The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-17
KOKOMO'S GREAT GAS WELL.
An Indiana City Aflame with Enthusi-
asm and Glad with a Great Joy.
Spectators and Speculation Without Num-
ber-0ne of the Best Wells in the Country
The Gas Flows INCREASINGLY.

cuSS more or less learnediy OF Sucn matters ne
certainly could not go much wider Of the mark
than have certain scientists who filed their opin-
ions months ago that no natural gas could be
found in Indiana beyond very crcumscribed
bit of territory in the extreme northeast
ern part Such a thing as natural gas
in the central part of the State not to
be thought of. The same was said by the
learned men Of Ohio regarding the Findlay field,
they declaring that the gas coming out of the
earth there was nothing more than surface gas.
and that there was none at any depth, so that
there would not be any found in paying quanti-
ties. The mistake has been demonstrated in the
accomplished fact of one of the largest wells of
that kind in the United States. 1t is possible
that these failures OF the seers to declare the
truth will be the means of the sinking OF vast
sums of money in worthless holes in the earth,
for no community will now feel quite satisfied
until an abnormally attenuated post-hole is
bored into the bowels of the earth in search of
gas or oil. In truth, already 'there is millions
in these holes, and likely to remain there in the
most instances for nothing valuable has, or ever
will, come out of the majority of wells sunk.
The inception of the Kokomo enterprise Origi
nally dates back some twenty years, when fruit
less effort was made to fad oil. the enterprise
being abandoned after the we'll had been sunk
825 feet, but 100 feet Of the depth at which such
fine flow of gas was found by the company
now in the enjoyment Of its rich discovery 1t
is more than probable. however, that had the
prospecters come upon the gas at that time,
1866, they would incontnently have filled up tho
hole, if they could. and fled in dislnay as the
devil is said to fly from holy water There is
something uncanny in the idea of the earth
breathing flames, and that, too, from twenty to
fifty feet long, the gas pouring forth with en-
ergy suggestive of imminent explosion
There is tradition among the natives that
some citizen, imbued with the belief that the
discmboded spirits of men communicate occult
facts to mortals had received communication
to the import that there was oil. and probably
gas, under the surface occupied by the charming
capital of Howard county, and he, impeled by
that very common incentive, felt by most men,
to acquire more of this worlds goods, urged 9th
ers to join him in the enterprise. but it was not
until he had found stone so coated with an
oleagenous fluid to burn readily when subject
ed to fire that he enlisted cooperation. Then
the company was formed, and the work began,
resulting as indicated above. The hole in the
ground stopped short of success, and was aban-
doned. Indeed, there were two such holes, in
one of which remains the drill to this day. it
having become fastened so that it could not be
withdrawn.
The present company was formed in May last,
after the mover had laboriously worked up few
of the citizens in favor of the experiment. Mr..
A. Y. Comstock a comparatively young man
living in the city of New York but for several
years n resident of Kokomo. having come there
in the business of railway construction. was APP
preached by some one there on the subject and
at once energetcally went to work to put the
idea into practice, plauking down his cash to
prove his faith in it and to give it fair trial 1t
must be confessed, however, that he had uphill
work of it, and IL was no easy thing to accom-
plish. In May he had secured a subscribed capital
of S., 900, part of which was paid up. while
much of it was not paid and there was not want
ing those OF the subscribers who thought of get
ting out of their obligations, and talked of going
to law before they would give uD the amount of
their subscriptions. 1t is needless to remark
that they came up promptly when the gas was
at last reached and it was evident that 1t would
prove remarkably rich investment. In this re-
spect the people of Kolomo are very like those
of other localities and it is no reflection on them
that this was observable in this instance
On the 9Th of May the articles Of incorpora
ton were filed, but it was the 18th of September
before work was begun. 1t may be noted in
this connection that thirteen in this in
tho morning Of that day the drill was
set to work, and was kept at it day and
night, Sundays excepted. until Wednesday, Oct
6, when, at 2:30 in the afternoon, small vein of
gas was struck at depth of 9l2 feet. This WAS
got out of the way by means of q steam exhaust
and work was resumed. and at o'clock the next
morning, eight feet deeper. the workmen. famil
lar with such phenomena, were warned that
something more formidable had been struck, as
a low but distinct rumble was heard deep in the
VII oil UnA hyyn hIn nf afnn npd wall
stones, driven up by the force of the gas seeking
vent. The lights had already been extinguished
or removed to safe distance, and moment
later the steady flow of gas began, which has
shown no signs of diminishing since though it
has been pouring out at a wonderful rate now
for eleven days
There is no need to attempt to describe the
effect on the people of Kokomo They at once
went into commissions of joy, but managed, in
droves of hundreds, to 60 to the spot where the
wonder exhibition. Everybo went
and everybody wondered. There were real es-
tate owners there who mentally figured up what
their profits would be on the find, each modestv
resolving to sell his land rs dearly as possible.
There were housewives there, with thriftless
husbands, who wondered if their days of wood
chopping were not near an end, and there were
sweethearts who coyly specialized on the lowness
to which that particular kind of gas could DO
turned Sunday night. The boys present
couldn't see why it could not be pipeG up to town
yet that evening, so that they would not be
obliged to carry in the customary supply of
wood. The stockholders in the well were elated,
as we'll they might be. and walked on gas ordi-
nary air being altogether beneath their consid
GRAFTON. 1t was not only red-letter day. but
the red letter in the history Of Kokomo. Every
body talked of gas, everybody dreamed of gas,
and few of the more reckless made CHASTITY
puns on gas; but il cannot be truthfullv said
that the stockholders became gas swells, for
they did not.
In conversation with several Of them on Fri
day, the capitalist from tho Journal was very
courtsously received and was told as near tho
truth as possible under the stress of toe occa-
sion. Mr.. Comstock and Mr.. A. +. Armstrong.
one of the leading merchants of the city and
owner of the land on which the find was made,
poted him around and explained everything in
very satisfactory and enjoyable manner The
former was not as sanguine some, though it
was plain to. be seen that ne was in an enviable
frame of mind. Proceeding to the we'll the Wis
itnr found that sacnnd vent r,iro hrd hoo.a e