The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-13
VERITABLE GEYSER
A Gas Well Ignites and Belches
Forth Fire.
NARROW ESCAPE OF WORKMEN
How Different People View the Prospect
The Poultry Exhibition
Closed.

The topic OF the week has been gas, and
in all circles, social, professional or bust
ness, the theme has been constantly pres
ent. The minor reports from day to day
regarding the progress made at the well
just north of the city have been eagerly
watched, and each afternoon different
small parties have taken runs out to in
spect the situation. Rumors of the pres
encs of experts and their supposed opinions
have filed the air. Every group that
might chance to form on the sidewalks or
in the hotel corridors would soon have this
theme IN full blaze of conversation.
Like everything Of this kind, all are sur
prised that these discoveries were not
made long ago, or that the few indications
now recalled in the recent past have not
been followed up with something like sys-
tematlc explorations.
1t is we'll known that intiammable gas is
found in great abundance within the earth
In connection with carbonacious deposits,
such as coal and petroleum, and similar &C
foundations not unfrequently occur in con-
nection with deposits of rock salt The
gases from any of these sources, escaping
by means of assures or seams, to the open
air may be collected and burned by means
OF suitable arrangements. The
ETERNAL FIRES
on the shores of the Caspian sea, which
have been burning from remote ages, are
due to gaseous hydrocarbons issuing from
and through petroleum deposits, and in one
of the provinces of China gas is obtained
from beds of rock salt at a depth OF over
hfteen hundred feet. In several portions
OF the United States numerous gas wells
have been discovered, being abundant in
Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and In
diana. The city of Erie, Pa, has thirteen,
yielding between ten and thirty thousand
feet per day and having pressure of over
two hundred pounds per square inch. The
formation here is supposed to be very SINH
lar to that of the localities which have pro-
duced the best flows, and the Caspian sea
may ind duplicate in the Great Salt lake.
THE PROSPECTING HERE
has not extended far enough to determine
the source or probable constancy of the
flow, but the developments yesterday
added much strength to the faith already
expressed by many of our not too sanguine
citizens.
The main well has reached depth of
about 500 feet, but from some cause leak
age has been going on around the tubing
ana the gas there escaping has made its
way to the surface, bubbling out in a
radius of to 10 feet around the mouth of
the tube. About noon yesterday this be-
came ignited, probably from the engine,
and soon the entire building enclosing the
boiler and workshop was
IN FLAMES.
At the moment the ignition took place
two of the workmen were standing within
the space soon to be circled by the flame
and barely escaped with their lives, having
their hair and eye brows badly singed.
With the greatest exertion the engine
and boiler were hauled from the burning
building, but not until the wood castings
were badly charred
In very few minutes what had been
seemingly harmless opening in the earth
only few inches in diameter was con-
verted into
vER1TABLE GEYsER
ten feet in width, and belcning flame that
shot into the air many feet.
So intense was the heat that it.Wes i'm
possible to approach nearer than fifty feet
on the windward side, while upon the
other it was dangerous for several hun
dred. An attempt to quench the flames was
made by pillng dirt all around and over the
openings, but the jets would force them
selves through in spite of all that could be
done Convey pipes were laid so as to aid
in drawing of the supply, thus reducing
the chances for the fire, but at late hour
last night this had not been success sful
The phenomen is wonderfully grand sur
passing anything ever seen in this valley.
The feeling last night was most assuring
that the real article had at last been struck
and all now necessary would be to confine
and control the flow.
One prominent and conservative real es-
tate man said last night, this means that
Salt Lake property is worth 25 per cent.
more than 1t was week ago.
One gentleman who has visited Salt
Lake frequently during the past seven
years, stopped off yesterday and began to
leok for real estate purchase He had
heard of the gas, he said, and was ready to
risk something.
Weli-if-they = have got it how
long will it lsst!' Let the next century
answer. We can't use it after that. The
entire ground and piping heaves and
surges like young volcano.
a prospecting company will be organized
in day or two to try all symptoms. Let
them sink.
This means what? People, factories,
homes, a big city.
"A mOuSrale SSululdUS OF LDe increase OF
Salt Lakes population next year is put at
%, 600. Let them come early and avoid the
rush.
HOW A NEW YORKER VIEWS IT.
A gentleman from New York, represent
ng large firm of capitalists, entered
Judge Colburn's Office yesterday and said
he wished to invest in Salt Lake real es
tate. He had been drawn here, he said.
Oy the reports that we had natural gas.
and if that were found to be true he
wished to invest large sum in Salt Lake
realty, The judge had the visitor in tow
Ill day, and by noon had placed 800 900
worth of propositions before him. He rep
'esents firm amply able to invest a mil
ion if the town and the gas probabilities
strike their fancy.
Yesterdays Real Estate Transfers
Alfred Lambourne to Minnie Lambourne
part OF lot !, block 81, plat d, Salt Lake
city survey --.----------.8 500
United States of America to Leonard N
Ewing, part of section 23 township l.
north range 2, west
Nary e. Austin ct al. to Sarah C. Per
kins, part OF lot g. block y. plat B, Salt
Lake city survey --- -. - 800
Jerome B. Paxton to a. L. Castleman, ct
al, one-fuurth interest in Lookout. ct
al, W NJ. M 3OOO
Nary c. Brown to Jennie Nash part of
lot >, blocks plat z, Salt Lake city
!, W. Bowman 10 A. A. Wilderm an, part '''''
OF lot II, ubdivision of block 20, plat c 400