New-York tribune., 1869-05-27
THE HUNTERS POINT FIRE.
THE RIVER ON FIRE-FIGHTING THE FLAMES
A SINGULAR EXPEDIENT.

THE RIVER ON FIRE-FIGHTIN6 THE FLAMES
"A SINGULAR EXPEDIENT'
The great fire at the Devoe works continued
to burn all through Tuesday might the oil tanks con-
tnuing to blaze with undated fury some $4,000 gallons
OF oil being consumed One incident connected with the
burning Of the oil in these tanks is well worthy OF note
appears that at the lower end Of the dock fronting the
East River tank containing several thousand gallons
OF benZne, was enyelOped in flame all night yet strange
to tank filled with kerosene oil, which imnedlatey
adoined IT, remained untouched. The numberess tuns
Of cuui belonging TO j. c. Provost continued 70 snOlder
all night and were only extinguished after the utmost
efforts Of the remen yesterday morning. Engine Com
pany No remained at the scene OF the conagraOn lot
and rendered invalua6Ie assistance throughout.
AT about o'clock yesterday morning the brig Ad-
vance, which had been burning all night capszed pre-
cpatng hundreds OF gallons OF burning oil into New
town Creek The flames spread rapidly over the surface
Of tho water, and another alarm OF fire was Immediately
sounded bringing all the engines ot the Eastern District
back to the scene Of the disaster The tide was flowing
strongly into the creek from the East River at tme
and the seething Of burning oil spread rapidly up
the creek and in the direction OF the Hunters Point
bridge. The at this point terribly grand The
entire creek from shore to shore the point OF
its influx into the East River nearly up TO the bridge, was
shoot up to an amazing hight the whole covered with
dense OF black smoke. The banks were lined by
thousands OF excited spectators ali dreadng the eaam
itous results OF this most extraordinary disaster
but all powerless TO check the progress OF the
deyouring clement The hremen In despair their
apparatus all constructed to draw from hydrants
and there beng plugs IN the vicinity the only aVaa
rendered inaccessible The greatest danger apprehended
that the flames, which were rapidly approaching the
new bridge woud be communicated 10 that structure In
which IL would in all probability have been totally
destroyed The means finally employed TO arrest the
progress OF the flames only discovered by fortu
itOus accident An individual standing upon the bridge
watching the flames almost at his feet picked up large
stone and hurled quite thoughessy into the stream
Instantly 5as noticed that the OF fire was broken
by the spashing Of water caused W the falling stone
aud the circle OF gradually increased In ze the
flames receded until clear space OF two or three yards
in diameter had been made The idea thus suggested
rapidly acted upon the crowds Of bystanders rushed
ohe brick yard of g. Provost and returned loaded with
bricks which they commenced hurting into the stream.
Lines speedily formed for rapidly passing the mis-
ses from the brckyard 10 those on the docks the men
worked with WILL and I'm incredibly short time up
ward OF two thousand bricks had been hurled into the
stream. The violent agitation OF the water thus caused
had the effect OF checking the progress OF the hanes ana
with the material aid rendered by the tugOOat tu
Ter, the cOnfagration was soon entirely stayed.
An investigation into the origin OF the fire IL being
actively prosecuted by Fre-Marshal Ready Of the Metro
poltan Department which. from the testimony already
deduced, promises some startling disclosures.