Louisiana capitolian., 1881-08-09
WHY HIS HAIR TURNED WHITE.
An Experience in the Oil Regions
Shooting at a Burning Tank
With a Cannon.
Philadelphia Times.

GLOW did my hair turn white? Well,
sir, if you will sit down on that new
bull shaft while / turn off the gas at the
boiler and slack the sand line in the
derrick l will tell you. / don't tell the
story very often, but if Boylston sent
you here to see me / guess it's all right.
| was originally Bostonian, having
been raised at the Hub. When / left
had just been ground out of an educa-
tional mill and had the brand 'assthet-
ic' blown in each bottle. thought of
the oil country as place where barba-
rians lived and where good, smart man
could make a fortune in three weeks. 1t
islneedlesslto say that l was greatly fool
ed. I 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 a team or saw
wood than | was to be an oil king. l
knew how to handle horses, for my
father kept tirst-class carriage, and as |
was strong and healthy there was no
reason why | should 60 home a 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.
"There had beer 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-
vinced me that large tank of oil was
on fire a few miles distant, and went
back to sleep determined to 60 to the
fire at noon and see the first overflow.
You know that when 55,OOO-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 kettle Of soap. At 5 o'clock
the first grand overflow occurred. AS !
stood on the Hill. side picking wild ber-
ries | 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 few
seconds afterward | saw fully five hun
dred barrels of oil shoot up from the
tank and boil over the sides. 1t was
grand beyond description and / stood
and watched it in silence. The burning
oil tlOated down creek for mile,
burning a 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
81, ZOO barrel iron tank had been set on
fire by the overflow of burning oil.
Being somewhat inguisitive | ventured
down behind the burning tanks to get
better view from the lower side.
While trying to avoid pool of burning
oil fell into a mud hole or sort of
quicksand and stuck fast. My utmost
endeavOrs were of no avail in extrica-
ting myself from the hole. / yelled at
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 billows of smoke
would go surging up hundreds Of feet
and float away into space, their sombre
hues turned into snowy whiteness. l
thought the boys would miss me and
search for me. Suddenly l heard the
sound of a cannon and saw column Of
flame and smoke shoot up from one of
the tanks. The truth 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 second
overflow. Great God what a convic-
tion came upon me The burning oil
would flow down upon me! 1t was a
matter of seconds. l tried to shout, but
the words would not come. With the
strength of despair struggled to get
free. The quicksands held me with the