The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-01
A HUMAN SALAMANDER.
How Mining Expert Removed the Cap of
Burning Gas Well and Earned 81, 600.


weeks ago the Ruthvan gas we'll was set
afire, it is supposed by some disgruntled
laborer. The cap over the top of the pipe
was so fixed that the escaping gas rushed
out directly toward the ground and made
safe approach impossible. The roar could
be heard in Kingsville. three miles away.
Local mechanics found it impossible to re-
move the cap The heat was simply I'M
endurable and grew worse every day. Gas
experts from Ohio were called to the scene,
but they, too, gave it mp. The ground
around the well became baked, and when
wOrkmen tried to cool it with stream
from fire-engine the water went up in
cloud of steam before it had fairly struck
the ground. All idea of cooling off the
ground was given up. The owners of the
we'll offered 81 900 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 several 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 determined to go near the Well
| himself and cut Oft the cap. 1t looked like
well, and even the owner advised Marvin
| to give up the idea. He made suit of as
bestos that was unique in its way; 1t was
his purpose to go right up to. the well:
| through the gas flame, and place cold
| chisel against the pipe while his assistant
| pounded on the chisel until the cap gave
| way.
The first attempt was signal failure.
Marvin only reached the flame when he re-
| treated. He had worn heavy pair of cow
| hide boots covered with wet cloths, but be-
fore he got to the flame the cloth had dried
| and burned away, and his boots were half
burned off. So great was his hurry to es-
| cape that he dropped his cutting contriv-
ance. and was dismayed to see it get red
hot before his eyes. For his next trial he
wore pair of rubber boots, and inside
these thrust his feet wound in dampened
| rags Outside the boots he put heavy
| covering of asbestos. His coat of asbestos
| was cone shaped. His arms stuck out
through two holes in the cone, and were
wound in several thicknesses of wet cloth.
| which was covered with a heavy coating of
asbestos. His contrivance 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 the ground. seeing his way through
| glass set in the front. His assistant was
| robed like himself and carried long iron
bar. on which was fastened small farrier's
hammer Two hundred men saw the dar-
ing men make this approach to the flame,
and as Marvin disappeared in its circle
| shudder swept over the OnlO0kers. There
were not a half dozen in the crowd that ex-
pected TO see Marvin come out alive, but in
| a second that seemed like an age they saw
the edge of the chisel resting up against
| the pipe. just below the cap. Almost
breathfessly they watched the assistant
| make stroke at the chisel in q clumsy
kind of way. He did not hit it, The sec
| Ond trial was more successful: he hit the
| chise squarely but lightly. The cone in
| hQ III Of rp W. w. a Of
Hes burned to death went up on all
sides. The cone moved again. the chisel
fell and the people could see that Marvin
was coming out.
Every body thought that he had given up
in sheer despair, but not So. He had come
ont of the fire to get rest and air. He was
! nearly suffocated When the cone was
| lifted oft Marvin for he was TOO weak to
| lift it Oft himself he WIS a sight to behold.
His face was scarlet and his eyes protruded
like door knobs. He was half roasted and
| it took him two hours to recover. Then he
| pluckily determined to try it again. His
| another chisel, saying, as the cone was put
over him, that lie would succeed or never
| come ont alive.
The crowd cheered him and then watched
him approach certain success or death.
| Again the hammer and chisel 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
we'll changed to a shrill whistle and the
| cap was blown hundred feet upward,
| while Marvin's cone stood at the foot of the
| pipe motiOness 1t was some minutes be-
| fore it moved and the people thought again
that he had persisted in his attempt. His
assistant was badly burned and had to be
taken to the hotel for assistance. When
Marvin's cone began to move the people
sent up tremendous shout. and the more
ventursome ran as far as they could on the
hot ground to reach him. He was taken
out and revived, badly scorched, but not
hurt otherwise.
Marvin had earned his 81 goo. This after
noon Marvin put cOntrivance on the pipe
to shut Oft the flow of gas, and now for the
first time in nearly three weeks Ruthvan is
quiet from the deafening roar. Marvln's
cap is shaped like the letter L. and was
company estimate that over IL 100000 feet
of gas has been consumed each day.
Marvin said to-day that it was the nearest
to death he ever expected to be until his
time came. Every BREATH he said,
seemed to burn like fire. and twice near
ly tainted. My mouth was so parched that
could not even mOsten my lips with my
tongue. The suffering was dreadful. and
would not pass through the experience
again for fifty times $1,000. This time. how
ever, was bound to win. Despite my COW
ering my body was blistered in several
| places, and my hands and arms are one
mass of burns. My feet are burned as if
had held them in the fire."
1t will be two weeks before Marvin re-
badly swollen. and hiseyebrows and whisk-
the well is still so hot that no one can walk
on it, and it will take three or four days to
| cool it off. Marvin'S feat is said to be the
first successful one of its kind on record.