The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-22
A THIRTY FOOT BLAZE
ArrHE cENrRAL eLAssWoRKsWELL
As.rOur Flow of Gas Struck Yesterday Forenoon.
ThsGN LIshtsd-Rush of Visitors to See the
BlAIs-sOms Of the Sights and Sounds
About the N.ll-ruturs PIAas.

About eleven O'Clock yesterday forenoon
signs OF gas were noticed by the men boring
the gas well at the Central Glass Works, and
they remarked that they guessed they had
struck another little vein. Shortly after the
drill was withdrawn from the hole and the
sand pump lowered, and the sand and water
in the well pumped out, As the pump rose
the last time 1t was followed by strong flow
OF gas, which threw the water in ine spray
several feet into the air. The workmen con-
Cluded to close the we'll aud telephone to Mr..
Durst, the contractor, at Martins Ferry, for
instructions. With this view light wooden
plug was inserted In the casing at the mouth
Of the hole, and driven tight with sledge.
In about minute there was a report like
that OF cannon, and the wooden plug was
hurled 10 o distance Of thirty or forty feet
above the top OF the derrick, which Ii itself
seventy feet high. While the plug remained
a roaring sound could be heard for many
rods from the well, caused by the efforts Of
the confined gas to escape.
The news OF the good fol tune OF the Central
folks quickly spread through the city, and
before long y large crowd OF men and boys
gathered Ut the well. After waiting some
time for instructions from Mr.. burst, the
men commenced to drill, and sunk the hole
two or three feet further. While the drill
was in the well the escape OF gas was not
perceptible, but as soon as II was removed
and the sand pumped out, still stronger
flow followed.
Crowds OF visitors were about the we'll all
afternoon, and the Investigating aud curious
bent OF the average Americans mind was
shown BY the experiments with which they
amused themselves. Boards, hats and buckets
were placed over the hole, and held tightly
down, TO see how long the pressure could be
resisted. Each time a loud roaring com.
cenced as soon as the hole was covered, and
In an instant the object placed over 1t would
be lii led and the gas escape with a Kissing
sound like that made by letting of steam.
Two or three venturesome boys sat down on
the hole, and wers rocked about by the eScap-
ing gas. One boy sat down, another sat on
his lap and two others pressed hard on his
shoulders, but their combined strength had
no effect on the gas.
About half past four o'clock heavy elbow,
wit section Of pipe abouta foot long, was
placed In the opening, aud tightly wrapped
with oakum. Two sections OF four Inch gas
pipe were then screwed upon the horizontal
arm OF the elbow, and the gas thus conduct.
ed to distance OF SO feet from the well. 1t
escaped with slight sound from the end OF
the pipe, on which another elbow had been
screwed, to give the gas an upward direction.
IL was lighted, and at first burned with u blaze
only six or eight feet high, which, however,
gradually increased, until an hour after 1t
was lighted blaze thirty feet In height was
seen rolling upward In conyolutions indie
scribabIy beautiful even In the daylight. The
object In conveying the gas outside OF the
derrick and lighting 1t was to prevent Its &c.
oiden,ally catching fire and destroying the
derrick. To avoid this the fire in the forge
at the derrick, employed for mending tools,
was extinguished after the gus began 10 flow.
One OF the men who drilled the well, and
who was also employed at the Brilliant well,
gave It'll his opinion that the How oil gas was
fully as strong as at Brilliant, ana many pee
pie who have seen the blazs at Brilliant agree
that this one equals 1t in siz9. The gas has a
yery strong petroleum smell. The Central
Glas, Works officials are not quite satisfied
with the flow so far obtained They say ii
will not be sufficient for the purpose they de-
sired to employ 1t for. However, II no
greater volume should be secured, that
already met will make the well profitable
investment. Some OF the men thou ht there
was enough gas to heat the boilers at the
works and run two glory holes" while
others thought there was fully enough. to
supply On entire furnace.
Inc blaze will be extinguished this morn.
ing, the pipe removed from the we'll and
drilling resumed. This Is considered little
risky, as there ia probability that vein OF
salt water will be struck. But Mr.. burst, the
contractor, sEys that he thinks all the in.
dications point 10 flow Of gas as large as
any yet struck. The volume coming from
the well last evening, he said, was larger than
that obtained at any Of the wells at New
Cumberland or East Liverpool, but not so
large as tat at Brilliant.
The flame did not sustain It's steady height
lsst night, and at 8 o'clock when a reporter
visited the well it had decreased to blaze
about ten feet high.
This strike at the Central will further
stimulate the activity in sinking wells. The
Jefferson mill, at Stsubenv lie, was TO
have commenced boring yesterday, the com.
pany organized at Bellaire for the purpose OF
sinking well will commence in few days.
Mr.. Reymann will begin one at his brewery
shortly, and the Laughlin and Junction iron
mills have contracted for wells.