When drilling for oil, how did they stop the force of an oil ';geyser?';?

I'm talking about oil drilling in the early 1900s when they would strike and the oil would basically rush upwards out of the hole. How we they able to stem the flow of that?When drilling for oil, how did they stop the force of an oil ';geyser?';?
Modern holes are pressurised by the weight of the drilling mud. And there are blowout preventers at the top of the hole. Once the BOP is closed, the mud pressure can be increased to match the reservoir pressure (the pressure which was forcing the oil upwards) and the hole can be opened again.When drilling for oil, how did they stop the force of an oil ';geyser?';?
Most of the time there would not be a ';geyser'; or blow out. But my understanding that in the 1900's if a well ';Blew Out'; they would let it flow until it subsided.
A fully open valve was fitted over the drill pipe. once it was secured the valve was closed.