The daily gazette., 1881-07-29
WHY HIS HAIR 4 URNED WHITE
An Experience In the OIL Region
shooting NJ . Burning Tank with
CannOn-A PerflOus Position.


Correspondence of the Pa, Times.
BRADFORD, IA, July 23-"How did
my hair turn white? Well, sir, ifyou
will sit down On that new buil-wheel
shaft while l turn off the gas at the
boiler and slack the sand line In the der
rick l will tell you. l don't tell the
story very often, but ii Boylstol sent
you here to sec me guess it's all right.
l was originally Bostonian, having
been raised at the Hub. When lett
had just been ground out Of an educa-
tional mill and had the brand aesthetic
blown In each bottle. thought of the
oil country as q place where barbarians
lived and where good, smait man
could make fortune In three weeks. 1t
is needless TO say was greatly fooled. l
came TO the oil country fresh as daisy
and before living in II two weeks came
10 the conclusion, hone the less sure be-
cause 1t was forced, that l was more fit
10 drive team or saw wood then was
to be an oil king. knew how 10 handle
horses, for my father kept first class
carrisge,an as l was strong and healthy
there was no reason why should 60
home failGre. will not tell you OF
the struggles against pride had, Tor you
eau doubtless appreciate my position.
Suffice it TO say am head driller OH
this well and that am striking back at
misfortune as vigorously as 1t bestowed
sledge- hammer blow on me two or three
years ago.
"There had been q heavy sto. m one
night at about midnight and, as usual
with the oil cpuntry residents, arose
aud looked from the window to see If
any tanks had been struck by lightning.
A bri ght glare In the sky convinced me
that q large tank OF oil was Oh lire few
miles distant, aud / went back to sleep,
determined " 60 to the fire al noon and
see the first overflow. You know that
when $4,000 barrel iron tank OF oil
has been on fiIe for twelve or fourteen
hours the burning oil will boil up and
| flow over the sides just like kettle OF
soap. At 2 O'Clock the first grand over
| flow occurred. As stood on the hillside
picking wild berries heard man
shout. Shes coming aud saw pipe line
men running away from the tank for
their lives. l heard rumbling sound
meant, but iew seconds after saw
fully five hundred barrels Of burning oil
shoot up from the tank and boil over the
sides. 1t was grand beyond description,
and / stood aud watched |. in silence.
| The burning oil foated down q creek
| for mile, burning saw mill, numer-
GUS oil wells and tanks, buildings, and
everything within reach of Its devastine
breath. When the flow had partly sub
sided 1t was found that a second 25 900
barrel iron tank had been set on fire by
the overflow OF burning oil. Beinf
somewhat inquisitive ventured dowI
behind the burning tanks to get bettel
view from the lower side. While trying
to avoid pool Of ofbuInlng oil fell into
mud hole or sort OF quicksand and stucl
fast. My utmost enteavors were of M
avail In extrlcating myself from the hole
| yelled at the top of my voice, but 8,
great was the roar of the burning tank.
that my voice sounded weak and ia
away. / struggled until exhausted, ant
then lay back and rested. How
beautiful The great pillar of blacl
seemed In the clear blue sky. Grea
billows of smoke would 60 surgin,
upwards hundreds of feet and float ava.
into space, their sombre hues turned Il
l SNOWY WulLutoSs thOuBbb buO wy,
would miss me and search for me
Suddenly heard the sound Of can
non and saw column Of fame ant
smoke shoot up from one of the tanks
The truth came upon me like bolt o
lightning and was almost stricken sen
seless by the thought. The Unite,
pipe Line men were firing cannon ball
throught tue first tank to draw off tn
oil and prevent q second overflow
Great Godl what conviction cam
upon me! The burDi & oil would fos
down upon me! 1t was a matter @
seconds. / tried TO shout, but tn
words would not come. With tb
strength of despair struggled to &c
free. The quicksand held me with tb
grip Of ten thousand. All at once
saw q little stream OF burning oil run
ming slowly down towards me. My tim
had come, thought, and l must b
burned to death by inches. The cart
was dear TO me then-deaier than eve
beforehand turned to get look q
the sunlight and the bright world ono
. more. The horror ana fear passe
z away, and l was ready to die. Th
: stream of burning oil, now grown lal
= ger, was almost upon me, but did nj
r seem to care. saw 1t as In drean
8 The earth and all things earthly fade
away and all was dark. When l cam
r back TO consciousness was lying In M
own room with my friends around m
The boys said that In following Il
: supposed course Of the overfowed o
they came upon me aud rescued me ju
as the burning stream was about
dash upon me. was sick lor
. while. And when got well / four