Louisiana capitolian., 1881-08-13
WHY HIS HAIR TURNED WHITE.
An Experience I'm the Oil Regions
Shooting 1T = Burning TNnk
With u Cannon.
Philadelphia Times.

HOW dld my nalr turn whlteI Wen,
sir, if you will sit down on that new
bull shaft while turn off the gas ut the
boiler and slack the sand line in the
derrick will tell you. don't toll the
story very often, but If Boylston sent
you here to see me guess it's all right.
was originally q Bostonian, having
been raised mt the Hub. When / left ]
had Just been ground out Of IN educa-
tional mill and had the brand 'assthet-
ic' blown in each bottle. ] thought OF
the oil country as q place where barba-
rians lived and where good, smart man
could make q fortune in three weeks. 1t
is needless to say that | wasgreatly fool
ed. came to the oil country fresh as
a daisy and before living in it two
weeks ! came to the conclusion, none
the less sure because it was forced, that
| was more fit to draw o team or saw
wood than ! was to be an oil king. /
knew how to handle horses, for my
father kept afrst-class carriage, and as
was strong and healthy there was no
reason why ] should 60 home failure
] will not tell you Of the struggles
against pride had, for you can doubt
less appreciate my position. Suffice it
to say / am head driller on this well
and that ] am striking back at misfor-
tune vigorously as it bestowed sledge-
hammer blows on me two or three
years ago.
"rhere had been q heavy storm one
night at about midnight and as usual
with the oil country residents, arose
and looked from the window to see if
any tanks had been struck with light
ming. A bright glare in the sky con-
vnced me that large tank of oil was
on fire few miles distant, and went
back to sleep determined to 90 to the
fire at noon and see the first overflow
You know that when q 55,00O-barrel
iron tank of oil has been on fire for
twelve or fourteen hours the burning
oil will boil up and flow over the sides
just like q kettle Of soap. At ) o'clock
the first grand overflow occurred As /
stood on the hill. side picking wild ber-
ii heard man shout, She's coming
and saw pipeline men running away
from the tanks for their lives. heard
rumbling sound inside the tank, and
didn't know what it meant, but a few
seconds afterward ] saw fully five hum
dred barrels of oil shoot mp from the
tank and boil over the sides. 1t was
grand beyond description and ! stood
and watched it in silence. The burning
oil iIOated down o creek for mile,
burning saw mill, numerous oil
wells and tanks, buildings. and every
thing within reach of it's devastating
breath. When the flow had partly
subsidized it was found that q second
$1,000 barrel iron tank had been set on
fire by the overflow of burning oil.
Being somewhat inquisitive | ventured
down behind the burning tanks to get
y better view from the lower side.
While trying to avoid pool of burning
oil fell into mud hole or sort of
1uicksand and stuck fast. My utmost
endeavOrs were of no avail in extrica-
ting myself from the hole. yelled ut
the top Of my voice but SO great was the
roar Of the burning tanks that my voice
sounded weak and far away. strug-
gled until exhausted, and then lay
back and rested. How beautiful the
great pillar Of black seemed in the
clear blue sky. Great pillows of smoke
would 60 surging up hundreds of feet
and float away into space, their sombre
hucs turned into snowy whteneSs ]
thought the boys would miss me and
search for me. Suddenly heard the
sound of a cannon and saw column Of
flame and smoke shoot up from one of
the tanks. The trnth came upon me
like bolt of lightning and ] was al.
most stricken senseless by the thought.
The United Pipe Line men were firing
cannon balls through the first tank to
draw off the oil and prevent a second
overflow. Great God what a convic-
ton came upon Inc !! The burning oil
would flow down upon me. It was a
matter of seconds. tried to shout, but
the words would not come. With the
strength Of despair ] struggled to get
free. The quicksands held me with the