The Rice belt journal., 1902-07-18
LIGHTNING WROUGHT HAVOC.
Struck Jennings Oil Tank and lgmted
Gushing Well.

'>'' D
During a heavy electrical storm =
Tuesday afternoon lightning struck =
one of the storage tanks in the Jen- :
nings oil field. causing the tank to z
explode and ignite gushing OIL 2
well. =
Two storage tanks, each with 7
capacity of 200 barrels, were
DESTROYED. The flames spread to the :
derrick of jennings No }, owned by
the jennings Haywood Oil Syndicate :
and before they could be eNtingWshed I
set on fire the oil leaking from the .
oate valve. In few moments the
heat was so intense as to melt the (
| packing between the casing ana the :
valve and through this tiSsure OF about =
one-sixteenth of an inch fiery hameS
have since been leeping to a height or
seventy-hve feet.
Chemicals made expressly for eN-
tinguishing fires were telegraphed TOT
to Beaumont and they together with d
chemical apparatus arrived in Jen-
ninus bv special train early WedneS-
day morning. That afternoon four
boilers with a combined pressure OF
900 pounds to the square lnch, TO-
pether with a four-inch air compressor
- and the chemicals were directed at the
fumine. seething mass of gas and OIL,
{ Int all efforts to check the i T. were
- futile
'e The oil that was not consumed in
~ SPRAY formed small lakes about the
gusher, igniting as rapidly as 1t teil,
q. only added intensity to the heat ana
~ maonitude to the miniature volcano.
y scores of men were put TO work
p" heapino dirt into the fiery furnace,
-, hoping by this means to smother the
~ flames. but their endeavors again
-, proved fruitless.
~ All of the nearby oil wells were well
covered with mud to prevent further
iio snread of the confiagration. The
Southern Oil Company had all O
= their derricks torn down to avoid al
possibility of further destruction. IN
- machinery at work on Northern wei
No. was removed to a place O
safety. This derrick was within
iN q hundred feet of the ill-fated Jenning
nty h''li0i w =, a,nar of helm
Ons NO - anu
ms burned.
The we'll is one constant blaze
49, spouting fire of variegated colorS an
~ at night presents a most magnlhcel
' nvrotechnical display. The presSui
and OF gas oe'o'''e. 40 ,7,o,,,ootb nj,
would be wrenched from its moorlns
~, and tossed to the skies. Huge V"
unes of black smoke arise from u
b,,rninC mass and settles in den
lii overhanging clouds for many mil
oft,
w. around.
' ', ~ Perhaps nothing except volcan
Cn.i eruption ever eclipsed this spectacul
-l display of burning OH ana 20
49, Smoke can be seen ascending lor
distance of twenty-five miles ana
rucN leaning flames have been Witnessed
persons seven miles distant
- MANY more boilers were order
and if is the aim of the promoters
the company to force pressure
:, H. several thousands pounds OF ste
into the flame and if possible sub'
l,,,-,, it in that way. In the event they
-, unsuccessful in this attempt, they
o,,oo as a last resort, tunnel unoer
49,. Ground and with a strong hydra'
t pressure close the pipe and thuS
Is, off the flow of oil. and gas. 1t
feared. however, before this can
done that the gate valve, which is
rance uole riis'' 1a III will h
depot helo lhU"'' ~ i, which O,
ming, lnelV'" - ~ ,o fo,,,-incb STR
pieces Uis well 80 5s.1 ,,o,,,,ds ,,,essure
hind it and the matter Of ever SUI
s;I ing it would be "a remote poSSlbl
,>ioooe Hundreds from all parts OF
many country go to view this wonderfu
losion traction. Inc croWu' 0A
,nabIe large at night as during the day
away kodak fiendS are WORKING oNerUllh'
IS dis -,,- ,.,,,. ,,,,oc+icallv srsuend
the Jennings oil field and it cam