The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-06-04
From the New York Sun. 26th


Eight Lighters Consumed.
From the New York Sun, 2Gth.
One of the greatest and most disastrous
CONGREGATIONS that was ever witnessed in
this State, or of its peculiar kind i'll the
whole country, threatened Hunters Point
yesterday morning. About 3 o'clock a
number of terrific explosions that follow
ed each other in quick SUGGESTIONS awoke
the inhabitants of Long Isl. City. As tho
: by magic, the sky over Hunters Point
seemed suddenly wrapped in flames. The
Waterman in the yards of the well-known
Deyoe petroleum factory, near Newton
Creek, was the first to comprehend the
situation. He saw the buildings around
him, with their vast tanks of oil and tUr-
pentine, one great blaze. The fury of the
flames was almost inconceivable, and ap-
palled him. He sounded the alarm how
ever, and heard the answer given across the
silent creek. Then remembering the ex-
press orders of his employers Us to what he
should do first of all in such an emergency,
he ran into the burning building and
sought to convey to place of safety the
most valuable account books.
BATTLING WITH THE FIRE.
Long Island City, or Hunters Point rs
the place is called, being supplied with wa
ter only by pumps and wells, the engine
PEELED to procure their water by means of
hose carried across to Newton Creek bridge,
and even there they could not get rs much
rs they might have made use of. There
were no fire engines in the place, but Nos
/, z, 3, 5, Z, 10, II and - of the Eastern
District, Brooklyn, together with hose COM
panies ], 2, 8, 4, 5, 6 and z, were at hand
sooner than one could have expected them.
The police steamboat and tho steamer Min
nabinnock soon arrived also, and with
their fire engines and hose thus bringing
on the scene more of this latter than could
be made available, owing as we have lust
shown, to the scarcity of water. Despite
all the efforts of those on tic ground the
confagration seemed Mt first utterly mn
manageable. As the water fell ON the blaz-
ing buildings it was either swallowed with
out any effect Mt all, or was thrown back
with a kissing and roaring that was indie
scrbably awful. 1t was a calm night, and
at the beginning much valuable property
might have been saved, had it not boon
for the combustible nature of the
materials and the dread of oxplo-
sion parayzing the efforts of many
willing workers. At one time we counted
nearly twenty lighters or barges on fire
close to Deyoe's wharf These, we think,
might have been saved had there been
courage. Whatever was saved of them is
due entirely to the efforts of the polio in
the Metropolitan ferryboat and other
smaller boats. The ferrvboat Mnnahan-
ock also greatly assisted in quelling the
main body OF the fire. The employees of
the Long Island Railroad assisted also
with a steam pump and thousand feet of
hose, thus preventing the flames from
reaching the shops of their Company.
WHAT FELL PREY TO THE FLAMES
The storage sheds OF the Devoe Manu-
featuring Company and the refinery of Day
IL Co., in n short time We're level with the
earth, and i'll the meantime the fire had
spread on the north and east taking fast
hold upon the packing establishment and
tin can shop of the Devoe Works, and n
three-story frame dwelling owned by +. J.
Reade. A large quantity of coal and an
extensive twO-Story shed of Mr. j. G. Pro
vost who also lost 100 barrels oflimc were
next enVelopedin the fame Onthc south,
along the line Of the creek, of the dozen or
more vessels of different grades moored to
the piers, seven lighters loaded with oil in
cases and barrels, and the Norwegian bark
Advance, having ON board $50 cases and
GOO barrels of oil, were totally DESTROYED
together with their cargoes. Four of the
lighters, two Of which were an improved
of oil III bulk, were owned by the Devoe
Company The owners name OF the re-
manning vessels could not be ascortained.
THE LOSSES.
First in amount of loss come the DcyOe
Manufacturing Company, fromerly known
under the firm name of Dcvoc, Pratt 81 Co,
who suffer the loss of an oil and benzine
refinery, packing establishment, tin can
factory, four lighters, and abOnt 5000 bar
rels of oil i'll tanks barrels and eases. the
estimated value of which is Mt least $780,
600; insured for S2O0,G9O Day e Co. s
refinery was totally destroyed, together with
1000 barrels of oil and naphtha. Loss,
500, 900; partially covered by insurance.
j. G. Provost's lime and coal YARD. 500 !
tons of coal, a storage shed and lime, So !
900 Insured for 5000 III n baltimore COM |
pany
L. j. Reade's loss on house, $4,000; not
insured.
Three lighters and Norwegian bark, names
of owners unknown, and their cargoes, es-
timated at 100000
The whole amount of oil DESTROYED was
about ID, 900 barrels, worth nearly $780, |
600. There were in the Devoe manufacto-
ry two yards, the upper of which contain |
ell nme large iron tanks capable of |
holding $4,000 gallons of oil; 1000 barrels |
Oh OH anu Iz,Uub cases OF reflned oil, ten |
GALLONS IN each; 10 barrels of turpentine in
tank, and 200 cases of turpentine packed,
besides steam pump capable of pumping
4,5o0 barrels IN ten hours. The lower yard
was used for the purpose of canning refined
naphtha, and contained one of DEVICES
patent refining machines which was sup
piled from two large iron tanks of ca
pacity OF 2,2OO barrels, one of them nearly
fail of refined naphtha.
INCIDENTS.
Explosions were numerous In one in
stance especially, one of tho tank lighters
took fire mt the wharf, and the timbers. nc,
were strewn about to some distance in
every direction. Chief Engineer Smith.
with number of fremen from Williams
burg, was at that moment standing upon
the bricks, and, though they and their plat
form was Frustrated, not man was injured.
A small boat from the lighters deck was
broken up, and piece about four feet in
length was sent wlizzing on tho bridge,
narrowly missing passing pedestrian.
After the firemen had been ut work several
hours, food and other refresl ments were
furnished IN abundance, one of the men
taking rather too much.
AT the time of the burning of the Ava |
nae, five OF the crew succeeded with diff |
entity IN escaping. The oil spread in largo |
islands over the water, fiercely consuming
itself To get through this without set |
ting their boat on fire was no easy task. |
The bark they left is now black, unsightly |