Ada, Oklahoma, January 29, 1930

Two dead, others maimed for life and several receiving minor injuries was the heavy and ruthless toll exacted from boiler explosion at the Pure Oil Co., lease near the Walter Wise home, three miles northeast of Konawa Monday night. (27 Jan 1930). The injured were hastily conveyed to Konawa and Dr. GIESEN and Dr. LONG dressed injuries and then the accident victims were taken to hospitals in Seminole, and Ada. Oscar F. RYAN, fireman, sustained injuries of both legs crushed off below the knees. He died soon after reaching the Seminole hospital. Claude SHAWBELL, thirty-six years old, driller, leg crushed off above knee and internal injuries. Ada ambulance was summoned and he was taken to Ada hospital. He died Wednesday morning. Mr. COVELLER and R. N. BLAYLOCK of Konawa were other employees at the drilling operations that sustained injuries, though not serious. Bill NEELY, roughneck, fractured left leg, fractured pelvis is in Hancock hospital at Seminole. Home is at Maud.

It is believed that cold water turned in on a hot boiler was the cause of the explosion. The boiler firebox was scattered among the tree limbs nearby. The boiler proper was hurled a distance of about 150 yards. The concussion of the explosion wrecked the dwelling house within forty feet of the boilers. Mr. ARCHER and family were in town at the time attending the movies, the first visit to the movies states Mr. Archer in seven years. Frank WELLS, employed by Mr. Archer was asleep in the dwelling when it was wrecked. He crawled from beneath the debris uninjured, but later stepped upon a plank with protruding nail and was thus injured.* The derrick from force of the explosion fell and injured the employees in the wreckage.

Numbers visited the scene Tuesday and marveled that any escaped that were near the boilers of derrick and dwelling when the explosion occured. The La Granada studio man was on the scene early and in a couple of hours placed pictures on display that told a graphic story of the wreckage sustained.* Anderson and Kerr contracting oil well drilling company were the drilling contractors on the lease.

*Witnesses: Mr. Wells escaping injury, crawled from under the dwelling, and running from the farmhouse stepped on a nailed plank. The nail passed completely through his foot, but he kept on running.

One man was killed, another was seriously injured and four others were less seriously hurt when a pair of boilers exploded at an oil well near Konawa last Monday night. Claude Shawbell, a driller, lost both legs. One was blown off by the force of the explosion and the other was crushed off by a falling boiler. Shawbell formerly lived here, where he has many friends who will regret to learn of the accident. He is in a hospital at Ada, where he underwent a blood transfusion Tuesday in an attempt to save his life. His brother supplied the blood, it is said. Later: Word has been received that Mr. Shawbell died Wednesday at 12 o' clock. He leaves a wife and three children. The body will be shipped to Pauls Valley, where funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon at 2 o' clock under the auspices of the Masonic Lodge. Burial will be made in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Pauls Valley, Garvin Co. Oklahoma.