Morning journal and courier., 1881-06-16

A correspondent at Bradford, Pa, says:
The return of the season of thunderstorms
always brings with it a feeling of great un-
easiness In the oil regions Scattered about
the great petroleum producing field there are
probably l 200 iron tanks, in each one of
which are stored from 10, 900 to 40, 600 bar
rels of crude oil Most of them are situated
in the midst of populous towns and cities
1t is not in the fact that the tanks are made
of iron that the danger of lightning stroke
arises. Evaporation of the oil contained in
them produces a vapor that arises and hovers
above them, and becomes perpetual attrac-
ton to the electric fluid. The protection of
tanks against lightning is a problem that
scientific men have been for years laboring
to solve. fortune awaits the man who
shall devise plan to prevent or lessen the
damage that is annually caused by lightning
in the oil regions. The United Pipe Line
company, which owns nearly all the iron
tanks in the old country, is attaching to
number of its tanks an appliance by which
chemical action may be instantly brought to
bear on the cloud of smoke which forms be-
tween the surface of the oil and the roof of
the tank when it is set on fire. This, it is
claimed, will render the presence of flame
impossible, and will lessen the number of nil
fires No demonstration of the value of the
extingulsher has been made, but if its action
is satisfactory, it will be a God-send to the
oil country.
Last season, during the great oil fire at
Titusville when tank after tank was belch-
ing its volumes of flame, spectator suggest
ed that by firing cannon ball through the
side of tank, near the bottom, before the
oil boiled over the top, the oil might be
drawn out and the spread of the contiagra-
ton stopped. A piece of ordnance was at
once procured and the experiment tried. 1t
was successful Several tanks were drawn
off in this way, and the destruction of
great part of Titusville was prevented. Now
the Pipe Line company has a large cannon
ready for use at an instant's notice, fixed in
position at all tanks where a fire would jeo-
pardize 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 threatens the oil
regions every year from lightning, there\
are sources from which destruction
may be periodically expected. There are
over 10, 600 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 trees, fences. and all the sur
roundings are entirely saturated with crude
petroleum. The puddles in the road are
pools of oil Oil towns generally are COM
pact collections of frame buildings, construct
ed without any regard to stability or the pro-
ximity to wells Derricks rise from the very
dooryards, stand in the streets, and tower
above the buildings on every side. Through
these surroundings railroads, along
which locomotives scatter sparks and GOALS
every hour in the day. Hundreds of natural
gas wells send their product through pipes to
all the towns, where it is used in every house
for light and fuel and also at the oil wells.
Great pillars of fame are constantly leaping
and which project from the ground on every
side Nitro-glycerine factories are erected
at convenient points in the region, and this
destructive agent is daily carted about the
country in wagons, to be used in torpedo
ing new wells and increasing the flow of old
ones. The premature explosion of a torpedo,
the alighting of spark from locomotive,
or the imprudent hghing of one of the nat
ural gas in one of the inf1ammable dwellings,
is sufficient to turn the whole country for
miles around into a sea of devouring flame.
Forest fires are another source of danger
in this peculiarly situated country and dur
ing the spring and fall bodies of men are
kept constantly watching the woods to pre-
vent fire from spreading. Last year hun
1reds of tanks, well buildings, and over
300, 900 barrels of OIL were consumed by fires
N the woods. The oil towns of Oil Center,
Otter City, Morrisburg and Middaghville,
md the whole of Tram Hollow were destroy
ID by forest fires caused by spark from
locomotive. A woman turned the gas on IN
1er stove at Rixford while fires above men,
Toned were still raging. When she lighted
t an explosion followed. The city was swept
oy fire, only two or three buildings escaping
Every oil well burned, together with
ITO, 600 barrels of oil. By the premature ex-
olosion of a torpedo at Seed City fire result
ID which left nothing of the town standing,
ind consumed 800 oil well rigs and 100000
barrels of oil In May and June of last year
500, 600 barrels of oil, 800 from tanks, and
several refneries and large amount of other
were destroyed by fires started by
lightning. -s 7 --..--e.. ...... .
The oil regions are cut up by deep ravines
,r gulEes and the wells cover the sides of
Iteep and lofty hills, as well as every avail
through the valleys and pour down the noun
ain sides. These streams are conductors of
burning oil. Especially is this the case where
burning tank is located close to creek, as
many of them are. The tanks are SO strong
y constructed that they Withstand the in
ense heat of thousands of barrels of oil burn
ng within them for hours Finally the iron
ylows with white heat. The heavy top falls
nto the cauldron of boiling petroleum. The
laming liquid runs over the top of the bank.
yo matter what stands in its way it seeks it's
evel
At last the great iron bands around the
ank break, and the tank is twisted apart,
md falls to the ground with crash. Then
thousands of barrels of b-rning oil pour
iown the hills to the streams, and are carried
~ them on errands of destruction. When a
ank is burning. If it cannot be drawn off,
are thrown up in the path the
Ill will take when released. By this means
is further course is stayed, and thousands of
lollars' worth of property saved. These bar
iers are frequently broken by the pressure
# the burning flood, and its course to the
reeks cannot be hindered. Then places far
emoyed from the original conhagration are
a imminent peril.
- foo%hI