The true northerner., 1881-08-19

4 Marrow Escape from Death ~
Burning Oh.

Burning Oh.
tTrom the Philadeiphia Timee.l
"How did my hair turn white Well,
sir, if you win sit down on that new
bull wheel shaft while turn off the gas
ut the boiler and slack the sand line in
the derrick, will tell you"
A young man of splendid physique
aud handsome features paused long
enough in his work of detaohing the
walking-beam from the shaft crank at
drilling well to ask his visitor to be seat
ed and wait till he was through with his
work before explaining why his hair was
of q color SO out OF keeping with his
age.
"And 80 you want to know how my
hair turned white? Well, don't know;
don't tell the story very often, but If
Boylston sent you here to see me l
guess it's all right was originally
Bostonian. having been raised ut the
Hub. l don't look as though were
faint-hearted, do /? About two years
ago l was In hard luck for some reason
or other, and, as it never rains but it
pOurs, I had all sorts of misfortunes, the
most remarkable of which turned my
hair from color mOderat ly black to
the silvery whiteness you see now.
There had been 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 by lightning. A
bright glare in the sky convinced me
that large tank of oil was on fire few
miles distant, and went back to sleep,
determining to go to the fire at noon
and see the first overflow. You know
that when q 25, 900 barrel iron tank of
oil has been on fire for twelve or four
teen hours the burning oil will boil up
and flow over the sides just like kettle
of soap. Well, about noon, in company
with three or four young fellows, went
to the fire. 1t was beautiful day. The
sun shone mellow and subdued on the
earth, the hills were robed in brightest
green after the rain, and the birds were
having happy time in the trees Hun
dreds of feet in the air hung grand
pillar of blacklist smoke, and from out
the huge tank fierce flames were shoot
ing upward, as if to burn the vault of
heaven.
"At 2 o'clock the first grand overflow
occurred. As I stood ON the hillside
picking wild berries, l heard man
Shout, she's coming, and saw nipe-line
men running away from the tank for
their lives. L heard rumbling sound
inside the tank and didn't know what it
meant, but few seconds after L saw
fully 500 barrels of burning oil shoot up
from the tank and boil over the sides.
1t was grand beyond description, and L
stood and watched it in silence. The
burning OIL hoated down a creek for O
mile, burning saw mill, numerous oil
wells and tanks, buildings and every
tlling within reach of its devastating
breath.
"When the flow had partly subsided
it was found that second 25, ,000-barrel
iron tank had been set ON fire by the
overflow OF burning oil. Being some
what inquisitive / ventured down be-
hind the tanks to get better view from
the lower side. While trying to avoid @
pool of burning oil fell into mud hole
or sort If quicksand and stuck fast. My
utmost endeavors were of no avail in ex-
Treating myself from the hole. Iyelled
at the top of my voice, but so great was
the roar of the burning tanks that my
voice sounded weak and lar away. L
struggled until exhausted and then / lay
back and rested.
Suddenly heard the sound OF a
cannon and saw q column of flame and
smoke shoot up from one of the tanks
The truth came upon me like a bolt Of
lightning, and / was almost 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 q conviction came upon
me The burning oil would flow down
upon me 1t was matter of seconds
tried to shout, but the words would not
come. With the strength of despair l
struggled 10 get free. The quick sand
held me with the grip of 10000 devils.
ALI at once saw little stream of burn
ing oil run slowly down toward me. NY
time had come. / thought, and L must
he burned to death by inches. The
earth was dear TO me then--dearer than
ever before and turned to get look
at the sunlight and the bright world
once more. The horror and fear passed
away and i was ready to die. The
stream of burning oil, now grown larger,
was upon me, but / did not seem to care.
L saw it as in dream. The earth and
all things earthly faded away, and all
was dark.
"When came back to consciousness
i was lying III my own room with my
friends arourd me. The boys said that
i'll following the supposed course of the
overtiowed oil they came upon me and
rescued me Just AZ the burning stream
was about to push upon me. ! was sick
long while, and when l got well /
found my hair was as white as you see
it now. The doctors said it was caused
by horr,,r and fear"