The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-29
SPEEDS SINCLAIR
TO LEAD FIGHT ON HUGE
OIL FIRE; 7 KNOWN DEAD
Pillar of Flame 200 Feet
High 0efieS Efforts of
Volunteer Army.
RUSH EXPERTS TO SITE
Brothers, Heroes of Other
CONGREGATIONS, Try to
Conquer Blaze.
BIZ United Press

GLADEWATER. Tex, April 90.
A column of flames roared 200 feet
into the sky today from the wild
oil well which came in unexpectedly
Tuesday with death-dealing and de-
structive force, and famed on I'M
der terrific pressure, in defiance of
all human efforts to check it.
The bodies of five worknen wera
removed from the flames after the
Sinclair No. Cole we'll, four miles
from Gladewater, f1ared up from
a spark caused by the clash of
metal; two other charred forms were
visible at times through the smoke
clouds and heat waves, and three
more men were known to be miss
ing.
Harry Sinclair, multimillionairs
president of the Sinclair Oil Com
pany, ordered the two most ia
nous oil field fire fighters to the
scene today, before flying to Dallas.
Tex TO take personal charge of eff
IorCS 10 conquer the blaze.
Roar Heard Mile Away
The roaring o fthe fire, fed by a
How OF 100 cubic feet of natural pas
a second and 1900 barrels of oil a
day, was heard a mile away. The
Sheets OF flame were SO intense that
workers could venture no nearer
than 100 feet without scorching
Their unprotected hands and faces.
En- rotue by airplane from Tulsa
were two noted brothers, M. M. and
+. I. Kinely, who have extinguished
OIL and gas well fires in all parts of
North America. With them was n
L. Smith, vice-president of the Sin
cIalr company, whom Sinclair dis
patched as a personal representa-
tive. = O-'''
Fire fighting equipment from
Longview md other east Texaz
points was concentrated here for use
OF the Oklahoma experts Because
OF the enormous quantity of pas
rushing up from the earth to feed
the flames, several days may be re-
CURED to get control, veteran oil
men said. Nitroglycerin probably
VIII be used to blast the fire into
submission.
Sabotage Is Hinted
sabotage was another explana-
tlon for the fire offered by Sinclair
officials, who said it started beneath
the derrick floor, away from NOV
ing parts. Last week Ranger
Captain Frank Hamer sent circular
letters to Oklahoma and Texas oiI
companies warning against a
Communist plot" to destroy refin-
cries and pipelines.
The five charred bodies wers
identified with difficulty. Some Of
the bodies were little more than
skeletons. Jewelry or dental work
provided the principal means of
identification.
Those whose bodies had been re-
covered were George Albright, Car
negle, Pa; Roy Blankenship, Sem
mole, Okla; Virgil Wolff, Hunter
Okla; w. H. McCaslin. SO. and w.
II. McCaslin Jr., Is, Winona, Okla,
his son.
Those of bodies seen through ths
flames were believed to be Robert
Murdoch, Orlando Okla, and VIII
liam Harroun, Canadian, Okla.
while the three missing men were
George Barthan, George Murdocx
and Frank VOLTS.
Wind Absence Helps
AT dawn today the fire burned
more fiercely than before, then les
sened for time, permitting search
ers for bodies to approach through
scorched vegetation to within flftv
feet. The absence of wind was a
favorable factor.
The area was guarded by special
deputies hastily appointed by Sher-
if Martin Hays of Gregg county,
The deputies halted all automobiles
400 yards from the well. Hundreds
Of spectators were at the scene.
Pat Massey, one of the well crew.
had been to Dallas to visit his wife.
He returned and went out to the
well, nearing it just as the spark
touched of the oil and gas. He
dragged several" of his fellows to
safety.
Massey pulled young Harroun
away IN flames, rolled him on the
ground, and threw sand Blinded.
and crazed by pain, Haroun was re-
ported to have dashed back to
death.
The body Of Volt was found 100
yards from the well. It was be-
lieved that he and Murdoch. drill
ing partners and close friends, lost
their lives attempting to help each
other.
Most seriously burned Of the sur
viyors we're Frank N. Ffouck,
Woodsf1eld, o., and John Keys, Ok
lahoma City, roustabout workers.