The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-09-11
DARING SHOOTERS
Moonlighters In the Early Days
of Our Oil Wells.
FORCED TO WORK IN SECRET.

These Bold Spirits, to Dodge the Owner
Of the Patent Method of Shooting
Wells, Had to Operate at Nieht-Men
and Machinery Often AnnihiIated.
One of the most dangerous and ut
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 result of this condition of
affairs there Sprans into existence
number of bold spirits who began the
manufacture of nitrogiycerin. 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 cnught 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 bcfell these moonlighters-
driller coming out from town to a well
one day saw a can half hidden in a
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 engine For some
reason the men were called from the
vicinity of the derrick. They had got
but short distance when there was
an explosion that fitted the costly en-
CINE for the scrap heap. A close in
| spection Of the supposed lard oil re-
vealed the startling fact that it was
nitroclycerin 1t was frightened lot
of men who .ingerly returned the can
to the fence corner from which the
driller had taken it.
| It proved to be the property OF a
noonIshter. who had left 1t there. in
| -
| In so dangerous an occupation as
moonliShting many fatal accidents
We're to be expected. I recall very dis
tinctly two that occurred within short
time of each other
In tue first. the moonlighter big
blond Swede, had come straight from
his wedding to the we'll The liquor
he had been drinking in celebration of
his marriage had ruff!ed his usually
placid temper. He had filled the shell
with the glycerin and was endeavor.
ing to slip the cap into place. His
hands were Il trifle unsteady, and he
fumbled 1t several minutes. Finally.
losing his temper. he roughly jerked
the cap into place and struck the per.
cussion cap 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 mel
who had been watching the operation
We're instantly killed
Some time later another terrible &c
cident happened. The moonliyhteI
was Il young fellow and noted for biz
careful work The we'll he was tt
shoot had made q fine showing" in the
sand, and the owner confidently ex
pected gusher. The shot was started
down. and everything seemed to b.
going all right There were severa
men in the derrick, and Il tool dresser
stood waiting for the shot to reach thu
bottom of the we'll when the piece o
iron he held in his hand. which wa.
called the go devil. would be sent dowI
to set it off. The moonlighter let thu
rope. which was stretched taut by. thu
weight of the heavy shot. run through
his hands. Suddenly the rope slack
ened He knew only too we'll wha
|
forcing the shot back out
1T is coming out! For Gods SAX
help me catch itr' he yelled to the too
dresser
With u shrek the tool dresser fed
and the others. knowing their terrible
danger, followed him. The shooter
prompted by the mad hope of CATCHING
the she'll as it came out and thus avert
ing the disaster, stuck to his post.
, There came deafeDing explosion
that reduced the derrick to mass Q
kindling wood. The boiler and engin
were twisted wrecks. Strewn upo
the ground were the mutilated remain
of what had been so short time be-
fore strong men. The moonli.htel
who had tried with such desperat
courage to save them, had been con
- pletely annihilated.
Nitroglycerin is when handled i
broad daylight and under most favo
= able conditions dangerous articl,
!, How greatly the danger was increase
>, by handling 1t as the moonlighter
; were compelled to may easily be III
derstood. 1t was without doubt
r, most hazardous occupation. but the e,
= element connected with 1t. to sa
nothing Of the large amount of none
;, received for their services. proved irr
;, sistible to the reckless and daring fe
lows who became moonlighters.-Pitt
h,roh niSnafch