Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-08-16
A LAKE OF FIRE.
Natural Gas Explosion Causes CoIistcrna-
tlOn In Indiana,


tlOn In Indiana
CINCINNATI Aug. 1a-Late editions
OF the evening papers contained bare
announcements OF wonderful anu
startling spontaneous explosion OF nat
ural gas not far from Waldron, Shelby
County, Ind, about seventy-hve miles
from this city, almost on the line OF the
Big Four road. From passengers on In
coming trains fuller details were re-
ceived.
The scene Of the upheaval is near the
mouth OF Coins creek, twelve miles from
Shelbyyille. About nine o'clock tre-
mendous explosion, rocking the entire
country for miles around, frighteneo
the people greatly. AS they approached
the spot from whence the noise oil the
explosion came wonderful slgnt
greeted them. Acre after acre ofground
had been torn up to an unknown
depth. From thousand points huge
shafts OF flame reared their crests into
the air. At times it appeared as II
fiery lake had settled down upon the
earth, and as the wind blew across II
the appearance was that OF great neld
OF grain swayed by the moving atmo-
sphere. Strangest OF all, from the CEN
ter OF the stream Of flames, thirty feet
high, came geyser, suffering and
kissing through, throwing the spray In
glittering showers, fifty feet each way.
The peculiar odor that pervades all nat
ural gas sections was overpoweringiy
strong, as If vast quantity OF gas were
in the air.
After the first establishment was over
people began to look about for damages
done. 1t was found that gigantic cracks
like great wrinkles scanned the earth
for hundreds of feet in some directions
Stones were found scorching hot two
miles away, and as the wind OCCASION
ally parted the flames it was seen that
the earth was scooped to depth OF nity
feet over an acre in extent Ogdens
grave ward, an abandoned church yard
two and q half miles away, was
shaken and graves cracked open.
II is claimed that the bones
in one or two were exposed. Natural
gas was never suspected in that vicinity,
and how it caught fire is mystery.
There is the greatest excitement, and
the entire population for miles around
is on the spot 1t is not even guessed
how the flames can be eXtinguished
Indiana has q veritable lake OF fire,
lighting up the country for miles some
thing no other spot on earth can DoasI
A dispatch from Greensburg, Ind,
says the light of the burning gas can be
seen from that point and that hundreds
are going to the scene The dust from
the annihilated ground came down In
showers at many points in the county
Hundreds of people were confident an
earthquake had shaken the ground
There is great fear among some quar-
tiers OF another explosion, but the pes
opinion is that, having found an outlet
there will be no more explosions. The
gas we'll, twenty-one and one-half miles
away, from which ShelbyVille and othel
towns are supplied, shows no signs OF
decreased flow, though millions OF fee
are being consumed in the lake OF nre
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
COLUMBUS, Ind, Aug. ia telephone
message from Burney's Station, on the
Big Four road, gives an account OF
terrible explosion that occurred hal
way between that place and St Paul
about eighteen miles west OF this city
shaking the earth for miles around.
The theory is that the cause was nat
ural gas, as a number OF wells have
been sunk in that vicinity. The eartl
: opened for distance of several hundred
feet and about four acres of ground wa'
torn up by the upheaval, which threw
ND earth, stones and trees several feet
: Around the outer edges the groun
sank down a considerable distance.
large volume of fire and flame burs
from the assure and is now blazing u
200 or 300 feet and roaring loud enoug
to be heard for miles. The center @
the crevasse is in bed OF fiat rock q
, the mouth of Coins creek. The waite
3 in the stream is repealed by the force
the flames and drawn around over tn
, upheaved ground. Great excitemen
r prevails in the neighborhood.