El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-06

paratively easy task to cap" the well.
But no such valve was to be had, and
Mr.. Lucas could not wait for the ma
chine shops to make one. They adj
vised tina tthey must have two weeks
TO do the job.
A plan was Hereford devised for
putting 2 whole valve in place A
frame was constructed of railroad iron
as slide to carry the valve. Two bars
were laid horizontally across the der
rick frame, passing on either side of
the stream of Oil. These bars were in
tended to support and hold the valve in
place from the sides. Above these there
were two other bars. encasin.y the top
of the valve, and intended to keep it
from being thrown upward when it
should come in contact with the
stream. Just beyond the stream bolts
were fastened in the bars SO as to stop
the valve over the stream and at the
proper place. The bars were securely
anchored so as to withstand the strain
to be put on them. Into the frame or
slide the valve was put. A block and
tackle was rugged up and connected
with the valve, and when everything
was in readiness team of horses was
driven forward at a rapid speed.
The valve was, of course, open at
both ends SO as to permit the stream to
pass through it when it should come
directly over the pipe. But it was
known that a tremendous pressure
would be exerted upon the half of the
valve passing through the stream be-
fore the valve would erach it's place
and surround the flow. AS the horses
moved forward and the valve came In
contact with the stream there was
fearful strain, a fitting movement and a
rifle scattering of oil. 1t was an anx-
| Cos
who were trying to harness this force
of nature. But the crisis was safely
passed. The valve reached the STOP
bolts and settled into place directly
over the end of the pipe. and perfectly
inclosing the stream. The oil again
flowed unimpeded toward the sky, but
with the circle of iron around it
One step In the closing of the we'll
had been safely accomplished But the
valve hung in its frame twelve inches
above the top of the pipe. Anchors
were made and the valve was pulled
down to the top of the eight-inch pipe
and screwed on. Fortunately. there
were good threads on the pipe. The
six-inch pipe was what is known as a
blind pipe, and was not threaded
1t next became necessary to put
down anchors sufficiently strong to
hold the pipe in place after the closing
of the valve should bring the full pres
sure of the stream against it. AS the
oil was still rushing upward through
the orifice at the top of the well, the
men could not work at digging the
necessary holes, and furthermore the
saturatlon of the ground made it soft
1t therefore became necessary to divert
the stream. An orifice on the side of
the valve was opend. then the orifice at
the top was gradually closed, and the
ct hot L,
feet Then the holes were dug. the an
chors put in and screwed down upon
the top of the valve.
People in Beaumont who had field
glasses turned on the we'll. concluded,
when the upward course of the stream
ceased, that the we'll had been capped
Thy could not see the stream shooting
sidwise from the we'll. And when the
anchors had been completed and the
upward orifice was again opened, they
concluded that the stream had broken
its confines and was again beyond con-
troll. But this was a great mistake
The oil was returned to the ground
flow in order that T might be at
tached at the side of the valve When
this had been accomplished the side or
1fice was again opened. the top orifice |
was closed and the stream again shot |
out horizontally over the prairie.
And now the really critical moment
had arrived. The stream had not thus
lar been controlled. Naught save the |
shell of the valve had come in contact |
with it. except when the top orifice was |
closed, and then the side gate was open
Now the moment had arrived to shut |
off the stream altogether. and every
pound of pressure eXerted by the hid
den force deep down in the ground
must be borne by the valve and by
The anchors claiming it. A press re
gauge was fitted int othe valve Then
he gate of the side orifice was grad
lal1y closed Gradually the pressure
-ose in the gauge-then it stopped.
something might be wrong
With the gauge The stream was turn
I'd on again. and new gauge substi-
uted. Gradually the pressure rose in
his gauge as the stream was shut off.
Again it stopped ut los pounds. and not
1 drop of oil trickled from the pipe
The anchors held firm; the commition
n the earth no longer was manifested
; nthe surface; the great roar was
lushed and silence again reigned. In
en- days and ten minutes from the time
he oil burst from its rocky bed the
lucas gusher had been closed. The six
yxyhn ho6 Il H. |