The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-12-03
A Tube Of
Nitro8lycerine
BY
NoEnGAnv DUNoAH

cerine was told in the smoking COM
partment OF a coach on the day ex-
press. We were running through the
oil district of western Pennsylvania.
A host Of derricks, tall. black and
gaunt, was scattered over the green
slopes OF the hills, and we had caught
glimpses Of pipelines and pumping
stations. abandoned shanties and clus-
tiers Of great, round, red tanks.
We iEad talked of the boom days of
that gection-of mad speculation, OF
loss and sudden fortune, of dry wells
and "gushers," of drilling and shoot
ing' and great fires. 1t was when we
began to speak of the transportation
and use of nitroglycerine that stout
ruddy-faced old man, who had hither.
TO ignored the conversation, seemed
to awaken to some interest in what
was said.
OF course" said one of us, rather
skeptically. "nitroglycerine must be
handled with delicate care. But OBJ
serve that few accidents are reported
IN the newspapers"
An odd little smile again fitted
across the face of the new listener.
He was square-handed, as well as
suuare-heade1 and ruddy-faced, l OBJ
served-a cool, practical fellow. evil
IDENTIFY. IA mechanic of some sort"
thought. made rich. possibly, by
The oil BOOM
SOf course" he drawled. in the
manner of one about to tell story,
the accidents manage to get in the
newspapers sometimes: the narrow
escapes don't. / assure you. though,
mat aSaullng these bottled earth
Quakes about the country is danger
Gus enough to be interesting to the
people who don't have to do it. We
don't know when we'll CO. old Billy
Timms, who drove a wagon for Butts
& Company, used to say to me. but
We know wen go quick when we
start
Years ago." the square,headed
man continued. when ] was drilling
wells for old Jasper Hox Of Washing
ion County. / had some diflculty
with nitroglycerine tube; and
there was so much Of the touch
andgo quality to the experience,
80 much peril crammed into second
or two, that perhaps you might care
to hear. the story. 1t illustrates
merely illustrates-the sort OF danger
into which the men who have to
handle this terrific explosive are like
y to run at any moment"
He looked to each Of us. Nod after
nod. quick and emphatic, gave the
assent ne desired. gasss
I'VE dad sunk the WELL" he began,
land q promising well it was for a
while, Then It gave out; rather. II
gradually dwindled to an intermittent
and insignificant flow. II would
gush for little. lie dry for a bit.
Gush again. and again lie dry. This
was provoking, and .Hox got little
impatient
Five barrels day. said he. with
sniff. She's got to do better than
that, Tommy. 1 s'pose you'd better
shoot her.
HE meant that / had better drop
Q tube Of nitroglycerine to the bot.
tom Of the well and explode 1t. That
was nay idea OF what ought to be
done, too. SO asked him when he'd
have me do it.
The sooner the better said he.
I'm agreeable to tomorrow |
proposed.
".EN right said Hox Say to-mor.
row afteTnoon, at about three o'clock
I'll bring the women-folk over to see
the show
And ne did-promptly at three
There were three ladies and his only
child. They shuddered and drew
away at the sight of the tube, and
when I tried to tell them just how
much instant destruction was bottled
mp in that slender, five-foot cylinder
Shey each gave little screech
elutched one another, and fell back
still farther. The sight Of giycer.
inc cartridge has given me little
spasm OF baciswardness ever since
You'll know why In moment.
THE well was about twenty-five
nun0rer rect deep. II was my bust
ness TO lower the cartridge to the bot
tom. and there explode it. That's
what they call shooting well. The
disturbance which the explosion ere
ates below often sends the oil up with
q gSssh, and it's sight worth see
ing sometimes-trom a considerable
distance.
The cartridge, as have said. was
five-foot tube. loaded with about
twenty quarts of explosive; 1t had q
percussion-cap set in the upper end
1t was to be lowered at the extrem
ity Of a long rope. and exploded by
dropping an iron weight. called q
'go-devii.' on the cap Don't forget
II you please. that the nitroglycerine
explodes when anything hits the end
Of tho tube with SUFFICIENT force to
SET afP EhA can and that the foros