New-York tribune., 1869-05-26
GREAT FIRE AT HUNTERS POINT.
TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF DEvoE'siOIL CANNING
ESTABLISHMENT, THE BRIG AYANCE, AND

TOTAL. DESTRUCTION OF DEvoE'sI OIL CANNING
ESTABLISHMENT, THE BRIG AYANCE, AND
SEVERAL LIGHTERS-LOSs NEARLY Sl,OOOOOO.
About 3 o'clock yesterday morning fire
broke out In the extensive oil canning establishment OF
Devoe h Co.. situated Newtown Creek, at Hunters
Point The works consisted OF yards each 400 feet
long and gave employment 10 more than 400 men and
boys The business OF the 1rm that OF canning refined
petroleum for export and domestic use Is said to have
been the largest In the world The upper yard the
bridge contained the tnshops and nine large iron tanks
capable OF holding 1900 gallons Of OIL Beside these
there were about 4OObarre OF oil aud 1900 Of oil
each containing gaops 20 barrels Of turpentne In
tank, and 200 thrpegtlne packed Also
steam pump capable Of pumping 800 barrels In
10 hours The lower yard used for canning renned
naphtha and contained OF Devoos patent glDg ma
chimes supplied from two large iron tanks, OF capacity
OF AGO barrels One OF the tanks was nearly filled with
refined naphtha This exploded so9n after caught fire.
tearing Away Ito top and doing considerable damage to
the glass In the houses in the vicinity Adjoining this
tank was similar about onequarter full OF renned
petroleum In addition there were 1900 easgs o Tehued
naphtha OF ten gallons each packed ready for shipment
also IaOOO cans, five gallons each OF naphha hhed and
and 500 tuns OF by the Companys towboat tho
greater part Of which was burned .,.,
The brig Ayance which had hnshedtl oadng the even
previous lay at the upper yard With Coo m barrels Q, re-
nnCa a & S5npn gn Ten gallons The vessel TOOK re
towed TO the end Of the pier and scuted She will
probably prove total loss, together with her cargo.
The brg susan Bergen lying the docklwAtng 70
her cargo, was with great difficulty saved AZ
the dock hye lighters and tank boat, All OF
which totally destroyed. one OF the lighters, the
Caroline had board lao cases. tenement house on
Flushingst, opposite the yard was also burned The
dwelling owned by a Mr.. Reed, keeper on Black
wells Island, and occupied by several families, who
lost pretty much all their household properties.
Between the yards OF Messr. DcyOe wasithe refinery
OF the Messrs Day Co This was also totally DESTROYED
The varnsh factory Of the Messrs Mayer Lowenstne
but slightly Injured J. c. Provost &Co dealers in
coal lime, and bricks lose about $500. principally
coal. The fire. when first discovered, was burning at
both ends Of the yard, aQd thought 20 have been the
Of 100000. The Greenpoint Fire DEPARTMENT we're
early at the OF the cOnagratOn, and remained
duty until a late hour yesterday, 80 rapidly did tho
flames progress, that nearly two acres OF buildings
flame within minutes Of the first alarm. aud when the
Wlamsburgh hremen reached the Ecwtown Greek
bridge the scene was truly appalling For miles nronnd
the flames ulumiued the Ornament thousands OF men,
women, and children from Greonp0nt and adjacent
localities hOCked TO the south side Of the creek many Of
them In their night clothes, while the
RayonsWOOd assembled the north side
Flames Of great volume danced and skipped Ike meteOrs
above and around them Sudden explosions, frequent
and terrific, evoked loud cries Of alarm. All this
well the fire. Meanwhile the nrcmcn. under Chief
Engineer John W Smith, working with great deter
minaton.A a by 10 o'clock yesterday they achieved "a
mastery. The multitude gradually dispersed. But
while the Are was confined to certain limits Il was not
subdued. Rvulets OF oil I'm fame ran from Newtown
Creek Bridge 10 the East River tanks containing thOus
ands Of gallons OF oil burned defanty until late in the
evening
When the brig Avance took fire. Chief Engineer Smith
and five OF his men took a position pile Of bricks
and directed stream OF water upon her They had not
been engaged over five minutes when explosion oc
CURED on board, and large iron tank propelled
from the brig and fell I'm the midst OF the party knocking
down the pile and burying the hremen In Its ruins None
OF them, however, were seriously injured