The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-06-16
IN DREAD OF THUNDERBOLTS
Constantly Threatened by the
Danger Of Fire From the
Clouds lightning Con-
Quoted to the Great
Oil Tanks by Pill
lars Of vapOr.

DfidJOFu, IT,, rune 0.-lHt return
of tue eason OF thunder storms Away:
brir IS with it a feeling of great nneasi
ness in the oil regions. Scattered
about the great petroleum producing
tit Ids there are probably 1000 iror
tanks, in each one of which are stored
rroil 10, 600 to 40. 600 barrels of crud,
oil. Many Of them are situated liz tn,
midst of populous and cities
1t is not in the tact that the tanks ar,
made of iron that the danger of light
ming strokes arises. Evaporation o
oil confined in them produces a vapo,
tba: rises and hovers above them anC
becomes a perpetual attraction to thu
electric fluid. The protection of tank:
against lightning is a problem thai
scientific mar have been for years la
boring to solve. A fortune awaits the
mar who shall devise a plan to prevent
or lessen the damage that is annually
caused by lightning in the oil regions
The United Pipe Line Company, which
OWES nearly all the iron tanks in the
oil country, is attaching to a number
of is tanks an appliance by which
cheIaical action may be instantly
bro ght to bear on the cloud of smoke
which forms between the surface of oil
and the roo of q tank when it is set
on fire. This, it is claimed, will rem
der the presence of flame impossible,
and will lessen the number of oil fires.
No demonstrations of the value of the
extiaguisher has been made, but if Its
action is satisfactory, it Will be a God
Send tO the oil cOuntrv
Last season, during the great oil fire
at Titusville, when tank after tank
was belching its volumes of flame, a
spectator suggested that by firing q
cannon ball through the side of a tank,
near the bottom, before the oil boiled
owe the the top, the oil might be
drawn out and the spread of the con-
hagration stopped. 4 piece of ord
nance was at once procured and the
experiment tried. 1t vas successful.
Several tanks were drawn off in
this way, and the destruction of a
greot part of Titusville was prevented.
Nov the Pipe Line Company has a
large canno ready for use at an in
stant's notice, fixed in position at all
tanks where a fire would jeopardize
contiguous property.
The experiment of placing lightning
rods above the tanks is being tried
this year. One hundred and fifty men
have been putting up rods, seventy feet
above the tanks.
Besides the danger that threateneds
the oil regions every year from light
ming, there are other sources from
winch destruction may be periodically
expected. There are over $1,000 OIL
wells in the various districts. They
are nearly all flowing wells and are
constantly pouring out streams OF the
most infammable material. Pipe lines
conduct the oil in all directions through
the field. The ground, the buildings
highly combustible in themselves
street, fences, and all the surroundings
are entirely saturated with crude petro-
leum. The puddles in the roads are
pools of oil. Oil towns generally are
compact collections of buildings, On
structed without any regard to stahlli-
ty or the proximity of wells. Derricks
rise from the very door yards, stand
in the streets, and tower above the
buildings on every side. Through
these surroundings run railroads along
which locomotives scatter sparks and
Goals every hour in the day. Hundreds
Of natural gas wells send their produce
through pipes to all the towns, where
It is used in every house tor light and
fuel, and also at the oil wells. Great
pillars of flame are constantly lcaping
from pipes that give escape to gas from
wells, and which project from the
ground on every side. Ni~trogiycerine
factories are erected at convenient
points in the region, and this destruc-
tive agent is daily carted about the
country in wagons, to be used in tor
pedoing new wells and increasing the
flow of old ones. The premature ex
plosion of a torpedo, the alightlng OF a
from a locomotive, or the impru-
dent lighting Of the natural gas in one
of the intlammable dwellings is suttici-
to turn the whole country for miles
around into a sea of devourirg flame.
Forest fires are another source OF dan
ger in this peculiarly situated country,
and during the spring and fall bodies
of men are kept constantly watching
the woods to prevent fire from spread.
ing. Last year hundreds of tanks,
well buildings, and over 800, 900 barrels
of oil were consumed 10y fires in the
The oil towns of Oil Centre,
Otter City. Morrlsburg, and Mid
daghville, and the whole of Tram Hol-
were destroyed by forest fires