Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-11-17
BETWEEN TWO MINUTES
a Story OF = Great Fire.


Third Sand was a busy settlement, do
Ing business in . small way in oil. There
were 20 little houses, huddled all togeth-
er: there were half q dozen producing
wells. with their derricks and pumping
machinery; there were many big storage
tanks perched here and there among the
hills: there was the railroad; there were
about 80 people. big and little.
All that was before the fre. Only
ashes and ruins and desolation marked
whore Third Sand had been. Even the
railroad was only a tnngle Of twisted
rails. Most Of the people went to the
larger oil6elds. Some Of them made
homes in Oldtown, over beyond the rim
Of hills. where the Ere did not reach and
where Jack lived. but wherever they
are they tell . thrilling story to this day
about the FIRE.
The place was quite shut In by the.
woods On every side. Many Of the stor-
age tanks were fairly in among the trees.
II the FIRE should come over the hills,
nothing could save the little oil settle
ment. It was only q little fire rs yet,
but the wind was blowing in that way,
and the wind was much stronger than the
people IN the hollow had any ideasof. So
Jack went down in the hollow and told
the tale Of warning. But the men down
there were busy. It was only 4 boys
story. and they CAV no heed TO II.
He marched away homeward, his tenn
per not bettered by hearing some OF the
men laughing at him.
He followed the old path back to Old
town. 1t sklrted Round hill and led out
past the FIRST Of the oil wells that had
been drilled in that section. The well
was dry nov hut it had been q wonder in.
Its day. and Jacks father had owned aud
operated It. Transporting the oil 20 the
Oldtown railroad station ~ way OF 4 lit
tie wooden tramway that he had laid,
for there was no Third Sand station
then.
Not long ago jack had taken from the
dismantled derrick the old hand car that
used to run on this tramway. had got It
homo and since then had made It over as
good as new, except that one Of the le-
yers was missing. Today he hoped 10 find
that lever and thus save himself the trou-
Bile Of making Z new one. OF course. the
ear would be of no earthly use after all
his trouble. But what boy would stop
to think about thata
nc round the lever n started on
with II. going past tho little cabin that
well men had lived In before Third Sand
was . settlement Il stood BY itself. ont
OF the way. hard to get ut and as solita--s
~ a a hawks nest. It was occupied
nevertheless. The Widow Slim lived in
It rent free. with littlc Katy, her grand
child. - her only companion. Katy, a.
mite Of . girl, nat ON the doorstep now
nibbling q crust, and sAs called out TO
Jack "a he passed,
"Granny's gore aWay-gous away OF
70 the farm. ptchin b~ssrtes-won't be
back I'LL most tom0Fsow,l suess."
Tomorrow! What's eelns 70 become
of you III that tiaef' For the berry
farm asasgsoa two muea Away.
@Noihin; 3sss sslnsto stay right here,
same N eEaany vatd; always do. Nothinl
lever beeamoaJA& me-
He hasvg that che was oftsa M ~;
heteelt. lDeseseAny must work pvhays aha
costAss ~ nd pavsx thouttts u ~,
sellss klEsa,ssshat Als.9a! plssss;ssss
,sylgAA3@ n ut Ne tAAk