The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-08-27
ACRES OF FLAME
A Terrific Explosion Of Nat!
ural Gas in Indiana.
The River Bed and a Crave
yard Torn Up.

At 8 o'clock few mornings ago the
farmers near Waldron, Ind, were startled
by terrific explosion. When they reached
the Ogden graveyard, which is on bluff
near the Flat Rock stream, they dis
covered that fully ten acres Of the earth
was in commotion. Geysers were shoot
Ing up to the height Of six and eight feet, and
gas was blazing from tea to fifteen feet above
the water of the geyssrs. The river bed was
torn up and the water had stopped running
below tho graveyard. Flames are still
shooting from fifty different assures in the
earth.
The county had not been considered In the
gas belt, although local companies have
sunk many wells. At Waldron, a little
town eight miles southeast of Shelbyvilla,
Ind, sufficient flow of gas was found to
supply the citizens with fuel Nobody
thought that gusaer was, slumbering near
the town, and few have. entertained the
idea Of permanent flow Of gas in that
locality. A little stream, known as Flat
and about thres miles south Of Waldron on
the banks Of Flat Rock, .is O sort Of butte
upon which country graveyard has been
in use for many years. The river at
this point runs west and Conn's
Creek empties into. it, from the north,
forming a kind of horseshoe-shaped strip Of
land opposite the. graveyard. Edmund
Cooper owns the land on the north side Of
the river, and it was. in this strip that the
explosion occurred.
j. b. Lowe, who lives on the Cooper farm
heard terrible report, and felt the eartH
quivering beneath his feet He went toward
the graveyard and was soon confronted by q
sheet Of fame 200 feet high.
Then fifty or more fountains Of fire burst
from the earth. These were intersparsed
with six or eight active geysers. At the
east side of. the eruption large stack OF
straw was ins flames, and q field Of green
co1l was dropping before the excessive
heat from, the ten acres Of fame.
The river bed was torn to pieces. and
huge assures were receiving the rivers
water. Sheets Of fame swept over the water,
and an area Of about one acre was quickly
converted into huge hole, from which q
continuous, roaring and rumbling noise pro-
ceeds.
Within the bend Of the river and for one.
eighth Of a 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 q fracture q
quarter Of mile In length and stones
the size of q house have been hurled
from their places. The graveyard was
distinctly seen In the fractures 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 near the creek.
The water is propelled flercely by
the gas, causing living geysers to shoot
up. Large numbers are going from the
city to see the strange sight. When the e1-
plosion occurred rocks and trees were thrown
200 feet high. The flame was seen for two
and half miles at first. The gas is now
burning for half mile along the creek.