Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1890-12-13

As he spoke, the torpedo man halted
building of rough boards, the sing.e door
Of which was fastened by an ordinary
paddock. In a conspicuous place on its
front was nailed sign that read. ''Dan
ger. Keep away from this building."
This sign fascinated me, so that could
hardly avert my gaze from it, even
though l plucked a wild rose from
bush that leaned confdingly against the
magazine, and pretended to be carelessly
admirlng its beauty.
elbow much is there in there7" ]
asked.
ooh, fifteen hundred quarts or so
enough, anyway, to blow Oil City cut OF
sight, answered my companion as he
unlocked the door and stepped inside.
Rejecting that the danger could be nc
greater in the building than ten feet from
it, l followed him. The interior wa.
packed full of square two-gallon tin
cans, each Of which had handle on TOP
and two cork plugged vent-holes. They
looked as though they might contain
maple syrup or something equally harm.
iess' but knowing what they really did
hold started the perspiration on my fore.
head as gazed at them.
Taking two at time, the torpedo
man set 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
,orks were replaced, and rs I handed
hcm 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,
locks and big holes of the horrible trail,
with l2O 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. II was like being confined in the
crater of 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 mado
without incident, though we drove at
what appeared to me a reckless pace, the
torpedo man saying that we were little
| late.
| At last we turned in through pair of
oars, and, crossing a field, came to new
| derrick that marked the we'll we were to
| 10 tree, and the contents of the buggy
! were carried to the we'll. where the reel
was made fast to a stout post. From
| here its cord which terminated ,in an
| IRON hook, was carried through block
hung directly above the pipe that extend
! ed thousand feet down into the earth
| number of drilers and other men in
. terested IN the well, who had been
ounging about the derrick. left in a
| body as the torpedo man entered it, car
rying two cans of nitro -glycerine, and
followed with two more. they walked
| off to a respectful and there sat down to
await developments.
Then ve-for l now found myself in
stalled as chief assistant-procecde to
business First the small tin tubes were
Joined together until they formed pipe
sixty feet long, and were thrust into the
we'll. where | 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 l was instructed to let
the whole slip down until only foot OF
the she'll 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. It seemed as
though that ten foot drop must afford q
conclusion sufficient to produce al cx-
plosion, and am certain that as the drs
drops of the oilylooking stuff fell to the
bottom Of the shell my heart ceased is
beating The cool steadiness of tae tor
pedo man and his evident knowledge Of
what be was about reassured me, how