The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-16
uSHoOTING' .AGAS WELL
gNlNTEREsTlNo EXPERIMENT
A. til. Central oll,, us,l, r.,s.ra.,-FIrtssu
ouarts Of SltrO.slycsrias Exploded In the
BOr.lsOfthsEl loosen the strata
aad Increase the Flow Of Gas.

A week or 50 sgo the drilling OF the well at
the Central GlGss Works In search OF natural
Sa,, was abandoned by the company at a
depth Of . olo feet, they being satisfied that
the quest at that point was q hopeless one.
The tools were removed and the. account
with the contractor settled. Afterwards the
company concluded 70 have the well snot
or torpedoed. II will be remembered that at
a depth OF between 900 and !, 100 feet IN
sinking the well = good, but not snhcient,
flow OF gas was struck. 1t vas thought tnat
possibly ia charge Of some powerful e1-
plosiye were touched OF at this point, the
concussion would so shatter and open up the
sandstone In which the gas vein was found
"A 10 give It an outlet and secure heavier
flow, and one that might te worth Utilizing.
APLEASANT RIpE.- .-..s
A contract was made With Mr.. George
burst, who srnk the well, to torpedo II at
the depth indicated. He concluded 10 use
fifteen quarts Of nitrc.slycerine In patent
Roberts torpedo In the experiment, and SEPT
one OF his employees, George PsPpard, VINO ID
aIso his brother.in.law, to smith's Ferry to
procure rN The torpedo and ship It here. Here
sdifEiculty was encountered. No steamboat
or railroad would carry the da3gerous CON-
pound. peppard therefore got skif, pu;
his nitroglycerine and tin shell to discharge
IL in, into the skifi, and started on,lsst TueE'
dav 10 row down the river with his danger
'4 Al NEW Esw Cumberland that night he tied NJ
his skitf 10 barge. left the load In 1t and
went 10 hotel and Epent the night. Had
his owners OF the barge known the nature o.
The skis contents they would prof. ably
have cut The boat loose, but they did NOT
and Peppard rt.smbarked Wednesday morn
ing, and arrived hers 10 the afternoon. row
lDg up the creek TO the well.
PREPARING THE SHOT.
II IVES intended to FIRE of the shot yestsr
dav forenoon, but the work OF preparing fol
Il was found 10 BIS greater than counted on
large crowd OF spectators gathered at the
we'll, aud deep interest ives taken In the ex
nsrimsnt. Many wondered how the torpedo
Vas 10 be discb rged at depth OF l,o20 fee
when the we'll was 0i0 feet deep. The vel
was f.ll more than half Its depth with Of
and water. This was baled out to the depth de
sirej aud q large round, woodenplug, three Zee
Iono and nearly the aix, OF tie hole was drop
ed down, Tais loated on the water, and 8!
iorded a rest for the torpedo, the shell o.
whinh was tin tube the shape OF sky rock
a. about eight feet long and five inches II
diameter, Filling this was delicate opera
lion. The slightest concas.ion will tgaitt
| lie LIQUID, which Is OF about the consistency
Of molassts. It was frozen yesterday. enc
the two large tin cans In which It was had &c
be thaved GU. by warm water,
The torpedo shell was first hlled nearly tnl
OF water, and tbs nitro glycerine poured OF
top. Being heavier, 1t sank 70 toe bottom
Of the tube and the water aoHed out I'M
top. When charged, the torpedo wss caie
| fully lowered iato the well ny hana " IN
end OF string. which passed through mol
Ia heavy weight. Then all was ready 10
rHE EXPLOSION.
There VIZ. scattering OF men and boys
ssyeral hundred OF whom had brayed tn,
piercirg c5ld air and the imminent DANCE
Of being converted Into mince meat. MI
burst quietly dropped the weight down tn
There was O very perceptible length o
time before tbs report, which sounded TX.
| that OF q cannon alta ds'ance. Then iol
lowed faint roar Ike distant thunder,
Whizz, and the sir was hlled with pieces o
lin and stone and boards and rope, which
made black colomn OF least l9o ieet hign
The derrick had several timbers knocked Oh
Ing OF the well sbou. twelve feet was broker
In two and the pieces hurled through th
roof, and then followed 0 rattling shower o
ali manner OF debris, mingled with oil AM
The rope with Ta aa d sRs 0'SS ns
The pieces OF broken gaa pipe smashed tn
tub in which the nitro glyesrine bad bee'
thayed, and the other plowed hole hall
foot deep in the ground. The lerric
looked as hit had gone through hard BON
bardmeft. 49,,
A strong smell OF gas was perceptible aits
the explosion, and the mouth Of the well be
| Ing plugged up, the gas was lighted OF Ii
side pipe and burned up several feet NJ
Durst twas OF opinion that the fow woul
| gradually increase,