect to these free.
hooters, and this has been the means OF
making number of informers, who are
continually watching the actions and
following up the trail Of the "moon.
lighter"
The danger attending the life of tor
pedo agent, and particularly the mid
night manipulation of nitro-glycerine, il
80 great that it requires an immense
amount of nerve. The latter is dogged
by night and watched by day, and he
knows not at what minute an officer
will pounce out upon him and put hin
behind the bars. Again, as said before
he is compelled to do the work at night
which enhances the danger of handling
| the compound a hundredfold. Tn,
slightest mistake, single misstep,
the striking of his can against anythin,
or the spilling of a drop of the explosiy
| fluid would, ten to one, send him int
eternity so badly minced that Pete
would not recognize him. The Coroner
| jury investigations in the large numbe
of sudden deaths which have occurre,
in cases of this kind, and are occurrinI
throughout the oil region every day
means only ceremony over the spo
where the accident took place, and no
over the remains of anybody. The,
don't expect to find even enough Of tn
body to be seen through microscope
and, what is more, never take the trou
BILE to look. The moonlighter secrete
his stock in trade in every conceivabl
place. Hollow trees, brush piles, oil
logs, under rocks, and, in fact, any plac
where it would be less likely to be foun
The writer remembers rather an anus
. ing incident which occurred some tim
since near Triangle, in consequence c
this indiscriminate use of brush pile
for magazine purposes. A. gentleman G
that place was out cunning one da!
and fired load of shot at a rabbit jus
as it was entering brush pile. Th
shot took effect in can of nitro-glycel
inc. The gentleman said his surprii
was so great that he Immediately s.
down. No doubt he did, for the cor
cussion broke glass in Triangle, mi
distant. The rabbit was never fount