The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-10-03
DARING SHOOTERS
MoonIighters In the Early Days
of Our Oil Wells.
FORCED TO WORK IN SECRET.
These Bold Spirits, 70 Dodge the Owner
of the Patent Method of Shooting
Wells, Had to Operate at Night-Men
and Machinery Often AnnihiIated.

wells, Hac to Operate at Night-Men
and Machinery Often Annihilated.
One of the most dangerous and at
the same time romantic phases of the
early oil business was known as moon
lighting. In the beginning of the oil
excitement certain man held the pat
ent on the method Of shooting the
wells. Having a monopoly of the
trade, he could and did charge what
ever price he saw fit
AS a result of this condition of
affairs there sprang into existence q
number of bold spirits who began the
manufacture of nitroglycerin, the ex-
plosive used. and shooting the wells
for much less money than the patent
holder charged. They were forced
to use the greatest secrecy in their
work, for the patent holder had men
employed for the express purpose of
spying on all the wells drilled A stiff
fine for the first offense and prison
term for the second were the punish
ments inflicted on the man unlucky
enough to get caught. These outlaw
shooters had their plants for making
the glycerin located in some out of the
way spot and when their services were
required did their shooting by moon
light, hence the name moonlighter.
Many and varied were the adventures
that befel these moonlighters. A
driller coming out from town TO a well
one day saw can half hidden in
fence corner and stopped to investi-
gate. Taking off the lid, he saw what
he supposed was lard oil. Well pleased
with his find he took it along with
him. He showed his treasure to his
mates at the well and then used some
of it to lubricate the enginc For some
reason the men were called FROM the
vicinity of the derrick They had got
but a short distance when there was
an explosion that fitted the costly en-
gine for the scrap heap. A close in
spection of the supposed lard oil re
yealed the startling fact that it was
nitroglycerin. 1t was a frightened lot
of men who gingerly returned the can
to the fence corner from which the
driller had taken it.
1t proved to be the property Of a
moonlighter, who had left it there, in
tending to return for it that night
In so dangerous an occupation as
moonlighting many fatal accidents
were to be expected. recall very dis
tinctly two that occurred within q short
time of each other.
In the first the moonlighter big
blond Swede, bad come straight from
his wedding to the well. The liquor
he had been drinking in celebration of
his marriage had ruffled his usually
placid temper. He had filled the shell
with the glycerin and was endeavor-
ing to slip the cap into place His
hands We're a trife unsteady, and he
fumbled it several minutes. Finally. |
losing his temper he roughly jerked
the cap into place and struck the per
cQssion cap a heavy blow with his
fist.
There was a crash that shook the
very earth. The derrick and everything |
in it was blown to flinders The men
who had been watching the operation
were instantly killed.
Some time later another terrible ac-
cident happened. The moonlighter
was a young fellow and noted for his |
careful work The well he was to |
shoot had made a fine showing in the |
sand, and the owner confidently ex-
pected a gusher The shot was started |
down, and everything seemed to be |
going all right There We're several |
men in the derrick, and a tool dresser
stood waiting for the shot to reach the !
bottom of the well when the piece of
iron he held in his hand, which was
called the 60 devil, would be sent down |
to set it Off The moonlighter let the |
rope, which was stretched taut by the |
weight Of the heavy shot, run through |
his hands Suddenly the rope slack |
ened. He knew only too well what
that meant. The gas in the well was
forcing the shot back out.
1T is coming out! For Gods sake |
help me catch it!' he yelled to the tool
dresser.
With a shrek the tool dresser fed, |
and the others, knowing their terrible
danger, followed him. The shooter. |
prompted by the mad hope of catching |
the shell as it came out and thus avert |
ing the disaster, stuck to his post
There came a deafening explosion |
that reduced the derrick to a mass of |
Sindling wood The boiler and engine |
were twisted wrecks. Strewn upon
the ground were the mutilated remains
Of what had been so short a time be
fore strong men. The moonlighter, |
who had tried with such desperate |
courage to save them, had been com
pletely annihilated.
Nitroglycerin is when handled in
broad daylight and under most favor
able conditions dangerous article |
How greatly the danger was increased
by handling it as the moonlighters
were compelled to may easily be un-
derstood. 1t was without doubt
most hazardous occupation, but the ex
citement connected with it, to say
nothing of the large amount of money
received for their services, proved ire.
sistibe to the reckless and daring fel-
lows who became moonlighters.-Pitt
burgh Dispatch.
The archer who misses the target
turns to himself and not to another
for the cause of his faiiures-ConfucIla