The McPherson Daily Republican, McPherson, KS
June 19, 1936; pg 1, col 1
LUSHER KILLED NEAR RUSSELL
THREE OTHER McPHERSON MEN ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN BLAST AT RUSSELL
CEMENTING AN OIL WELL
Explosion Starts as New Well Starts Flowing Oil and Gas-Spark from Engine Believed Caused Blast - Men in Hospitals at Hays, Hoisington and Great Bend-McPherson
Doctor Called.
BULLETIN
W. T. Lusher, McPherson, drilling tool foreman for Marathon Oil Company, died at 12:45 o'clock today at the St. Anthony hospital at Hays from burns he suffered last night in an oil well fire southwest of Russell.
Four McPherson men are near death today in hospitals at Hays and Hoisington as a result of an explosion and oil well fire five miles west and five miles south of Russell at midnight last night. Six other men were severely burned but hope is given for their recovery.
The explosion occurred at the Harbaugh No. 1 of Marathon Oil Company as the crew was preparing to cement casing on top of the pay formation. The well started flowing and a spark from a nearby engine is believed to have caused the fire which burned the derrick and engine house as well as a car.
Following are the injured men:
W. T. Lusher, McPherson drilling tool foreman Marathon Oil Company, burned over entire body. In St. Anthony hospital at Hays. Lives at Marathon camp on Unruh lease in Cahton-Ritz field. In serious condition.
E. O. Wright, 105 North Cherry, McPherson, Marathon driller, burned over entire body. In serious condition.
Claude A. Cain, McPherson, lives at Marathon camp Canton-Ritz field, entire body burned. Clothes dropped from his body as he ran from the blazing well. Marathon roustabout.
Donald L. Cain, McPherson, lives at Marathon camp and son of Claude A. Cain, entire body burned. Clothes burned off body. Roustabout for Marathon.
Ernest Harbaugh, Russell, burned on face and not in serious condition.
Raymond Rowe, Great Bend, head and shoulders burned. Employe of Halliburnton Oil Well Cementing Company. Great Bend Hospital.
W. C. Richardson, Douglas, Kan., face burned severely. Tool dresser for Marathon.
Robert Hill, Halliburton employe, face and hands burned.
Earl Bush, Otis roustabouts for Marathon, face and hands burned.
Great Bend hospital.
Howard Johnson, Otis roustabout for Marathon, face and hands burned but not in serious condition. At Great Bend hospital.
The damage to the derrick and equipment was estimated by H. M. Williams, Wichita, Marathon official, at $10,000. When the well exploded and caught fire the derrick collapsed and the engine house and all tools and machinery were destroyed by the fire. An automobile belonging to Lusher, parked 30 feet from the derrick was destroyed by the fire.
A McPherson doctor, official Marathon physician in this territory, and a staff of McPherson nurses was called to Russell to aid in caring for the injured men. They had not yet returned to McPherson this morning and the office of the local doctor did not know when he would be back.
Marathon officials explained this morning that the cementing crew of Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company was preparing to cement the 6-inch casing on top of the siliceous lime when a pocket of gas broke loose in the well and started a stream of oil and gas to flow into the air above the derrick. Hardly had the oil made its appearance above the top of the casing until an explosion followed. The men were either grouped together on the rig floor or working with the cementing equipment near the derrick. After the gas pocket blew off the flow of oil ceased and the fire died out early this morning.
June 19, 1936; pg 1, col 1
LUSHER KILLED NEAR RUSSELL
THREE OTHER McPHERSON MEN ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN BLAST AT RUSSELL
CEMENTING AN OIL WELL
Explosion Starts as New Well Starts Flowing Oil and Gas-Spark from Engine Believed Caused Blast - Men in Hospitals at Hays, Hoisington and Great Bend-McPherson
Doctor Called.
BULLETIN
W. T. Lusher, McPherson, drilling tool foreman for Marathon Oil Company, died at 12:45 o'clock today at the St. Anthony hospital at Hays from burns he suffered last night in an oil well fire southwest of Russell.
Four McPherson men are near death today in hospitals at Hays and Hoisington as a result of an explosion and oil well fire five miles west and five miles south of Russell at midnight last night. Six other men were severely burned but hope is given for their recovery.
The explosion occurred at the Harbaugh No. 1 of Marathon Oil Company as the crew was preparing to cement casing on top of the pay formation. The well started flowing and a spark from a nearby engine is believed to have caused the fire which burned the derrick and engine house as well as a car.
Following are the injured men:
W. T. Lusher, McPherson drilling tool foreman Marathon Oil Company, burned over entire body. In St. Anthony hospital at Hays. Lives at Marathon camp on Unruh lease in Cahton-Ritz field. In serious condition.
E. O. Wright, 105 North Cherry, McPherson, Marathon driller, burned over entire body. In serious condition.
Claude A. Cain, McPherson, lives at Marathon camp Canton-Ritz field, entire body burned. Clothes dropped from his body as he ran from the blazing well. Marathon roustabout.
Donald L. Cain, McPherson, lives at Marathon camp and son of Claude A. Cain, entire body burned. Clothes burned off body. Roustabout for Marathon.
Ernest Harbaugh, Russell, burned on face and not in serious condition.
Raymond Rowe, Great Bend, head and shoulders burned. Employe of Halliburnton Oil Well Cementing Company. Great Bend Hospital.
W. C. Richardson, Douglas, Kan., face burned severely. Tool dresser for Marathon.
Robert Hill, Halliburton employe, face and hands burned.
Earl Bush, Otis roustabouts for Marathon, face and hands burned.
Great Bend hospital.
Howard Johnson, Otis roustabout for Marathon, face and hands burned but not in serious condition. At Great Bend hospital.
The damage to the derrick and equipment was estimated by H. M. Williams, Wichita, Marathon official, at $10,000. When the well exploded and caught fire the derrick collapsed and the engine house and all tools and machinery were destroyed by the fire. An automobile belonging to Lusher, parked 30 feet from the derrick was destroyed by the fire.
A McPherson doctor, official Marathon physician in this territory, and a staff of McPherson nurses was called to Russell to aid in caring for the injured men. They had not yet returned to McPherson this morning and the office of the local doctor did not know when he would be back.
Marathon officials explained this morning that the cementing crew of Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company was preparing to cement the 6-inch casing on top of the siliceous lime when a pocket of gas broke loose in the well and started a stream of oil and gas to flow into the air above the derrick. Hardly had the oil made its appearance above the top of the casing until an explosion followed. The men were either grouped together on the rig floor or working with the cementing equipment near the derrick. After the gas pocket blew off the flow of oil ceased and the fire died out early this morning.
The McPherson Daily Republican, McPherson, KS
June 19, 1936; pg 1, col 1
LUSHER KILLED NEAR RUSSELL
THREE OTHER McPHERSON MEN ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN BLAST AT RUSSELL
CEMENTING AN OIL WELL
Explosion Starts as New Well Starts Flowing Oil and Gas-Spark from Engine Believed Caused Blast - Men in Hospitals at Hays, Hoisington and Great Bend-McPherson
Doctor Called.
BULLETIN
W. T. Lusher, McPherson, drilling tool foreman for Marathon Oil Company, died at 12:45 o'clock today at the St. Anthony hospital at Hays from burns he suffered last night in an oil well fire southwest of Russell.
Four McPherson men are near death today in hospitals at Hays and Hoisington as a result of an explosion and oil well fire five miles west and five miles south of Russell at midnight last night. Six other men were severely burned but hope is given for their recovery.
The explosion occurred at the Harbaugh No. 1 of Marathon Oil Company as the crew was preparing to cement casing on top of the pay formation. The well started flowing and a spark from a nearby engine is believed to have caused the fire which burned the derrick and engine house as well as a car.
Following are the injured men:
W. T. Lusher, McPherson drilling tool foreman Marathon Oil Company, burned over entire body. In St. Anthony hospital at Hays. Lives at Marathon camp on Unruh lease in Cahton-Ritz field. In serious condition.
E. O. Wright, 105 North Cherry, McPherson, Marathon driller, burned over entire body. In serious condition.
Claude A. Cain, McPherson, lives at Marathon camp Canton-Ritz field, entire body burned. Clothes dropped from his body as he ran from the blazing well. Marathon roustabout.
Donald L. Cain, McPherson, lives at Marathon camp and son of Claude A. Cain, entire body burned. Clothes burned off body. Roustabout for Marathon.
Ernest Harbaugh, Russell, burned on face and not in serious condition.
Raymond Rowe, Great Bend, head and shoulders burned. Employe of Halliburnton Oil Well Cementing Company. Great Bend Hospital.
W. C. Richardson, Douglas, Kan., face burned severely. Tool dresser for Marathon.
Robert Hill, Halliburton employe, face and hands burned.
Earl Bush, Otis roustabouts for Marathon, face and hands burned.
Great Bend hospital.
Howard Johnson, Otis roustabout for Marathon, face and hands burned but not in serious condition. At Great Bend hospital.
The damage to the derrick and equipment was estimated by H. M. Williams, Wichita, Marathon official, at $10,000. When the well exploded and caught fire the derrick collapsed and the engine house and all tools and machinery were destroyed by the fire. An automobile belonging to Lusher, parked 30 feet from the derrick was destroyed by the fire.
A McPherson doctor, official Marathon physician in this territory, and a staff of McPherson nurses was called to Russell to aid in caring for the injured men. They had not yet returned to McPherson this morning and the office of the local doctor did not know when he would be back.
Marathon officials explained this morning that the cementing crew of Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company was preparing to cement the 6-inch casing on top of the siliceous lime when a pocket of gas broke loose in the well and started a stream of oil and gas to flow into the air above the derrick. Hardly had the oil made its appearance above the top of the casing until an explosion followed. The men were either grouped together on the rig floor or working with the cementing equipment near the derrick. After the gas pocket blew off the flow of oil ceased and the fire died out early this morning.
June 19, 1936; pg 1, col 1
LUSHER KILLED NEAR RUSSELL
THREE OTHER McPHERSON MEN ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN BLAST AT RUSSELL
CEMENTING AN OIL WELL
Explosion Starts as New Well Starts Flowing Oil and Gas-Spark from Engine Believed Caused Blast - Men in Hospitals at Hays, Hoisington and Great Bend-McPherson
Doctor Called.
BULLETIN
W. T. Lusher, McPherson, drilling tool foreman for Marathon Oil Company, died at 12:45 o'clock today at the St. Anthony hospital at Hays from burns he suffered last night in an oil well fire southwest of Russell.
Four McPherson men are near death today in hospitals at Hays and Hoisington as a result of an explosion and oil well fire five miles west and five miles south of Russell at midnight last night. Six other men were severely burned but hope is given for their recovery.
The explosion occurred at the Harbaugh No. 1 of Marathon Oil Company as the crew was preparing to cement casing on top of the pay formation. The well started flowing and a spark from a nearby engine is believed to have caused the fire which burned the derrick and engine house as well as a car.
Following are the injured men:
W. T. Lusher, McPherson drilling tool foreman Marathon Oil Company, burned over entire body. In St. Anthony hospital at Hays. Lives at Marathon camp on Unruh lease in Cahton-Ritz field. In serious condition.
E. O. Wright, 105 North Cherry, McPherson, Marathon driller, burned over entire body. In serious condition.
Claude A. Cain, McPherson, lives at Marathon camp Canton-Ritz field, entire body burned. Clothes dropped from his body as he ran from the blazing well. Marathon roustabout.
Donald L. Cain, McPherson, lives at Marathon camp and son of Claude A. Cain, entire body burned. Clothes burned off body. Roustabout for Marathon.
Ernest Harbaugh, Russell, burned on face and not in serious condition.
Raymond Rowe, Great Bend, head and shoulders burned. Employe of Halliburnton Oil Well Cementing Company. Great Bend Hospital.
W. C. Richardson, Douglas, Kan., face burned severely. Tool dresser for Marathon.
Robert Hill, Halliburton employe, face and hands burned.
Earl Bush, Otis roustabouts for Marathon, face and hands burned.
Great Bend hospital.
Howard Johnson, Otis roustabout for Marathon, face and hands burned but not in serious condition. At Great Bend hospital.
The damage to the derrick and equipment was estimated by H. M. Williams, Wichita, Marathon official, at $10,000. When the well exploded and caught fire the derrick collapsed and the engine house and all tools and machinery were destroyed by the fire. An automobile belonging to Lusher, parked 30 feet from the derrick was destroyed by the fire.
A McPherson doctor, official Marathon physician in this territory, and a staff of McPherson nurses was called to Russell to aid in caring for the injured men. They had not yet returned to McPherson this morning and the office of the local doctor did not know when he would be back.
Marathon officials explained this morning that the cementing crew of Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company was preparing to cement the 6-inch casing on top of the siliceous lime when a pocket of gas broke loose in the well and started a stream of oil and gas to flow into the air above the derrick. Hardly had the oil made its appearance above the top of the casing until an explosion followed. The men were either grouped together on the rig floor or working with the cementing equipment near the derrick. After the gas pocket blew off the flow of oil ceased and the fire died out early this morning.
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