The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-30


There were tons of earth banked up.
Then the hood was anchored with big
chains. i
Raced to Close Valve.
Steam pipes were connected to the
vent pipe to. prevent the flames. from
rushing down into the hood when the
valve was shut. -. =
Then big spool was attached to the
long arm used to turn the valve, and
around this spool wire was bound. At a
given signal men took the end Of this
wire and ran, turning the valve, and
the great fire was out.
The great difficulty now will be to
build a derrick over the we'll, fish out
the dropped tubing and retube and shut
in the we'll. After the fire was put out
the gas turned loose, and it is now
blowing out of the top vent. a.
Gasser Is No Joke.
gasser is no joke. Burning oil
wells are bad enough, but when it comes
to trying to choke off wild gasser,
more. endurance than the average man
Not only did the workmen have to
withstand the intense heat, but the
deafening roar which penetrated their
ears, even when filed with cotton, and
the constant vibration Of the air caused
strain to which even these men could
hardly grow accustomed.
Visitors felt these vibrations and be-
neVed that the volcanic we'll was shak-
ing. the ground. Many of them COM
planned of the effect on their hearts and
left hurriedly. For more than hun
bred yards distant the earth was hot,
and close to the mouth a thick crust
mas been baked on the top Of the
When the workmen were forced to
get nearer the mouth Of the flames and
| place IN position section of the rail
way track the water was turned on
them: Steam from their wet clothing
enveloPed them and almost hid them
from sight.
Like Deaf and Dumb.
oo, While at work the men resembled
gestieulations and pointing those in
charge directed their men, who silently
complied with the orders. By shouting
IN the work men' s ears they could be
made to understand, but this took time,
for in that way the foreman had to 20
to each laborer.
In addition the bosses and gas men
carried paper and pencil and wrote out
| their orders where the work was some
what complicated. J: c. Mcdowell,
general manager of the natural gas
company, carried large pad of paper
and a pencil with him constantly. His
work resembled that of train dis
patcher.
Under conditions such as these, with
the flames shooting to height Of 125
gan burning before the attempt to place
the hood could be made. In the mean
time, temporary track had been laid
| to the well. The intention was to haul
the steel hood and it's 800 feet Of iron
| pipe along this track by means of steel
| cables reaching thru the flames to safe
Gables Burned in Two.
The cables burned in two before they
could be used. A derrick was then
mounted on truck behind the hood,
which was equipped with two huge
steel screens Behind these screens the
workmen gathered and by main physical
force pushed the whole mass slowly
along the track. .f~r.
AS soon as it. was near enough, the
derrick was to pick up the hood and
drop it over the raging well. The
wind. which had been blowing fiercely
for day or two, had quieted uown and
| the flames were shooting straight into
! the air.
j. Hundreds Of persons had gathered at
a safe distance from the well to wit
ness the test. &Some, believing that the
big hood would be blown to pieces,
withdrew to fassmall knoll quarter of
a mile away tF0thers climbed trees and
| considered that they were safe there.
Pushing and 'straining, the workmen
had got the hood within a few feet Of
the point where it was to be stopped,
when the truck jumped the track and
the axle snapped. On account of the
fearful heat it had been impossible to
lay the rails solidly, especially where
there was any grading to be done. The
track had sagged little at. one of these
points and the axle could not stand
the strain.
In the meantime the pumps, which
had been protecting the men with
streams of water, had broken down.
Yet something had to be done, and at
once, or the chain from the hood to
the derrick would melt, but it was i'm
possible to bulge the broken truck. }.
/ Braved Awful Heat.
Forsaking the shelter of their screens
and without the protection Of water,
the workmen ran to the crane and, by
means of it's long steel arm, picked
the hood from the truck and swung it
out of harm 8 way. AS it dropped to
the ground ,guywire Of the crane
broke and the structure swayed back
and forth.
Fearing that it would fall the la:
borers ran for their lives. Altho on
the unstable track. the crane slowly
settled back and gained it's equilibrium
1t was then secured and tied with more
guywires. n
Shortly after the device stuck on tn
track. the big pile flooring Of the truck
on which the crane rested, seventy fiv,
feet from the mouth Of the we'll, caugh
; fire. There was no water from tn
pump and bucket brigade was formed
Water was carried from the creek AM
with wet cloths to. protect their faces
: men ran up and dashed it on the burn
ing timbers until the fire was extin
;. guished. Later water was hauled il
Z barrels, and in this manner the trucl
was prevented from burning. Whe1
= ! the force of workmen quit work at
, clock many were suffering from hea
. and exhaustion.
From day to day the people Of tina
part of Kansas and Indian Territor,
; have grown more and more excite,
. over the big gasser. Betting at ever
: money has been getting pretty, heavy
, Some banked on the gas officials an,
others took the "well' end of tn
wager. .....~. ,---
) -. Don't Overlook the Fact
\ That tomorrow is the day to bring, sent
) or telephone your want ad for the Sun