Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-11-28

examined its contents to satisfy himself
that it was full. They were. Then the
corks we've replaced, and as handed
them one at time up to him, he gently
set the packages into the padded COM
partments provided for them, and in an
other minute we were driving away from
the lonely magazine over the stumps,
rocks and big holes of the horrible trail,
with 12O pounds of nitro-glycerine,
liable to explode with the slightest con-
cussion, snugly slowed beneath our seat.
The ride over that rough forest trail
was altogether too exciting to be enjoy
able. 1t was like being confined in the
crater of a volcano known to be on the
eve of an eruption, and the main road,
when reached, seemed haven of safety.
The remaining mile of our drive was made
without incident, though we drove at
what appeared to me reckless pace, the
torpedo-mau saying that we were little
late.
At last we turned in through pair Of
bars, and, crossing field, came to a new
derrick that marked the we'll we were to
shoot. The horses were securely hitched
to tree, and the contents of the buggy
were carried to the we'll, where the reel
was made fast to a stout post. From
there its cord, which terminated in an
iron hook, was carried through a block
hung directly above the pipe that extend
ed a thousand feet down into the earth.
A number Of drillers and other men in
terested in the well, who had been
lounging about the derrick, left in
body as the torpedo man entered it, car
rying two cans of nitro-glycerine, and |
followed with two more. they walked
of to a respectful and there sat down to
await developments.
Then we-for l now found myself in
stalled as chief assistant-proceeded to
business. First the small tin tubes were
joined together until they formed pipe
sixty feet long, aud were thrust into the
well, where l held them in position.
This was the ''anchor," and its duty was
to support the large tubes, or "Shells,"
at the proper distance above the bottom
of the deep hole. Next one of the larger
ten feet long-tubes, that had fun
nel-like end, was fitted into the upper
anchor tube, and was instr acted to let
the whole slip down until only foot OF
the shell projected above the surface.
Then the torpedo man withdrew the
corks from the glycerine cans, and slowly
but steadily poured the contents of two
of them into the shell. 1t seemed as
though that ten-foot drop must afford a
conclusion sufficient to produce an ex-
plosion, and am certain that as the first
drops of the oily-looking stuff fell to the
bottom of the she'll my heart ceased its
beating. The cool steadiness Of the tor
pedo man and his evident knowledge Of
what he was about reassured me, how
ever so that / not only held the first
she'll while it was being filled, but the
second, to which the first was attached
by hooks of copper wire.
When both shells were filled and hook
ed on to the stout cord that dangleo
above the well, a percussion-cap was
placed under the firing pan, a small iron
plate loosely fixed in the upper end Of
the torpedo, and the whole was let eau
tiously down a thousand feet into the
bosom of the earth. was told the last
three hundred feet of its passage were
through a body Of oil and water, that
would act as tamping for the shot.
When the torpedo rested on the bottom
of the well, a slight jerk disengaged the
line by which it had been lowered, and
this line was reeled in. Then the
torpedo man said, interrogatively,
suppose you would like to drop tht
'go.deur3"
Certainly" l answered. felt that
that l had gone too far to recede from
any part Of the undertaking now, SO
prepared to drop the "go-devil."
1t was four Hanged bit of cast-iron
about foot long, and pointed at the
lower end. 1t weighed some ten pounds,
and was just large enough to slip readily
down the we'll pipe.
The torpedo man went to unfaster
the horses, and get them started away
before the explosion should take place
leaving me alone in the derrick, holding
the bit of iron that was to unloosen tn
awful force lying so quietly at the bottom
Of the we'll. In another minute he shout
ed, 'Let her gol" dropped the ''go
devil" and as it whizzed downward
on its errand of destruction, ran witt
speed Of sprinter.
was hundred yards away wher
there came dull muffled roar, followe'
by sharp crack that sound like the ex
plosion of percussion cap, and accom-
panied by slight jar Of the earth.
few seconds later solid column of blacl
oil mounted fifteen or twenty feet abov
-..Lo~o cooxoa