The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-20
GASSER STILL SPOUTS.
The Second Attempt to Cap the Wen
at Caney Fails.

Caney, Kan. March $3.50 far, the
second attempt to conquer the flames
at the fiery gasser by use of hood is
a failure. Although the manager, Mr..
Mcdowell, still says he win win, other
gas men say that the second battle, like
the first, has been lost.
The effort to cap the well Sunday
had to be abandoned on account of the
failure of some Of the parts of the ap-
paratus to arrive in time. But all was
in readiness by noon Monday and the
great steel hood from which so much
was expected was hoisted by the i'm
mense crane, swung slowly into the
flames and at 1890 o'clock was lower
ed to the ground There had been no
mistake in the calculations of the en-
gineers and the hood landed just
VIII ere it was wanted. The tower of
flame shot upward through the top
opening as before, but the volume es-
Gaping from beneath the edge of the
hood was far greater than at the other
trial A week ago this fire from be
meath the hood was extinguished IN
a few minutes with steam. Men then
rushed up with shOvels and piled sand
and earth around the hood to seal all
openings. In an hour after the well
was capped men could work around
it and lean against the hood, but now
eight hours after the new hood has
been put in place, the fire from be
meath the edges reaches to the top of
the derrick mast, which is eighty feet
high.
Neither steam nor water nor sand
appears to have the slightest effect. A
north wind keeps this lower flame
blown mostly to one side Of the top
fame and as many men as can be
employed are carrying earth on show
els as near as they can approach and
throwing It around the hood.
This is kept wet and settled by
streams of water A mound has been
built eight feet high and extending
back about ten feet on three sides of
the hood. On the south side toward
which the flames are blown little earth
has been thrown, as it is impossible
to approach from that.side. But through
the thickest parts of this mound the
flames still burst. So far as can be
seen not the slightest progress has
been made toward shutting off this
lower fame, which must be done be
fore anything else is attempted
This new hood has already been over
the flames longer than the first hood
lasted and no progress has yet been
made It is liable to collapse at any
time. The men with the shOvels can
do little. They have to rush UP to the
I base of the roaring torrent Of fame and
after throwing q few shovels Of earth
must retire. Every man possible is
employed.
This terrific flow of fire from source
from which little escaped at the trial
of the first hood can be explained only
on the presumption that the flow of
gas from the we'll has greatly in
creased. The opening at the top of the
hood is the same size as before. There
are four 1O-inch pipes from the side
of the hood where there were only two
before, vet from beneath the edge
where little gas escaped before there
is now an unconQuerab1e sheet Of flame.
Mr. Mcdowell says that in the event
of failure this time he viii not aban-
don the hood plan, but viii arrange
for another attack by the same meth
Cd But this will necessitate another
new hood and new outfit as these viii
soon be In ruins unless the fire is stop
ped. The huge derrick is already part
" destroyed and is useless and the
other connection cannot long Withstand
the heat.