The New York herald., 1869-05-26
CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.
Great Confagration at Hum
ter's Point.
The Devoe Oil Works, Seven Lighters
and a Brig Destroyed.
LOSS ESTIMATED AT $3.50, 900.
A Livery Stable in Brooklyn
Burned-.-Loss $4,000.
Collisions in the Bay and East
River.
An Austrian Ship Run Into and Sunk by
the Steamship Russia.
The Steamboat Norwalk Sunk Near Wall
Street Ferry, Brooklyn.
Explosion on Tugb0at in the East River
Three Persons Injured.
The Steamboat Norwalk Sunk Near Wall
Street Ferry, Brooklyn.
Explosion on Tugboat In the East River
Three Persons Injured.

q
Three Persons Injured.
CONTLAGRATIOy AT HUNTERS POINT.
-,~o~~~-~>>~~ooo~~~~~~
The Devoe Manufacturing OIL Works, Coal
Yards and Houses Burned-Seven Lighters
and the Brig Avance Dcstroyed-Terria
Isxpf0siOn-The River Fire-LOss Est-
mated MT S55O,O0O-Iist of assurances.
Hunters Point Long Island, is queer place. In
fact, 1t is nondescrpt 1t is an offshoot from the
more pretentious village of Greenpoint, which is, in
turn, the child Of the parent Brooklyn, the fourth
city Of the Union 1t lies the broad breast OF the
East river, which folds its mighty waters within the
greater arm Of the Ocean, Long Island Sound.
Through 1t beside It, on the south, silently winds
snvery sheen OF water that seems TO clasp In Its en-
brace lovingly the land 1t touches and which in part
has made the place name. This stream is called
Newtown Greek. 1t has attained great significance
from its commercial value but perhaps the old
stoopshouldered resident Of the peninsula, whose
memory wanders to the century past, will also view
II with kindly regards from the happy days that have
slipped down the gallery Of the past but remain
tinged with life IN his memory when he and his
eweethearts expended hours In the Improbable
business Of fishing catching soft shell crabs, apd pad
ling, In moments Of romance, their light body row.
ing boats. Hunters Point does cover an immense
AofrHOry, DIT the busy hum OF trode huzEes ipces-
sanity from scores Of factories and furnaces,
that had made for 1t commercially, an Importance
that can be envied Though there ore In this village
scores Of blacksmith shops with brawny hands at
the bellows, cabinet makers factories with artisans
Of the saw and lathe lumber yards with millions Of
feet OF prepared timber coal yards with thousands
Of tons Of COAL this village Is the refined petroleum
centre Of the country, the Oil factory of the
world, the cheap Illuminating nuid depot OF mil
lions. Above, beyond and around the creek which
also washes the shores Of Greenpoint dividing G
these two ambitious places are immense buildings
OF wood and brick, covering In their extent acres
Of ground, giving employment to hundreds Of the
bronzed checked and sinewy exponents OF labor
there living, and constituting portion Of wealth,
and employing millions Of capital In profitable in
.vestment
These factories are under control Of men whose
regulations In business matters industry and honor,
with the genius to open new fields OF commercial
importance are second to none extant. This they
have accomplished, and the little narrow terri
tory bounding the creek Of Newtown is vast manu-
factory and place OF shipment Of refined oils known
Kerosene to all quarters OF the globe to Gil cimes
and all coIors and ali conditions Of people
The largest OF these establishments, overlooking
most complete Of their character for making, filling
and shipping the article named was, the works OF
IN business Of the most gigantic nature In
volving in various uses hereafter to be
named an extent Of ground equal to 1ve acres: acres:
insure utility of ana 'essSa safety
Of production. Il also demonstrates the wisdom q
smersency that might be entaied IN the vastness Of
fhs es sPa seeps op
posite sides Of the creek Newtown, embrac-
ing upon the hand two acres Of w,S
jurisdiction Of Hunters Point they face each other
qnired IN their business, each the duplicate Of the
0theri but the Greenpont structures were ~
Earded ~ the reserve works" aS9 mi
ons nss q r.sss, Ss '1RaSS sRsssns e 'ps Ha ss,
yast trade The latter, until yesterday morning
npon Ias % cSpey aSS saSdenns Sar @
hundreds who passed the hours of labor within lts
SSae lsS sadns Il = Ss sa.es a q na D D$s s he
The euss and Sackened space, sesiS;;
oi the once vast Works. The copdagIatiSn that
around about ana destruction to othef pfopsrty Oh
land and water, burning lighters, sailing Vessels
hnd steam tugs. and frlg6tenng IN i!s Intensity even
wheming destruction, occurred at early hour yes
terday morning To thoroughly understand this vast,
various buildings burned and the nature OF their
contents. They were divided as folows;-
THE PACKING HOUSE.
This building OF wood, was 100 feet wide and 900
feet deep, extending down 70 the creek In height
one story but c0nspicuously large. IN this were two
Ss peromeS hs work q
msnt '' These % machines were capable Of sposinS 81
1900 Ave gallon daily At the time OF the 1re
sssso Ss were sss, o ,s Sqss % cases
THK TANK AND STORAGE SHEDS.
Next adjoining the packing house' was large
inch ss Wrought t' from ' the capacity q
which was 5000 barrels Of oil, or 10000 gallons.
used 20 store empty cases. soon to be wanted as we'll
ss G those rose ready Tor transportation. This shed was
deep and also ran to the waters edge. '"N -'' WV
on the eastern side OF this were ive other sheds,
twensy.a feet vide and - feet deep, containing
tional tanks OF 72S barrels each. There was con.
nected with these sheds steam pump, capable OF
filling 5000 barrels In ten hours There was here
1900 barrels in these tanks and In barrels, $4,000
cases acked, 10000 gallons; 40 barrels Of tur.
6ued petroleum and turpentne barrels. XII the
spare room In these was taken up In the storage OF
Between these buildings used for clarified oils ex
clusvely, was the petroleum refinery OF Messrs.
Day a Co., disconneciing the works entirely. Then
THE BgVzrNE TANK.
mere was one large building, sheds and tank The
in tins the manipulation or naphtha occurred. There
were also here patent fllinQ inachines with supply
ana ground tanks, their capacity being 81 barrels
eacn. IN the rear OF these were two large tanks OF
yard there was at the time 500 barrels OF naphtha in
tanks, 1000 cases of naphtha ready for SHIPMENT
and l., 900 cans ready to be packed.
THE TIN SHOP.
Beyond the benzlne yard was the company's tin
eh0p, occupying fourteen full lots and where were
made all the cans used by the company, and which
contained q large stock and valuable machInerv
in were ftytwo presses used in this mannfacoryy
valued at about $500 each, and 0ooQ to 1000 boxes
Of Tin to be used up. Besides there were large