Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-07-06
From the Pittsburgh CON-. June 81
GREAT OIL FIRE.
Oil Tanks Struck by Lightning-LOss
Over Half a Million DOllars-One
Man Burned TO Death.

Oil Tanks Struck by Lightning-LOss
Over Half a Million DOllars-One
Man Burned TO Death.
One of the most disastrous oil con-
f~iagrations ever known in the State of
Pennsylvania, occurred yesterday
afternoon, in the Eighteenth ward,
opposite the borough of Sharpsburg,
resulting in the entire destruction of
the Eclipse Oil Works and the partial
burning of the Citizens and three
Others, and the destruction of the
Sharpsburg bridge. The terrible con-
hagration was caused by the stimuli
taneous striking by lightning of two
tanks-one belonging to the Citizens
and the other to the Eclipse Oil
Works. One life was lost.
TIE THUNDER STORM.
Shortly after two o'clock there LOOM
ed up around the horizon black threat
eniny clouds and the rumbling thun-
der told of the terrific storm that was
approaching. IN a few moments the
wind became almost a tornado; vivid
flashes of lightning and terrible peals
of thunder followed, and soo the
awful work Ofdevastation commenced.
THE CONFLAGRATION.
About half-past two O'Clock the
lightning struck simultaneously a 90
600 barrel tank belonging to the
Eclipse Works, and n belonging to
the Citizens Works. The burning
oil from these set fire to the adjoining
premises, and flowed rapidly down to
the bridge setting fire to all that came
in its way, and soon the bridge was
enveloped in flames. 1t was but an
instant and pail as black as mid
night settled over the entire vicinity
and men were fleeing from the terri
BILE scene without scarcely being able
to see their way. The flames swept
down upon the Office where Mr.. H. b.
Foster, the book keeper of the Eclipse
Works, was sitting, and only a few
charred remains are left to tell his sad
fate.
A man named Valentine Holly
Jumped from the seeopd story of the
Eclipse Works and was bruised; he
was followedby a man named Patrick
WEIGH, and they e~ndeavOred to assist
the family of DR.. Tweedle to escape.
A cooper who resides at Negley's Run,
was seriously injured in jumping from
the window, and had to be taken to a
hospital.
In a few moments the scene pre-
scented was indescribably and awfully
grand. The spectators who stood
| upon the hillside above the bridge
! could obtain u complete view of the
| dreadful confiagration. About fifteen
acres of burning tanks, dwellings and
buildings lay just below them. From
| each tank came rolling up immense
columns of dense smoke and ever and
anon the flames would leap skyward
as if anxious to follow the pillars Of
smoke in their upward course. Five
huge columns of black smoke marked
the points where oil tanks were burn
ing, and the dwelling house of DIR.
Tweedle and the buildings of the
! Eclip>e refinery filed the intervening
space with iurid flames. Beyond this,
clearly cleaning through the smoke,
the Sharpsburg bridge was to be seen,
| clearly defined, and blazing n
cracking about to fall. Soon it fell,
on each side of the high piers the
woodwork fell into the river and SER
pent like fiOated kissing down the cur
rent.
Just then there arose from the burn
ing mass of the Eclipse ruins the
screeching of the steam, escaping
from the safety valves of the six large
boilers, and the crowd drew back in
momentary expectation of an explo-
sion. Thevalves whistled and screeeh-
ed in a tone that sounded like the
mourning of some unknown monster
over the awful spectacle.
The confiagration extended along
the river bank for about half a
mile, and the ties of the Allegheny
Valley Railroad were set on fire and
the rails warped into almost every
conceivable shape.