The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-11-25
D|MOND'S STORY Of
ALLEGED OIL GUSHER

Because of unfounded reports OF
gushing oil wells In the Fallon dis
trict which have been published in
the State press. almost before drilling
has commenced. the following story
by Chester A. Dimond. editor Of the
Churchill County Eagle. is of especial
interest Mr.. Dimond has been men,
toned, In the wild stories, as one OF
the eye-witnesses OF the new "gush-
ers." therefore what he says in his
own paper will effectively clear away
much misapprehension which has
been created. This is his story:
During the month of November,
1919. w. d. Clark drilled a well on
his farm, four miles south of the
we'll put down by Mr.. Douglass over
ten years previous. Mr.. Clark was
endeavoring to secure artesian water.
At depth of sixty-three feet he struck
a small flow OF lack-looking water,
which presumably came from the old
lake bed At depth OF 101 feet he
encountered Quick-sand and sank
sixteen feet through a hard clay for
nation. striking water at 1T feet that
flows thirty to forty gallons per min
ute. When this water first formed a
pool, there was little froth and foam
on II. and when lighted match was
applied. flame would play over the
surface of the water for some time.
The flow gradually ceased within
week. and Mr.. Clark attached a
heavy iron bar to a cable and churned
1t up an down in the we'll until the
fiow started again. Not long after
this he and his son were working
about the barn. when loud report
attracted their attention, and glanc-
ing n the direction OF the well, they
saw fhe water mad been blown thirty
feet In the air. Examination proved
that substance resembling asphalt,
with particles OF what Oil men state
is oil shale, was blown out by the ex-
plosion.
A "T" had been placed on the
pipe SO that the water flowed out a
short distance above the ground, while
the casing extended a few feet high
er. On the morning of November IS,
Mr.. Clark dropped lighted match
into the pipe, igniting a flow of gas
which burned all day.
Wednesday. November 10, George
Edson Porter of the Carson Sink Oil
Company and Thomas p. Nielsen of
the Peerless Oil Company invited
Chester A. Dimond and d. Z. Will
Jams of the Churchill County Eagle"
to accompany them on trip to the
Clark we'll. Mr.. Porter had just
signed a lease with Mr.. Clark on 800
acres on which the well is situated.
The location Is ten and one-half
miles south and a half mile west of
Fallon. When we reached the scene,
the well was flowing about thirty five
gallons per minute. An iron pipe
conducted the water to large ditch
some fifty feet away. and as the
water poured into the ditch a white
foam was created Different men,
bers of the party dropped lighted
matches into the foam, and a flame
would play over the surface, not
withstanding heavy gale which was
blowing.
Turning to the we'll, lighted match
es were dropped into the pipe. which
extended about three feet above the
"T' from which the water was flow
ing. The gas would Immediately
ignite. and a flame as wide as ones
hand would blaze up eight or ten
inches high. The strong wind would
soon extinguish the flame. but the
gas would ignite the instant a match
was dropped near the surface of the
water.
Mr.. Clark's son held a bucket lid
over the ct" and forced the water
almost to the top of the main pipe.
Soon after this. and While the party
was searching for small pieces of
shale. the water suddenly began flow
ing In greater volume. rushing out
of the "T" Then II hepan overflow
ing the top of the pipe, end all hands
began to move back. In 4 onment
the water shot up into the air about
twelve feet and with grcat free. and
the half dozen men scirrled away
to avoid a ducking. as The wind hap
pened to be bringing the water in
their direction.
This probably did not last more
than minute. and In that minute
Mr.. Porter made a desperate effort to