Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-07-03
Great Fire near CIeveIaRd-LOss
of 100000 to $4,000.

lFrom the Leader OF IueSday.J
The most disastrous conflagration that
has ever visited the "oil regions" of Cleve-
land, occurred Monday afternoon, at the
ref1neres of Messrs. Backus, Williams &
Co., and Alexander Scofield & Co., situated
about mile from. Cleveland, on the Allan
tic & Great Western railway. The fire
broke out shortly after two o'clock, caused
by spark from passing locomotive, in
frame store house, built on platform near
the track, for convenience in shipping and
receiving oil. 1t was not discovered until
it had made such progress as to be beyond
control. The alarm was Immediately given,
and the hands from adjoining establish
ments rushed to the spot to prevent
the flames, if possible, from spread
ing, but their efforts were utter
ly futile, and in an incredibly short space
of time the whole building and platform
were enveloped. There was smart breeze
blowing at the time, and this, together
with the exceeding inf1ammable nature of
the store-house and its contents, the whole
being covered with oil, rendered it impos
sible to do anything to stay the progress
of the flames. There were three oil cars.
with tanks containing eight hundred gal
Ions of oil each, standing on the side track
at the platform, and the fire speedily COM
municated to them. There was also a train
of freight cars upon another track, near
by, but an engine fastened to the spot, and
removed them to place of safety.
Two cars loaded with coal took fire
and were considerably damaged but
they were also removed, by means
of long rope attached to the en-
gine. The oil cars. howevar, were wrapp-
ed in flames almost in an instant, and were
abandoned to their fate. 1t was impossible
to extinguish the burning oil, and their re-
moval, if the heat would have permitted it,
would only have endangered other proper
ty. The burning of the tanks liberated
the oil, which flowed in lava-like streams
down the embanlement among the build
ings of Backus, Williams & Co.'s refinery,
and nothing could stay the fiery tide.
Everything combustible in its course was
Immediately in a blaze. The wind carried
the flames and cinders, from the storehouse
in which the fire originated, to adjoining
buildings, and in twenty minutes from the
time of its first discovery the entire estab-
lishment, save the receiving house, was
mass of roaring flame.
The loss by this disaster is very heavy,
falling chiefly upon Backus, Williams &
Co. Their clearinghouse, still-house,
warehouses, cooper-shop, and indeed ev-
totally destroyed, nothing remaining save
the bare, blackened walls. Their loss
is estimated at from fifty to sixty thousand
dollars, upon which we believe there is a
partial insurance, but to what amount
we could not ascertain. Alexander Scho-
held q 90. were most fortunate, ana
only lost some five thousand dollars
The oil upon the cars belonged to
them, and they also owned portion of the
platform and storehouse. The loss of Den
ham, Smith 6 Co. will not exceed a thou
sand dollars. The A. s. G. w. r. r. Com
pany lose about five thousand dollars. The
track was badly injured, the ties being
burned and the rails ruined. Immediately
upon the subsistence of the fire, however, a
force was at once set to work, and the
track was Immediately repaired so that the
evening trains went out on time. The tel
egraph, on both sides of the track, was cut
off, but it was speedily put in working or
der. The Fire Alarm Telegraph, which
passes that point, was also temporarily de-
stroyed, but it was fully repaired in fifteen
minutes and put in perfect working condi-
tion.