Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-08-15
Remarkable Gas Explosion.


A remarkable gas explosion is reported
from Shelbyville, Indiana, town about
40 miles southeast of indianapolis. Ten
acres of land, few miles from the town,
were, according to the dispatch, torn to
pieces one acre was demolished to the
depth Of ten feet huge stones were hurled
through the air trees were uprooted, and
every window glass in radius of four
miles shattered. The roar FOUNDED like
a heavy cannonading, and dense clouds of
smoke lowered in the air
The scene of the explosion was in little
valley surrounded by wooded slopes and
green meadows. Here flowed Comis
Creek, little streamlet varying in width
from rs to 35 feet. Ordinarily the place
was cne OF quiet beauty and repose, and
here had been the spot selected as the vii
lage cemetery.
The bill kept back the fierce heat, but
when its summit was reached scorching
blast as if from furnace passed over them.
An almost indescribable scene burst forth
tire valley was on fire. Streams Of fire
leaped from the earth and shot high into
the air.
These streams were innumcrable and
they burnt with fierce and steady glow.
The trees near by were felled to the
ground and the flames had communicated
to them, lending additional terror TO the
scene. The centre Of this fierce fire
seemed to be but short distance from the
graveyard, and upon the banks Of the
creek there was hole of unknown depth
of an area of perhaps five acres Of land
Here burnt the flames the brightest and
highest.
Fully fifty streams Of fire belched forth
from the hole. All about blazed smaller
streams. The strangest and most unac-
countable scene was witnessed in the bed
Of the creek. Through the water shot sew
eral streams of blaze, burning with great
ferceness.
The scene Of the explosion covered an
area Of ten acres, and within that area
these streams of fire blazed. People were
thr0nging in now in vast numbers and sew
eral hundred persons were gathered on the
hill. In the little cemetery the party dis
covered that the force of the explosion has
not alone leyeled the tombstones, but had
on the side nearest the flames uncovered
The cofiins containing the remains.
The earth had literally been blown from
them in the commissions. Notwithsland-
ing The intense and insufferable heat sever
al Of the men, after securing shovels from
a neighboring farmhouse, ,ventured to cover
up the cofiins again.
During the afternoon the crowd about
the wonderful scene numbered several
thousand, large parties coming from Shell
byville and Greensburg. The whole coun-
try is excited over the explosion. The
streams of fire have as yet shown no signs
Of abatement, and no means are known by
by which the flow and burning Of the gas
can be stopped.
The scene of this remarkable explosion
is not far from the line of the Big -Four
Railway, between Cincinnati and Indiana
polls 1t is almost within the natural gas
regions Of Southeastern Indiana. Several
large wells have been struck within short
distance of waldron, within about five
miles Of the present upheaval, but it has
never been anticipated that natural gas ex-
isted in the vicinity OF the explosions.
The wells OF Waldron are controlled by
Cincinnati capitalists, who are making
preparations TO pipe 1t to that city