Arizona weekly enterprise., 1882-08-05
HIS HAIR TURNED WHITE.
A Narrow Escape from Death by
 Burning oil.
tFrom the Philadelphia Times.]


 (From the Philadelphia Times.1
 "How did my hair turn white Well, sir, if you will sit down on that new bull-WAeel shaft while turn off the gas at the boiler and slack the sand line in the derrick, will tel you.
 A young man of splendid physique and handsome features paused long enough in his work of detaching the waiking-beam from the shaft crank at drilling-well to ask his visitor to be seat ed and wait til he WAS through with his work before explaining why his hair was of a color so out of keeping with his age.
 'tAnd SO you want to know how my hair turned white? Well, don't know l don't tell the story very often, but if Boylston sent you here to see me l guess it's all right I was originally Bostonian, having been raised at the Hub. I don't look as though I were faint-hearted, do I? About two years ago I was in hard luck for some reason or other, and, as it never rains but 1t p0urs, l had al sorts of misfortunes, the most remarkable Of which turned ny hair from a color moderately 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, I arose and looked from the window to see if any tanks had been struck by lightning. 4 bright glare in the sky convinced me that large tank of oil was on fire few miles distant, and I went back to sleep, determining to go to the fire at noon and see the first overflow. You know that when 8 25, 000-b 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, 1 went to the fire. It was a beautiful day. The sun shone mellow and subdued on the earth, the hills were robsd in brightest green after the rain, and the birds were having happy time in the trees. Hun- dreds of feet ln the ar hung a grand pillar of blackest smoke, and from out the huge tank fierce flames were shoot ing upward, as if to burn the vault of heaven.
 "At o'clock the first grand overflow occurred. As I stood on the hillside | picking wild berries, I heard man 1 shout, 'she's coming, and saw pipeline men running away from the tank for l their lives. I heard rumbling sound inside the talk and didn't know what 1t meant, but few seconds after l saw fully 500 barrels of burning oil shoot up 1 from the tank and boil over the sides. It was grand beyond description, aud I stood and watched 1t in silence. The burning ol hoated down a creek for d mile, burning J saw mill, numerous oil wells and tanks, buildings and every 1 thing within reach of its devastating ! breath.
 I "When the flow had partly subsiied it was found that a second 25,O0o-barrel i iron tank ha4l been set on fire by the overflow of burning oil. Being some what inquie.tiye l ventured down be- hind the tanks to get better view from the lower side. While trying to avoid I seeos >-e ,irialli5 el flt fl, into mud hol. or sort of quieEsand and stuck fast. My utmost endeavors were of nc avail in ek- tricating myseifsrom the hole I yelled at the top of my vciee, but.so great was 1 the roar of. the burning tanks that my voice sounded wei:k and far away. struggled until exhausted and then la1 back and rested. s
 Suddenly 1 heard the sound of a cannon and saw a eef1nln of iiame sa1 smoke shoot up from enc. of the tanks. Fine truth came npon nie like 2 boil d tglitniIg, anst I was alMost ssficlsel senseless by tue thought. The United 1 Pipe Line men sere firing cannon balls through the first tank to tiraw off 1i1e oil .nd prevent a second overflow. Grea; God! What ooavieflo0 came upor ne The burning oil would flow dowl upon mel I6 8as q matter ct seconds I tried to shout, but ths words would not come. With the strength of despair ] struggled to get flee. The quicksan, held me with the grip of 10000 devils All at once l saw a little stream of burn ing oil run slowly dogn toward me. Ml time had come, l thought, and l mus
 ie burned to tiaath by inches. Tn, earth wes dear to lno then-learer thal ever before and turned to get lool tt the sunlight and the bright worl, once more. The horror ard fear passe, away and I w3s ready to die. Tn stream of burning oii, now grown larger was upon me, but did not seem to care saw 1t as ill dream. lie earth ant all things earthly faded away, and q was dark
 "When came back to consciol.snes 1 was lying in my own room with m, friends arourd me. The boys said thu in following the supposed course of th overtiowed oil they came upon me ant rescued me just as the burning strean was about to push upon me. I wiss sicl
 long while, and when got well
 Srul.,i my hair was as white as you ss
 n0w. The doctors said 1t was cause