Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-07-29
HUMAN SALAMANDER
A Brave Mans Fearful Fight in
q Fountain Of Flames.
EETERs A BURNING PILLAR OF GAS

tingnish the Flames In q Burning Gas
weIi--Hs Stops the Daily waste Of
100000 Feet Of Gas and Receives .
Reward Of $1,000.
RUTHvES, Ont, July 20.-Three weeks
ago .Iast Tuesday the Ruthyen gas well
was set on fire. 1t is supposed that the
incendiary was some disgruntled la
borer. The cap over the top of the pipe
was so fixed that the escaping gas
rushed out directly towards the ground
and made safe approach to it impossible.
The roar of the gas rushing out could
be heard in Kingsville. three miles away.
Local mechanics found it impossible to
remove the cap. Each one gave it up
after the first trial. The heat was simply
uncomfortable and grew worse every day.
Gas experts from Ohio were called to
the scene. but they, too, gave it up.
The ground around the well became
baked. and when workmen tried to cool
II with stream from a fire engine the
water exhaled in cloud of steam before
il had fairly struck the ground. All
idea of cooling off the ground was
given up.
Marvin Undertakes the job.
to any one who would remove the cap.
William II. Marvin. a mining expert.
who had some acquaintance with natural
gas, undertook the job. He tried sew
eral schemes for removing the cap by
aid of long lever, but they all failed
for the reason that his lever would melt
away under the fierce heat as soon as he
got it near enough to work. He deter
mined to go near enough to the well
himself to cut off the cap. Itlooked like
certain death for any one to approach
the well, and even the owners advised
Marvin to give up the idea. He was not
easily frightened and prepared to make
the attempt. He made suit of asbestos
that was unique in its way and yet
proved successful after little tinker
ing. 1t was his purpose TO 60 right up
70 the well through the gas flame and
place a cold chisel against the pipe,
while his assistant pounded on the
chisel until the cap gave way.
The First Attempt Fails.
The first attempt was a signal failures.
Marvin only reached the flame when ha
reiterated. He wore a heavy pair OF
cowhide boots, covered with wet cloths
and before he had got to the fame the
cloths had dried and burned away and
his boots were half burned off. So great
was his hurry to escape that he dropped
his cutting continuance and was dis
mayed to see it get red hot before his
eyes. In his next trial he wore a
pair OF rubber boots and inside these
thrust his feet wound in dampened rags.
Outside the .boots he put heavy cover
ing of asbestos. His coat af asbestos
was cone shaped. His arms stuck out
through two holes in the cone and were
wound in several thicknesses of wet
afnfh which xuys4h
coating of ASBESTOS. His continuance
for cutting the pipe consisted of long
and very sharp chisel, fastened at right
angles to an iron staff. In approaching
the well he slid the cone along tho
ground, seeing his way through a glass
set IN the 'front.' His assistant was
robed like himself and carried long
iron bar on which was fastened a small
farrier's hammer.
Working in the Flames.
Two hundred people saw the daring
men make this approach to the flame,
and as Marvin disappeared in its circle
shudder swept over the onlookers. There
were not half dozen in the crowd who
expected to see Marvin come out alive,
but in minute--it seemed like an age
they saw the edge OF the chisel resting
up against the pipe, just below the cap.
Almost breathlessly they watched the
assistant make stroke at the chisel in a
clumsy sort of way. He did not hit it,
The second trial was more successful
he hit the chisel squarely, but lightly.
The cone in the ring of fire wavered,
and cry of Hes burned to DEATH!
went up on all sides. The-cone moved
again, the chisel fell and the peple could
see that Marvin was coming out Every
body thought that he had given up in
bs.e
out Of the fire to get rest and air. He
was nearly suffocated. His assistant
lost no time in getting away from the
fearful heat.
Last, Desperate Attempt.
When the cone was lifted off Marvin
for he was too weak to lift il off him.
self--he was a sight 20 behold. His face
was scarlet and his eyes protruded like
door knobs. He was half roasted and il
took him two hours to recover. Then he
pluckily determined to try it again.
He had his cone thoroughly drenched
and he liked up another chisel, saying.
as the cone was put over him, that hO
would succeed or never come out alive.
Again the hammer and clEisel were
brought into play, and little by little the
people could see that the mans skill
and pluck would win. All at once the
roar Of the well changed to shrl
whistle. and the cap was blown 100 feet
upward. while Marvin's cone stood al
the foot Of the pipe mot;onless. It was
some minutes before il moved. and the
people thought again that he had per
ished in his attempt His assistant was
badly burned and had 10 be taken to the
hotel for assistance.
Earned His Reward
When Marvin's conc began TO move
the people sent up tremendous shout
and the more venturesome ran as Ear as
they could on the hot ground to reach
him. He was taken out and revived.
He was badly scorched, but not hurt
otherwise. The thing was success and
Marvin had earned MS 81 COO Marvin
put a confrivance on the pine to shut of
the TOW of gas. and now for the first
time n nearly three weeks Ruthvan i