The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-21

SHELEYvILLE, IND, August li.-At
goclock this morning the farmers near
Waldron, this county, were startled by
= terrific explosion. When they reach
ed the Ogden graveyard, which Is on 4
bluff on the Flat Rock stream, they
discovered That nearly ten acres OF the
earth was ia commoti0n. GeySers were
shooting up to the height OF six and
eight feet, and gas was blazing from
ten 10 fifteen feet above the water OF
the ceysers. The river bed was torn
up and the water had stopped running
below the graveyard. Flames are still
shooting from fifty different tissures III
the earth.
The county had not been considered
in the gas belt, although local compa-
nies have sunk many Wells. At Wal
dron, 2 little town, eight miles south
east Of this place, = sufficient no" OF
gas was found to supply the citizens
with fuel. Nobody thought that a
qusher was slumheriNg near the town,
and few have entertained the Idea OF a
permanent flow of gas IN this locallty.
\ little stream known aS Flat ROCK
runs southwesIerly through the conn-
tv, and about three miles south OF " al
dron, on the banks Of Flat Rock, Is a
sort of butte, upon which a country
graveyard has been in use for many
wears. The riverat this point runs west,
and Conn's Creek enlpties into 1t from
the north, forming kind Of horseshoe
shaped strip Of land opposite the grave
ward. Edmund Cooper owns the land on
the north side OF the river, and 1t was
in this strip that the explosion occurred
to-day.
J.H. Lowe, who lives OH the Cooper
farm, heard terrific report, and felt
the earth quivering beneath his feet.
Pc Then fifty or more fountains Of fire
burst from the earth. These were in
terspersed with six or eight active gey-
sers. At the east side of the eruption
a large stack of straw was in flames,
and a field of green corn was dropping
before the excessive heat from the ten
acres Of flame. The river bed was torn
to pieces, and huge fissures were re-
ceiving the rivers water. Sheets Of
flame swept over the water, and an
area of about one acre was quickly con-
verted into a huge hole, from which a
continuous, roaring, and runbling
noise proceeds.
Within the bend Of the river and for
one-eighth ola mile along the stream
great rents are seen in the earth and
river bed. At the bend Of the river,
which is of limestone, is Il fracture
quarter Of a mile in length and stones
the size of house have been hurled
from their places. The graveyard was
shaken up, the skeletons of the dead
being distinctly seen in the fractures of
Of the earth. Gas flows freely from the
entire surface OF the ten acres.
Stones were thrown two miles. The
whole county was shaken up, and the
excitement is tremendous. There. is
no gas we'll within two miles Of the
place, and no wells have been sunk
about the creek. The water is pro-
PEELED tiercely by the gas, causing live
ly geysers to shoot up. Large numbers
are going from the city to see the
strange sight. When the explosion
occurred rocks and trees were thrown
200 feet high. The flame was seen for
two-and-a-half miles at first. The gas
is now burning for a half a mile along
the creek.
NOMENTAEY TERROR OF BEING
BLOWN Jr.
INDIANAPoLIs, August l+.-A Sen
tinel special from Shcibyvillc says that
much excitement prevails over the re-
cent gas explosion. 1t is now discov-
cred that the whole neighborhood in
the vicinity Of the Young volcano is
saturated with natural gas, and the
soil is full Of ii. One can run Il crow
bar into the ground at any place and
then light the gaS which proceeds from
the soil in various quantities. This
wolld Indicate that Gas from 4 gas we'll
ha; found is way UP, and i'll many
pl ices fractures in the stones permit it
u escape.
This bears out the theory that gas
for some time has been escaping from
the sides Of gaS wells and ditfusing 1t
self in the sand and gravel below the
limestone. In Nanburen township,
twentv-four miles north OF the late
eruption. where water wells have been
sunk twenty to thirty feet, y few feet
below the Supcrsjructurc OF stone, gas
from wells three miles away has broken
into them, and people have abandoned
the use of the water, have closed the
wells and axe now using the G,s for
fuel. The whole township seems to Go
filled with the combustihle. and the
inhabitants are threatened with dis
aster. There is no telling uut the
lighting ola match may blow two or
three townships into smithereenS. 1t
is altogether probable that the diffusion
of gas into the soil more or less affects
the growing crops.
A great question may yet be raised as
to the advisability Of sinking gas wells,
or, if they are sunk at all, whether
other methods should not be used to