Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-06-15
.TBE BIG NOSES GASSIR.
The Largest Gas Well Ever Struck in
the World Set on Fire Yesterday
By Being Struck by lightning Dur
ing e Thunder Storm-The Flames
Running Into Space $50 Feet-A
Brief Description Of This Won
derful Weu-Other Oil News.

derful Well-Other OH news
A special telegram received from Sis
tersviIle last evening stated that re-
port had been received there to the eff
feet that during heavy thunder storm
Yesterday afternoon the big Moses"
gas well, out on Middle Island creek,
was struck by lightning and set on
fire The flames are running up into
space for a distance as near as can be
Judged. of $50 feet, and the country for
miles around it lit up as bright as day.
The Big Moses" was drilled in ear
ly last September by the Victor Oil Co.,
who drilled it in undeveloped territory
in the hope of getting a good producing
oil well Instead, however, when the
sand was drilled into of getting a pay
ing oil well, gas was struck in en-
ormous quantities and the tools were
blown entirely out of the hole and
through the derrick.
Ever since the well was drilled in the
owners have been making an effort to
have II sbu+ in as the amount of gas
going to waste daily represented quite
large sum of money. All the devices
known to oil men for the purpose of
closing in oil and gas wells were used,
but all to no purpose. AS fast as any
thing was put over the we'll or it was
shut in in any way the enormous pres
sure of gas would blow the top off
again.
As a last resort the owners Of the
well sent to Pittsburg last winter, and
had a large casting weighing several
tons made, and had well known oil
and gas well driller of that city come
down to place the cap" as it was
called, over the well. The cap was fin
ally gotten on the well after much diff
fculty, and for a short time it ap-
peared that the great gasser had finally
been gotten under control, but they had
reckoned without their host, for in a
few days the immense casting was cut
in two by the pebbles and sand thrown
up by the gas pressure and the well was
again free.
It is reliably estimated that the
amount OF gas escaping from this well,
which is conceded to be the largest one
ever struck in the world, has been sew
eral million feet daily, and worth in
cold cash a sum approximating $1,000
900.
The much talked of we'll on the Suth-
erland farm. on McIntire creek, three
quarters of a mile from Smithfeld, O.,
and about seven miles from the Gould
field. was drilled in yesterday after
noon and is making a showing FOR
producer. according to a private tele-
gram received by a party in this city
who is Interested in the field. The
contractor drilling the well has boarded
it I'D and will not allow anyone to go
near it for some reason. The we'll was
drilled in at l 400 feet and is in the
Berea grit sand.
The Brookes well, owned by Capt. ].
T. Jones and others, located on Middle
Island creek. about two miles south OF
the Holmes No. l, was drilled into the
sand Yesterday afternoon, and is show
ing for a 50-barrel producer. 1t Is
located ahead of developments a con-
siderable distance and is a very i'm
portant we'll
Carr Bros. have two fishing jobs in
the Long Run field, the Kocher and
DOran wells.
Col Thomas Mills well, on the Kirk
land farm, is down about COO feet.