Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1890-12-11

no greater in the building than ten feet
FROM It ] followed him. The interior
was packed full of square two-gallon
tin cans, each of which had handle on
top md two cork-plugged vent-holes.
They looked as though they might con-
tain maple sirup or something equally
harmless, butknowing what they really
did hold started the perspiration on my
forehead as gazed at them.
Taking two at time the torpedo
man SGT four Of the cans on the ground
outside the magazine, and relocked the
door. Then drawing sharp steel in
strument that looked like an ice-pick
from his bootleg, he dug out one Of the
tightly-driven corks from each can, and
| examined its contents to satisfy himself
that it was full. They were. Then the
corks were replaced, and as handed
them one at q time up 70 him, he gently
set the packages into the padded COM
partments provided for them, and In
| another minute we were driving away
from the lonely magazine over the
stumps, rocks and bog holes of the hor-
rible trail, with one hundred and twenty
pounds of nitro-glycerine, liable to ex-
plode with the slightest conclusion,
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
| cpater OF volcano known to be on the
| eve Of an eruption. and the main road,
| when reached, seemed a haven OF safety.
The remaining mile of our drive was
made without incident, though we
drove at what appeared to be reck-
less pace, the torpedo-man 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 con-
tents of the buggy were carried to the
we'll, where the reel was made fast to a
, stout post From there it's cord, which
terminated in an iron hook, was carried
through block hung directly above the
pipe that extended thousand feet down
into the earth. A number of drillers and
other men interested in the we'll, who
had been lounging about the derrick,
left in a body as the torpedo-man
entered it carrying two cans of nitro
glycerine, and l followed him with two
more. They walked off to respectful
distance, and there sat down to await
developments.
Then we-for now found myself in.
stalled as chief assistant-proceeded to
business First the small tin tubes
| were jointed together until they formed
a pipe sixty feet long, and were thrust
into the we'll, where held them in pc,
sition. 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 funnel-like end, was fitted into
the upper anchor tube, and I was in
structed to let the whole slip down un-
til only foot of the shell projected
above the surface. Then tho torpedo
man withdrew the corks from the
glycerine cans, and slowly but steadily
poured the contents of two of them into
the she'll. 1t seemed as though the
ten-foot drop must afford conclusion
sufficient to produce an explosion, and
I am certain that as the first drops of
the oily-looking stuff fell to the bottom
ing. The cool steadiness Of the tor
pedo-man, and his evident knowledge
of what he was about treasured me,
however, so that I not only held the
first shell while it was being filled, but
the second, to which the first was at
tached by hooks Of copper wire.
When both shells were filed and
hooked on to the stout cord that dan
gled above the we'll, 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 cautiously down a thousand feet
into the bosom of the earth. / was told
that the last three hundred feet of it's
passage were through body of oil and
water, that would act as tamping for
the shot.
When the torpedo rested on the bot
tom IF the WE'LL slight jerk disengaged
the line by which it had been lowered,
and this was reeled in. Then the tor
pedo-man said, interrogatively:
Il suppose you would like to drop the
go-devil?'"
Certainly" answered. l felt that
had gone too far to recede from any
part Of the undertaking now, and SO
prepared to drop the goodwill
1t was four-fanged bit of cast-iron,
about foot long and pointed at the
lower end. Il weighed some ten pounds,
ard was just large enough to slip read
lily down the we'll pipe.
The torpedo-man went to unfasten
the horses, and get them started away
before the explosion should take place,
leaving me alone in the derrick, hold
ing the bit of iron that was to unloosen
the awful force lying SO quietly at The
bottom of the we'll. In another min
ute he shouted: Let her go!'
dropped the goodwill" and as il
whizzed downward on its errand of de-
struction ran with the speed of a
Splinter.
I was hundred yards away when
there came dull, muff1ed roar. followed
| by sharp crack that sounded like the
explosion of percussion.cap, and ac
companied by slight jar of the earth
A few seconds later solid column Of
black oil mounted fifteen or twenty feet
above the mouth OF the we'll. where il
seemed to remain stationary for mo-
ment. Then from out of it burst q
magnificent fountain of oil and water
that, shooting to height of nearly a
hundred feet, broke in . great cloud Of
amber-colored spray. Directly after
ward flood of oil poured back to the
earth, drenching the new derrick and
its adjacent buildings, and dedicating
them forever to the service of petro
leum.