A Gas Farm.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6239, 11 June 1890, Page 3

A Gas Farm.

A singular misfortune has overtaken the family of William Schenk, a farmer living five miles East of Kokomo (Indiana), in consequence of ilia finding of natural gas. Some months ago the Diamond Plate Gas Company leased Schenk’s farm for gas, and put down a well. On reaching the depth of-about 800 ft, a big flow of the elastic fluid was secured, which shot out the tools with tremendous force, followed by a stream of water that reached the height of at least 125 ft and continued without cessation for more than a week, despite all effoits by the owners of the well to get it stopped. Schenk’s farm was flooded, so that he was compelled to dig trenches to prevent it from destroying his wheat crop and otherwise doing great injury to his land. But the water was finally shut off, and the gas and water separated, and the gas well was considered one of the best producers in the vicinity. Lately, however, the gas has taken an entirely new freak, and is now coming out of the ground all over the farm, and it is easy to light it in hundreds of places by simply lighting a match. Even (he water,, in the farmer's drive well is forced out by the gas and the family is contemplating a removal from its residence to avoid being blown up. Schenk considers that his farm is entirely ruined, and will doubtless abandon it altogether, unless some way cun bo devised to control the escaping clement.