The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-01
" JACK SQUIB" EXPLODED
UNUSUAL ACCIDENT KILLED FOUR
OIL MEN AT MARIETTA.
Four Others Fatally Injured, Three
Seriously Hurt-Details of the
Explosion-The Casualties.

MARIETTA. O., May s1.-Glycerin ex-
occurring with alarming frequency in the
Marietta oil fields. There have been two
this week, the one at o'clock tonight, on
the Kelly farm, a few miles east of this
city. being the worst on record. resulting
in four killed, four fatally injured and
three seriously.
The Killed.
WILLIAM NJ. WATSON.
H. E. ZELTON.
FRANK SPEARS.
THOMAS DANIELS.
-Fata.., Injured
JAMES p. SPEARS.
HERMAN SPEARS.
DAWSON STALLER.
WILLIAM CARPENTER.
Seriously Hurt
JOHN STALLER.
WALTER DANIELS.
HENRY STAL.LER.
The we'll is in wildcat territory, where
great excitement prevailed at the shooting
and risk was taken despite the warning of
the contractors. Fifty quarts of glycerin
had been lowered in a s7O-foot well. The
''go-devil' was dropped as usual but failed
to set the shot off. A Jack squib was
fuse. This was dropped. and in striking
the cans at the bottom the main shot ex-
ploded and sent great quantities of water
oil and unexploded squib into the air. The
squib fell on the derrick floor unnoticed.
AS soon as the water scleared away there
was great rush to the derrick by the in
quisitive countrymen. The Marietta Tor
pedo Company's representatives sand the
contractors could not keep them back. but
fled to safe distance themselves. There
were about fifteen in the derrick when the
fuse to the squib ignited the glycerin and
the terrible result followed. Bodies were
thrown in every direction. People gath
cred in large numbers. Chaos followed and
details were hard TO get. The correspond
ent of the Associated Press was on the
ground and found all In confusion. Here
and there an arm. foot. head, hand or leg
of some unfortunate was found.
Later reports tonight from the explosion
show that a new danger has developed in
the long list of casualties in striking oil
wells. Old oil well men say there never
was an accident like this. One of the
workers who was at safe distance said:
''The jack squib was blown out unexploded
and lodged under the derrick. Meantime
the nitroglycerin exploded hundreds of feet
underground, as usual. without damage,
and when its explosion was heard the
crowd rushed in under the derrick to see
the gush of oil. and while the crowd was
there the jack squib exploded among them.
This jack squib had slow protected fuse
and went off on time. but on the outside of
the well instead of in it, The employees of
the driller and the Marietta Glycerin Com
pany remained at safe distance from
force of habit for some time. although they
had no expectation of another explosion.
None of them was hurt. They begged the
others in vain not TO rush up to the der
rick
All of the victims are residents of this
county, well-to-do and prominent citizens,
and the calamity has spread distress every
where. Every means Of relief. so far as
nurses and physicians and supplies are con-
cerner have been furnished from this city
and neighboring points, but nothing can
prevent the death list from being less than
eight killed. while the extent of the injuries
of John and Henry Staller and Walter
Daniels are not as yet known.