, 1866-03-28
THE OIL CONFEDERATION,
Full Particulars of the Disaster
on the Stevenson Farm.
j River of Fire-Stene OF Its RavaEes
Graphic Details Of the Catastrophe
Appalling Suffering aud Deatn OF the
V'Irttnx-LFst OF Losses.

tieally toward the burning Wells Tne Ereat-
est alarm and excitement prevailed for fear
tions, however great could check this fearful,
scatlling, boiling tide Of burning anid, Us 1t
wcnded Its mad way down the mountain side,
catching everything, shooting out its fiery
tongues, only to destroy. On, on, in its terri
bic course following the bed Of the rhyme to Q
fourth Of mile or more, where almost level
ground Is attained, where we're the people
conercgating and eagerly, an2iously watching
aud fearing 1t would sweep orcr the gentle
rise OF ground which at that point fortunately
interposed and turned the stream in the direc-
tion Of the lower end of Bennehou Run, there
by saving, not only two hundred thousand
dollars worth Of property In oil and well rigs,
hut the whole town and perhaps some uy4s.
Mounting our hOEse, We arrived ut the spot
above mentioned, where It turned, almost
equally with tho burning stream. Glanciug
down the run from our elevated position, we
shw men, women and children rushing from
their homes toward the hillside with what lit
tic OF their household effects as could be
seized at The moment. Willing hands were
plenty to save, but still very little was res
cncd. The angry torrcut Of 1amc and smoke
stayed not Its pace, but rolled on toward the
mouth Of the run. Some four OF five rods
from the creek m old bridge had crossed the
Bennehol, but one side had cayed in, aud the
spring freshet had covered 1t over with sand.
At the bottom, however, the water found an
exit. As the oil reached this point 1t rose
rapidly to the top, but not 50 much as to
overflow the dam thus formed. While bnrn-
ing at the top, the greater portion found Its
way out at the bottom and empticd itself into
Oil Greek.
The current of oil had hardly reached tie
bridge before We too were there. Looking
up the mountain side to the source Of the
c0nlagration. We took In at glance the
whole Of this awfally grand scene, which
words or art cannot portray. No correct
idea could be given, nor the Imagination con
ceiye anything 50 feargully sublime Our re-
port yesterdny was In some respects erroneous,
bcing taken as 1t we're when cvefyhody's
temperament was worked up to such pitch
Of excitement.
twas one OF The Ocean on Companies
tanks which bnrstcd, instead Of the new one,
where the men were at work. a gentleman
who was riding By ut the time, describes the
explosion Us similnr to terrible and sudden
clip Of thunder. He shouted fire at the top
of his voice, knowing that It would soon
catch In some Of the engine houses below.
His suTnlses proved correct, Tor IN less t1an
furnaces. From there the qames shot out and
almost instantaucously communicated with
the oil stored on that md a1l the adjoining
leases.
The dense, Impenctrable volume Of smoke
which arose IN the high heavens, warned the
people ~ tne Sensio ~. ~ .tnrt sZ,ooa i've -
w ~, Sts Ia p-an56,, inosns rera con nn1ete1v
lns -n5 saa MN ~ .Sranns1 IN fIomrs fhe ire
running up the derrfcks thus presenting the
most magnificent display Of pyrotechnics We
ever behcld. Tho next which came IN the
way we're the Weas ol u, 4. E9us4 ~, n.1.o. ~
ton, slersnau = ESoert. .. n. .n 49,
Ferris, Baker q 20, anu seSes~s o'asss %1''s'l
names We are unable h to procure. Iho large
Co., next caught and was entirely consumed
with some two hundred barrels Of oil:
But little damage vas done below ~; this ~ until
tho oil reached the Bennehoh anu Oh CFeeH
Railroad, where several OF the rails and ties
with small 6ridse ec Te'e Tsmn 70 ssraII 10 .nS
..,,,;ns,s " "nJ sbe rct,neries nf Prnfiie i Pin
% an ~. 49,, tt,e ,,,4, hnrrinor a conn1e
Of OFF dWe1llurs N1d II M and nd stables. ''
The weather was clear and still, the sun
shining brightly doWn-the day the nrat
pleasant one for many weeks. Passing NJ,
s1de We as 7 s,ss
roof which resembled 1 enormous aa o. nouiaess 1ss
that not particle Of sunlight penetrated
shtGuG t1o esTng hes dask nad e5eepns
a ~ entrancs ~ Th;sh 9nosed miies away an tle
.,.o,'ntntn .uS rho 1nnst sinr11IaT nhenomena
,1r1
WIS The sudden rising ol several aeree wnnt ,,nat
winds, caused by the almost unbeataole heat,
overhead and around Us. -.
Wandering around over TINS portion o. the
moth cave Of Kentucky, until one Of those
whlrl winds filed our mouth, nostrila and
ewes fnll Of ashes and dust, thereby givlng Us
d realiz1ng sense OF our position: As the OIL
burned over the water tn the ravlne inc latter
became so heated that large Quantities OF
Ind f1,rr I'm
high in the aif amidst the flame and smoke
large clouds Of beautiful white nature, which,
| intetuinelinc, formed fine comparison.
THE LOSSES.
The Ocean OH Company Sustained loss Of about
5000 barrels Of 81 their ONCE was also consumed
VIII esss1n1nE at 70 co are ;be heaviest 1ozcrs
~ rane!ton ~, ~ r's soun1nS 10 ahont
81 @ 6fn: n siao iStee vel riEs-epCne, &c, valued
at s5sio1.
Messfs Martin, Fpx, Anderson and Others In.
tcrsted In The Mycr lease ar losers 10 the amount
Of <No haSsnG I'VE [,'ta ropse,e e.r;;s ~ oSi III
rs, s; sHs ues''ostu' pss'ase a'1'8 e'Au' -
n, III. Cotton. Marshall and Esbe1t lose proba
h,r M nvcr - so0 -44 s1''A '1'~ '''~ f'No~
j. R. FrIck. two nea, engines, tools, etc--S7,oo0
| Pa1lcr, FeI1is, Bakef T. Co, We can hardly est1
mate from the lact Of he!r being such heavy loses
IN the!e a1es fennesy: wei n nSs. e.i si,,,z-e.m
4 ;e1Eaesi Ahaes5o4, oeg ~ sna % or SSSl.
there !! much property iots Which nc canno,
f,friy cstjI,,ate nor even I've ihe owners nanee
from the fact Of he,r ab.epce-probab'y In al aoms
S15;oe8 9! S2e,eeo wosth.
Something over month ago the fetIoienn
Transportatton ASSOCIATION apP!ee 10 tns ~
Ocean OH Company LOT Inc flsat Q. way ~ u
lay conducting pipes aefoss lne iar,n ,e5 'nt ~
purpose OF condlctmE .9e plounes oI,a .-aoit =
large tauks loSated on the 9anh o. tx,esr, 1nt
lhey also appileo 70 tne Esnt'm nna eaoassa,
the charter. Had tue former company aE y6;t b.!
granted me nsnt o. y,,d ~ bora I hoo muu,s ,s
nave 9sca1rS9, M, LOT tAefe "ou'4 A1''9 's'n "'
I OIL al ~ Mens neans H. rho .rcr, bnr,,ad !,
Aa rea'os gu aa .nG f n "mo senoe,i rennrt G,lse
9sa@H; w eenSIa.r ta' 81 ;,ia;, ipst n;ght
ut. llH ~ sae.tIas' o,",a ~" l.. no com nie
was ont Q. tnc ~ casua ~ ;S5 - suv n,,t H.
ton q ne new .amK hn starfa 1Ii tbroa