Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-10-14
ALWAYS IN DANGER.
RISKS OF Oil>SOAKED TOWNS AMONa
SCOUTING WELLS.
Greasy Derricks, Magazines Of Nitro
Glycsrine. and Tanks Of Petroleum
At the Mercy of Fires, Gas Ex-
plosions and IncendiarlsA

No one who + unacquainted with Iuo
character Of an oil-producing, storing, and
transporting district, can form any notion
OF the scene that is presented when q fro
breaks out and gets beyond control in
such district Forest fires and lightning
are the most dreaded agents OF destruction,
but there are 50 many other latent forces
which may assert themselves at any mo
meHt, and wrap entire communities in
fame, that life and property in the oil re-
| gion. may be said to hang upon tho slight
est tenure.
| The oil wells are all flowing over, and are
pouring forth. by day and night. ceas,less
streams OF material not only highly inflam-
mabia It elf, hut from which gases of a
most deadly explosive and conbustible
nature are generated Tanks holding from
1000 to $1,000 barrels OF petroleum are
thickly grouped in every producing district,
and from and to them the oil is constantly
pouring through networks Ct pipes in all
directions through the f.ld- The grouni,
the buildings, the fences. tie trees, and all
surroundings are literally saturated with
crude petroleum The puddlss in the road
are depths Of OIL or water thickly coated
with oI. The physical character Of the
country in which petroleum is found in
Pennsylvania is such that every district is
cut up by deep ravines or gulleys, and tine
wells are drilled not only on every available
rod in the valleys, but they climb the rug
gel sides of the steep and lofty hills to their
very summit.
Rapid streams course the valley and tun,-
BILE down the mountain sides The oil towns
are compact collections OF frame buildings,
constructed without any regard to CONT
guilty of the wells. Derricks rise
froEi the very do1r-yards in the streets,
AMI tower above the buildings on every
side. Around about in this mass Of in
naulmable oil wells AMI tanks, oil saturated
surrounding, AMI Undertook buildings. rail-
road locomotives scatter showers Of sparks
almost hourly. Natural gas is conducted
from gas wells in all directions, and is ussi
in all the houses for light and fuel, at the
oil-wells for fuel, and leaps in pillars Of flame
into the air from pipes set here and there il
the ground in all parts Of the region. Nitro |
giycerire factorie, are numerous in ali dis |
triots, AMI the dangerous explosive is storel |
IN magazines at many convenient points |
and i transported daily in wagons through !
the fields for use wherever it is needed at |
tie weilS. The falling Of a live spark from |
u locomotive, the premature explosion of "a |
nitro-giycerins torpedo, the careless or i'm !
prudent lighting of thu natural gas in one OF /
the comBu,tible houses, Is sufficient to turn |
the whole country for miles around int, \
a sea of fame in an incredibly short time.
The rapil streams in the oil-field are fatal !,
conductors Of burning oil The vast tanks |
are many # them close 70 the streams. |
When tank catches fro the oil in 1t burns |
for long time before the inevitable disaster |
comes. The tanks are made OF iron, and |
are 50 strongly constructed that they with |
stand for hours the intense heat of thousands |
OF barrels OF burning oil within them. At |
lat tho iron glares with O whit, heat the ,
heavy top falls IN, and the liquid fire boil,
over and seeks its level, no matter what
taui' in lis way. Finally the great iron
bands about the tank separate with great
report and then the tank is twisted apart,
and its entiro contents rush on in their work
Of destruction Dams are thrown up and
trenches dug in the probable course of tho
burning oil. in hopes Of holding it in check.
Often thousands o: dollars' worth Of property
Is savei by this means. Stopped by the
dams tbs flowing oil becomes u lake OF FIRE.
the flames leapins many feet in the
air, while the oil seethes and boils and |
throws off clouds o, sInoks As dense and
black as tar. These massc, OF smoke mingle
with the tossing flames, frequently obscur-
ng them, and always playing fiercely in and
,ut among them with an effect that is awe
Inspiring.
When = creek lies in the way of q stream
4 this blazing oil escaping from a tank, tho
LANCER to neighbcring property is greatly
increased, for tho Gil pours in upoa the sur
ace OF the Gater. ami is borne along with |
he current, carrying destruction TO places
ar from tina scens OF the con1agration.
during the great oil-tank fire in Titusville,
aused by lightning in 1881, while tank after
ank was boiling with blazing oil, and the
estructon of the city was imminent some |
ve!-headed person In tho excited crowd
Watching the approaching destruction suy
ested the piercing OF the oil-tanks near |
be bottom with cannon- balls, SO that IN |
utlet might lie made and the oil drawn out |
nj the food FOR the fire thus taken from il. |
The experiment was quickly trisi, and the
esult was beyond all expectation. Tank |
ftar tank was emptiai OF it, content, which |
sers conluctel to places OF safety, and the |
its was saved Since then the danger
rom tank fires haS .eel greatly leSseHei
wherever cannon arc kept ready Tor tie |
fcTa Of tapping the tanks.
Forest fires III the oil regions ara not al
rays tho result Of accident or unavoidable |
luses, but some OF the most destructive |
bat ever vis.tel the region We're du, t, the |
CELEBRATE starting Of fire in the woods by |
Malicious persons With the danger Of
cree CONGREGATIONS constantly threatening
nom in 20 many ways, however, tie people
these oil towns live with rs little concern |
nd apparent fear of fire a. if they vera
omioi,ei In houses OF brick or stone, where 1
etroieum nitro-glycerins was never
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