The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-11-30
Drill Penetrated the Sand in
the McCarty Well at 2
O'clock Last Monday
GOOD FOR SEVEN MILLIONS
Well Promises to Furnish
Abundance Of Fuel for
the Water and Light
Plants

The uncertainty ~ no longer feat
ure of the gas well being drilled for
the city on the c. G. McCarty lots.
The gas sand was struck in the well
at o'clock Monday.
This is the brief story of the result
of the city's experiment in drilling a
gas well to furnish fuel for the cleo
trio light and water works power
house. While it was believed that
there was a good prospect for finding
gas, only the penetrating power of the
drill itself could certainly determine
the fact, and the drill Monday sett e /
the question.
The well is on the G. G. McCarty
lots back of his carriage factory at
the corner of South and Broadway
streets and for the use of the land
Mr.. McCarty will get what gas he
wants in his factory and house. Be
fore the we'll was beginning to blow he
came out of his shop grinning and de-
clared the drillers could quit when
they saw fit, there was enough gas
developed for his use.
Gradually the drill went down, the
screw showing that foot of line had
been paid out, and The draft from the
middle of the earth grew stronger,
blowing the loose ends of rope about
the drill and becoming audible as a
long drawn out sigh. A pebble flew
s.tLf H., ~, tptr lKr nj Inv
others. Then shower of soft, blue
stones jumped into the air and fell
thickly about the opening. The rush
of the gas was distinctly audible and
hdmber of people gathered to watch
the process Of finding gas.
BY this time the screw had all been
paid out and it was necessary TO draw
up the drill and take another hold.
some six feet higher on the rope As
IL was known that there was mud and
water at the bottom it was determined
to pull the drill and let the well "clean
itself" So the big windIass was con-
nected with the engine and the long
rope hauled up. Before half It's length
had appeared the rope was all muddy
and the rushing gas blew the muddy
water from it in black spray, high
into the top OF the derrick. The main
driller, Mr.. llumcs, stood by and
struck the rope with club, thus jar
ring moro mud loose. The pulley AZ
the top of the derrick squeezed mud
from the rope as il passed over, ana
the TIGHT coils on the w!ndlaSs dripped
and oozed with slime. A Ablackmiat .lev
to the top of the derrick and rained
down on everything. Then the drill
appeared, new bit was put on and
the work resumed.
As the wind was IN the southwest
and the well close to several houses,
police visited the neighborhood and
had fires and lights eXtinguished lest
the wandering gas should ignite
destroying the neighhorhood and the
derrick.
WE'LL FINISHED TUESDAY
The new process OF shutting down is
to attach shut.oF valve to the tub
ing. Everything was cleared for ac
tion Tuesday aal u good sized
crowd watched the worlSmen wrastlC
with the gas. They were able to SCI
the cap on the tubing but couldn'
turn it and make the threads catch
Four stout men worked with it in vain
foy half an hour. Each time the cal
slipped off the tubing oven slightly
powerful blast Of gas struck the man
on that side, knocked hats right anC
left, and blew the worlJmen back from
the posts. In vain they fought, tn,
fepd from the bowel, OF the cart
screeched and howled in agony anC
fought with the struggling men tor III
liberty. Finally the struggle wa
given up and 1.-THE men awaited othe
Instruments before trying to faster
down the well,
A car Of pipe is here for the wei
and as soon as possible the mains
will be laid and the gas piped to III,
river where it will blaze beneath tn,
boilers which will furnish steam tC
drive the electric light dynamos anC
the water works pumps,
The well was shat of tight about II