Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-29
4 THRILLING MOMENT
THE DARlHc ACT OF HEROiSM OF
AN OIL WELL SHOOTER.


One of the raost thrilling experiences
recorded IN the annals of shooters ca
reers was that i'll which Dick Singleton,
an old time Bradford shooter, played
the role of hero. He played it well too
That the sensational drama did not turn
out to be tragedy in which six lives
were taken in the last act is due to the
hero's cool head, quick decision and su-
perb nerve in the Sace of almost certain
death.
Singleton was one of the best known
shooters in the Bradford field. He had
all the qualities which enter into the
make up of n successful juggler with
deaths agencies lie had shot hundreds
of wells and transported glycerin all
over roads which at certain seasons
had no counterpart for all round vii
lainy anywhere, bat his reckless caution
had always averted "a catastrophe.
One day Singleton started out to shoot
a well located near Bradford. The well
had been "drilIed i'm two or three days
before. but the shooter had been too
busy 70 put in a shot.
Arrived at the we'll Singleton pro-
coeded to fill the shells with glycerin
from his cans. That is a proceeding of
some delicacy, as glycerin allows no
liberties to be taken with it. Care must
be exercised III pouring the stuff from
the cans. into the shells.
The well was about 1,S00 feet deep,
and during the interval since drilling
hadistopped about 1000 feet Of fluid
had Accumulated in the hole.
There was nothing unusual about
that, bat something unusual did hap
pen speedily and most inopportunely;
SOM atlLing calculated 10 turn ones hair
gray and make such an impression ON
the memories of the men present as
time could not offace.
HE glycerin shell had been lowered
several hundred feet, and Singleton was
slowly playing out the cord, when he
felt the line slacken. Immediately he
heard an ominous rear. 1t was sound
to aRpall tie stoutest heart.
The well had started to fowl
Singleton Aew the meaning of that
sound. He knew that cofamE of oil
1000 feet high, obeyingShe impetus of
the mighty forces of nature, then ia
convulsien 1000 feet underground, was
forcing to the surface with Il velocity of
q cannCfl ball "a she'll containing 30
quarts 81 glycerin.
He realized that the propulsivc energy
of that column of oil would project the
shell against the timbers of the derrick
with tremendous force. No need to
speculate on what would follow the i'm
pact.
All this was flashed upon Singleton S.
as he stood leaning over
the hole. The thought Fash and the
81 giial of peril were coal4ident in point
of time.
1t was an awful momcnt-such a
moment as NO man had ever,experienced
and lived to describe.
Singleton's companions understood
the import of that terrifying sound.
Acting upon i natural impulse, they
turned to fee. seeking in flight the
they knew it was futile to
hope for. Almost before terror could
impart motion to their limbs the catas-
trophe would befall.
If Singleton had lost his head or hes
itatcd for only fractional part of a sec
Ond, six men would have been blown
into eternity, and another horTer would
have been added to.the long list charged
to the account OF nitroglycerin.
Buthe did not lose his head. He
knew that flight was useless. No time
for that. Whether he should run or
stay, death second 10 be inevitable.
If he should stay, there was one
chance-only one. 1t came to Singleton |
like an inspiration. The one chance de- |
cided him. Desperate as it w;is-a mil |
lion to one that il would faiI-he re-
solved TO take it.
Who can say what passed through |
the man : mind during the inappreciable |
fraction of time that hc waited totpxt |
his plan into execution?
Perhaps Singleton himself could not |
describe what his mental vision beheld |
ia that brief interval between the warn |
ing and the appearance of the messenger |
OF eternity.
He was conscious of nothing but the |
peril which was rushing upon him and |
his companions and of the stern resolve |
to stand at his post and do all that he
roic manhood could do to avert the i'm
pending doom.
Men think quickly at such time Sin |
gleton's mind acted with the CELEBRITY of |
lightning. His muscles obeyed the man.
date OF the Will with electric prempti- |
tude.
lie made his title clear to heroism o..
that eventful dav. He braced himself, /
and rs the shell SHOT from the hole he
threw his arms around it, not knowing
bat the sudden arrest Of motion would |
explode tine charge and not knowing
that he could hold the she'll at all
Desperation gave him strength.
There he stood, victor over death, sur
prised to fInd hipself alive and smeth-
cred in tho thick. greasy fluid which
flowed from the yell and fell i'll tor
rents upon him. But me held fast to the
prize which his alert mind, quick eye
and prompt action had won in the
hand to hand grapple with tie forces of
destruction.
Singleton is still living somewhere
in the lower oil country, and he occa-
sionally tries his hand at n shot but If
be should live oEtil the final day OF