Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-08-15
NOW rHE OIL CROSSED THE HILLS.

Cor. Clinton IN. W Democrat.
John Ward, one Of the watchmsn on duty
during the filling of the new oil pipe line,
gives the following account Of what be saw.
The line crosses Hiner,,s. Run on ita head
waters, at . place called McClure's springs.
Here there is quite ahollow or Depression
in the ground. From this place to the res
idence Of Mr.. Holding, SEINE ak miles be-
yond, there is q gradual rise; this the oil
had to CLIMB after passing the eholl0N at the
spring. 1 was told to watch We'll this hol-
low, a. the oil had ascended Kettle Creek
mountain and was coming. l repaired to
the hollow and lay some hours thsre when
I heard 4 sound Ike heavy wind, andptes.
emily heard the oil gurgling past. I waited
some time. There was no leakage, and all
seemed perfect.
81 thought that the pipe line Was : success
iff03r! sure,'ana 90 leitEy position and passed
aloug tossee II it wal all right ahead. I
he'd gone some two miles when I received .
dispatch to watch we'll the hollow aud not
to leave it for some time; 30 I fastened
back. Imagine my astonishment when I
saw the pisoe I had left such q short time
before 80 tame, now kissing at 10000 points.
JET of oil were flying twenty feet high and
hnidreds.of barrels flowing down Hiners
Rus, never 70 see . market.
T thought the pipe was gone up sure. At
first I was afraid to approach it, but soon
grew valiant, and with .calking chisel I set
10 work to stop the leak. l made poor head
way. 1t vas a dark night, and I dared have
no light. l had taken off my coat, the
whi1Iing oil carried away my hat and l
very roof became thoroughly drenched with
oil. Ny pockets and my hair and eyes
were full. and if I was not then an oil man
u would like to know what constitutes
one. l at length grew sick, and supposed
I would have TO give up and all wonid be
lost, when all at once the whizzing stopped
and instead Of an out pressure, I could.h hear
an In drawings suction of air. I now
realized the fact that the oil had all this
time been climbing the upgrade to MI.
Holdings hut was now on the descent for
Pine Bottom Run. This caused q suction,
and relieved the hollow at the springs.
I again waited some time, when l receiv-
ed a dispatch to hasten to Harneyville,
that the pipe was bursting. l procured a
horse and went with all speed. When l
arrived the people there we're greatly excit-
ed. The pipe was %throbbing and whlzzing
at every pore. Mcclure springs were no.
where. The oil was spouting from the pipes
for miles. I made no attempt to calk. l
knew from nv experience at McC!ure's
Springs that the oil had reached and was
climbing the high mountain below Pine
Creek, but the pressure was so great that
feared every moment the pipes would burst.
Here was q force against which human pow.
er was of no avail, hence we only stood and
looked on, when suddenly, as quick a.
thought, all commotion ceased, except a
sucking of air, and I heard the oil pass rap
idly along the pipe and knew it had crossed
over the mountain and was speeding its
way to Williamsport, with no more noun
tains to climb. and that the oil line was an
established fact.