Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-21
BY

there were men smitten blind from a few inhala-
tions of the gas They held their foreheads in their
hands, and rocked with anguish knowing that they
must suffer for days before sight comfort would
return.
The ear-sawing noise continued and effort at
speech resigned But the appearance of the
women was eloquent to the eye, and they were soon
invited to other shacks for proper clothing.
When there more lives to save. Seth and
Tom took counsel in such sign language as they
could mprovise.
The crew knew their business and hurried to the
nearest general store. where they got wads OF cot
ton which they packed into their Then they
went powing through the greasy mud till they
fnto It and slapped It over their ears by the hstfu
When they were masked, all but the eyes, nose and
mouth, they followed Seths lead, and keeping to
the windward of the deadly breeze made rush for
the derrick.
The sand blast that ate away the collar on the
Joints Of pine and the case-hardened rings of the
rotary table spared the softer tissues OF their
|, faces and hands but the of the giant gas
whistle sashed through their heads with the agony
OF countless knives
orders were given by selling a man and point
Ing The crew worked like mad, sweating with the
torment of the din Everything bungled in
the haste and had to be done twice; but, in time.
with ropes and tackle nipple and an open gate
valve and joint Of pipe made up tight into one
piece, swung from the torn and shattered der
rick Failure followed failure before 1t was firmly
screwed into the we'll casing Then pipe taken
at random without regard to ownership, and made
into line few hundred feet long, at the end of
which the gas set on fire. The titanic shrek
stopped II Niagara were suddenly turned to
stone There was only the dull roar of great
dame twisting and winding In unearthly beauty
There's oil in that gas strata, notice them red
streaks in that blue fame?" said Tom.
Seth looked at It, with tears rolling down his set
face.
We've got to kill that gas Arst," said Seth 'I
wish we had Decker's hydraulic pump old Betsy
loaned him boiler his fireman too
fond of dime libraries and he let the sheets
blow out. never got paid for 1t, either. Well
Just 20 and take It, Garragan has the mules and
wagon and he is in Houston TODAY celebrating
Christmas huf w mo
We ought to have nine sticks of 60 cent. dyna-
mite down in that hole before night"
Tom was OF without thought of sleep or stom-
ach. He was thinking. IT wonda what old Mista
Nanoleon would do in Texas oil field"
The other men tool1-of their clay masks, pulled
the waste from their aching ears, ate ravenouslv.
drank like men half-dead Of thirst. then set to
work making the necessary foundation and steam
connections for "Decler's Old Betsy
Before these ready the down. brt
by the light of the huge flare, six jack-rabbit
mules came dragging wide-wheeled wagon. In
the middle. heavily chained to the bed, "Old
BETSY" With rollers, skids and crow-bars she
roaxed into place on the hastily made foundation.
! The wheel of the gate-valve screwed tight and
s, the light from the great torch went out There
was on1v a,litte simmer from new moon. When
BETSY" was ready, steam was turned on and then
the battle began
Fourteen inches of steam behind ive-inch
ristor, 1t ought to against that gas said Tom.
She'll do six hundred hounds, I've seen her."
But If "Retsv's" credit was good for six hundred
she failed to show It, She filed her suction pipe,
made half dozen quick strokes and stood CULVER
Ing with effort steam jetting from the safety valve.
''T,ook out !" said Tom There's gas coming up
the outside ot the casing there'll be hell pop
ping heah In minute"
The scattered the derrick foundation trem-
bled. There was gurgle and splash below the
derrick floor.
But Seth would not bulge at such crisis He
remained alone in the trembling derrick,
Hang G nair of chain tongs on that safety
vavel'' he shouted. Then he opened the steam
valve, wide and stenped outside the derrick The
faithful cold Betsy slowly picked up her natural
gait and doggedly forced the gas back down the
pine under the pressure OF steam and muddy water,
until Seth had his wild well under control
Meanwhile some of the men had got the wire.
others the dynamite. another the plunger magnetic
long heavy piece Of cast iron attached be-
low the dynamite rs sinker. Then the condensed
bahv
"sbe's on bottom said Seth. unmindful of the
hazards as he pulled the wire mp and down.
Stand away Tom I'll handle that magneto"
Seth would never let his men take risk that he
could take himself.
Here goes best hope in this oil field II
makes me or breaks me-" he said he attached
the TWO black nnd greasy wires to the magnetic.
And then he took the lever with both hands and
gave 1t n dnick plurge
Far down below there was mufied thud there
was culver of the ground an anxious silence that
lmnerceptibly crescendoed into mutter gurgle
erowl. roar. a Rod-ltke whoop--and a vast tower
of black oil was shooting aott and splashing back
WIN sound that was angelic symphony to the oil
mems very souls
1T was nearly midnight when Seth appeared again
dt the boardins-house. which rising wind had
-"ept clear OF the fumes. He washed up as well
.s ne could, In the moonlight at the tin basin ON
me soap oox outside, but he still somewhat
me worse for fatigue and his anontment was over
done. But Alice gathered him close and kissed
him moro than once
Even the baby had felt 1t unht to seen ar srcb q
crisis In their three lives. He sat up on the he'd
and earnestly hunted for his numerous toes In
shaft of moonlight -
Seth was excited that he began at once to
gabble business.
We estimate the well at 10 900 barrels a dav
hnVN
me $4,000 cash as she flows. But told him that
with oil at the present price I'd clean up that much
IN a rev days, so declined. You see, II 900 bar
rels OF oil at 38 cents barrel makes"
Yon can tell me that tomorra, honey" said