Individual Details

Death

Headlines of FINDLAY WEEKLY JEFFERSONIAN on Thursday,September 9, 1897
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION! Five Men Killed At Cygnet.
By a Combination of Explosions.
A Number Were Injured But Not Seriously
Detailed Account of Most Appalling Accident in The History of The Ohio Oil Field
The most horrible and fatal accident occurred in the village of Cygnet about seven o,clock Tuesday evening. The accident, which cost five lives, was caused by carelessness. The accident occurred almost in the center of the village, there being quite a large crowd in the vicinity at the time. George Grant had drilled a well on a lot owned by him and situated east of the T & O C Railroad and 400 feet north of Main St. At a few minutes before seven o'clock Sam Barber, the shooter for the Ohio and Indiana Torpedo Co., arrived with a wagon containing about 220 quarts of nitro-gylcerine. The wagon was stopped within 50 feet of the well and the team unhitched and put in a barn. One hundred quarts of the glycerine was put in the well and the other 120 quarts were left in the wagon.
There was a fire under the boiler which was situated about 80 feet from the well, but it was supposed the fire had been put out before the well was shot, but such was not the case.
When the "go-devil" was dropped in the well a dead sound was heard, and a minute later the well belched forth an immense volume of oil and gas. There was no wind, and the gas settled down to the earth. In a few moments the fire under the boiler set the gas and oil on fire and a terrific explosion occurred. In less than a minute everything was enveloped in flames, as oil was thrown all over the ground and the adjoining buildings. The nitro glycerine wagon took fire from the flames, and exploded with terrific force, carrying destruction all about and leaving an immense hole in the hard ground where it had stood.
The scene that followed was frightrful and agonizing, and the moaning and outcries of the injured and dying baffles description. The fire burned fiercely and spread rapidly, and everyone was oppressed with a feeling of terror.
The dead and wounded were gathered up and taken to a place of safety where they were given medical attention. The citizens then turned theri attention to saving the property. A number of residences were on fire at the time, but by hard work rthey were saved. Fifteen or twenty residences were so badly wrecked that they will be of no use.
The big warehouse of the Ohio Oil Co., located west of the well, was totally destroyed. Loss fully $3,000. The total loss by fire can only be estimated, at the present time. A competent judge places the amount of damage at not less than $30,000. Nothing is known as to the insurance.
THE DEAD
Allen B. FALLIS, a contractor, was killed instantly. He was unmarried and was well-known throughout the oil field.
Charles PORTER, a rig builder, single, was killed outright.
Henry LANSDALEe, a blacksmith, was killed outright. He is an old man and has a family.
Fallis, Porter and Landsdale were standing in Jim Cannach's yard when they were killed. They were quite badly mutilated.
John THOMPSON, a bartender who was standing near was killed. He was not married.
GRANT WILSON, a driller, who resides in this city, was terribly burned. His wife was sent for, but an hour before she arrived he died.

Burial

Blk 21, Lot 53, Gr #3.