Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-05-15
A Courageous Oil Well Shooter.

4 Courageous Oil Well Shooter.
Dell Bankson, an oil-well shooter went
to the the new Kane oil field on Satur-
day'to torpedo the Craig & Cappean
well, which had just reached the New
York Times. He had lowered a shell
containing twenty quarts of Miro glycer-
inc to the depth of one hundred feet in
the well, when he discovered that the
well was about to make a flow. He
knew that the force of the oil would car
ry the torpedo out at the top, and if it
were thrown upward with the flow it
would be exploded in contact with der
rick beam. If it escaped from the vol
ume of oil it would fall back to the
ground and explode. In either case
Bankson knew that certain destruction
awaited him and the property of his en-
ployes unless the torpedo could de Sc
cured. With remarkable presence of
mind he placed himself at the mouth of
the well, and as the shell shot up on the
stream of oil he threw his arm about it.
Even then undue haste and lack of
judgment might have proved fatal, but
Bankson held the torpedo until the squirt
of oil had ceased before he removed t
from the well, although he knew that
only few seconds would elapse before
the oil would be followed. by a volume of
gas and a mass of rocks from the depths
The instant the oil ceased he lifted the
shell from the well and walked carefully
and steadily away, carrying the torpedo
in his arms. He had scarcely turned
his back when the gas and rocks came
out Of the well with a roar and rush.
When all was over Bankson replaced the
torpedo in the well, lowered it to the
bottom, and finished his work When
the owners of the well heard of the won
derful nerve and judgu-nt displayed by
Bankson they at once presented him
with check for 800. Bankson's con-
duct in his perilous situation is said by
old well-shooters to be the most courage
ons in the history of nitro glycerine op-
erations in the oil regions-work that
necessitates the exercise of constant Wig
lance, cool judgment, and steady nerves
on the part of the operator.
A New Story of Webster.
Philadelphia News.
On one occasion some Boston friends
sent him as present an enormous sized
pillow to use on his place. Webster gave
out word that on certain day it would
be christened. The day arrived, and the
surrounding farmers for miles came to
witness the event. A dozen teams with
aristocratic occupants came down from
Washington. 1t was expected by every
one that Webster would make great
speech on the occasion, reviewing the
history of farming back to the time when
Cincinnatus abdicated the most mighty
throne III the world to cultivate turnips
and cabbages in his Roman garden. The
plow was brought out and ten yoke of
splendid oxen hitched in front. More
than 200 people stood around on the tip
toe of expectation. Soon Webster made
his appearance. He had been calling
spirits from the vast deep and his gait
was somewhat uncertain. Selling the
pillow handles and spreading his feet, he
yelled out to the driver in his deep bass
voice:
"Are you all ready, Mr.. Wright"
"All ready, Mr.. Webster" was the re-
ply, meaning, of course, for his speech.
Webster Strengthened himself up by a
mighty effort and shouted:
''Then let her ripw
The whole crowd dropped to the
ground and roared with laughter, while
Webster with his big pillow proceeded to
up the soil.
A Letters Long Chase.
Jacksonville (Fa.) Times Unoin
On the 9Th OF March, 1877, 112 shares
Of stock in the Denver & Boulder Valley
Railroad company were issued to Mr..
E. NJ. McCook, wealthy gentleman
who had been living in Denver. The