Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-01
AN INVENTORS PERIL.
The Originator Of the "Barkor" Forced Up by
Flow Of Salt Water from an
oil Well.

81. Marys o., Dec. 26.--A party of
well known oil men, prominent among
whom was Tim Spellacy, We're clustered
around warm gas fire at the Dickerson
house In this city few evenings ago, re-
luung their experiences iu the oil fields.
Timothy, who by the way, Is one of the
oldest operators In the business and
whose success I'm telling stories and hold
Ing his audience spcll-bound has achiry-
ed fame that Is far reaching, being
called upon, was not long In respond
ing, and is authority for the following
very interesting account Of a drillcr's
mlshup In the Peuuhy lyuniu fields
During the oil excitement im that sec
ton back in the COS, leusers were almost
as thick as flies I'm the summer time.
and fabulous prices were paid for luud
that was seemingly worthless AT that
time was leasing myself and
managed To secure quite promising
piece OF land, known as the "Mnde
farm which contained some 200 acres
The first we'll drilled thereon proved To
be only fair producer and three wells
were all that were completed ON the
farm. as The territory was considered
too light TO Justify further developments.
The last we'll that was brought I'm con-
tanned scarcely any oil whatever, aud
working ON IL was driller named
George Madden, an eccentric sort Of "A
the boys. and continually bent upOu in-
vomiting something. For long time he
bothered his brain about getting mp some
device whereby pumper would be nblc
TO tell whether or not hls wells were
all running, without making an extra
trip TO them TO find out. Some bumpers
had as high as six wells 10 take care of.
and when iaght came ON they were un.
able TO discern the steam from the en-
glnes without going 10 them. His pa
ticnce was nc lcugth rewarded by the con
ccptlOn of n very ingenious cOntrivaucp.
known among the fraternity as "hnrl,-
ers an arrangement that 10 placed be.
meath the exhaust steam pipe of an en-
gine, aud as long as the steam come out
of the pipe u makes an unearthly noise
that on sllll night can be heard az a
distance of several miles When mis-
noise ceases, " at once tells that some
thing Is wrong and he goes and iuyesu-
gates
Before he had succeeded in mastering
his invention, he used TO seclude himself
and for hours used 10 sic aud study. One
day, while walking over the Wade farm,
an idea struck him, aud going into Inc
derrick of we'll No. g. which no bnd
drilled md which was abandoned he
placed an empty candle box over the
mouth OF the well aud after producing
pencil and paper seated himself thereon
AMI successfully carried his idea into exc
cuuon by completing his labouous ana
what has since proven 10 be splendid in
NeutQn While gloatlng over his success
and dreaming Of the handsome profit no
would realize thereirom, the well suddenly
begun Rowing n solid column of soit
water, aud before no could recover from
ms surprise the force of the stream bad
caught the box right in the center MIA
carried him straight into the air. where ~
a height Of fifty feet above tie Ier,,,R
uoor he hung suspended, his equilibrium
eoontefacing the remarkably heavy no,g
81 Sait water which played into the box
nnui his lower limbs grew numb, ana ere
long consciousness WAS entirely lost M
MN, When lle came 10 he found hinself
N bed at the house Of noiehhor. suifer-
untold nain. He seemed utterly nm
tHie TO give an account OF himself aud
iuHher Than thar the we'll commenced III
How. he remembers nothing. and instend
on peiug IN the air AN hour as lac imarioed
" developed that the lime scarcely ev
ceeded Two minutes The phenomenon
Was luckily noticed, and Ia this way NJ.
AstAnce reached bin. Although he ,vos
severely burt and confined TO his room IN,
almost several months, he was mono N,o
worse Tor his rough experience when ~
got out again, but admits that he bnd 4
marrow escape. The strange ,veli Gos
ilown steady stream OF salt water n,.er
sinee and the barker which DC i,Wpnte5
under, such adverse circpnstance WAN
named after him. and is Of Invaluable ~.
wee f0day 70 OIL bumpers"