The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-07-07
Disastrous Fire at pittsburg, Pa.


The Pitsburg papers give an account
Of the fire, caused by lighting stroke,
that occurred there on Tuesday after
noon of last week The Chronicle says
that since the 10th of April, 1S45, there
has been no such conhagration here.
The suddenuess of the calamity, its ap-
palling swiitncss, the strange manner
of its origin, aud the terrible magnitude
Of its results, render this fire. almost
without a parallel 10 the experience of
Pittsburg, The loss Of human life
marked the event, and the destruction
Of property was simply tremendous, yet
fearful as was the occurrence, it seems
a miracle that it was not more fearful,
so marrow were the many escapes, and
so impetuous the flames.
The fire originated ia the Eclipse
Works, and from thence spread TO the
right aud left aud to the bridge. a
thousand rumors were ahoat us late
as eight o'clock last night, but the
following seems TO be the best solution
of the affair:
The lightning FIRST struck the twenty
thousand barrel tank of the Eclipse,
causing an explosion and consequent
ignition. The burning fluid flowed
right and leit-to the right down the
Sharpsburg road aud firing the buildings
on the grounds below, as well as the
Allegheny Valley Railroad depot bull.
diugs and The Telegraph office; thence
to the river, igniting the bridge from
beneath-to the left across the grounds
of DR.. Tweddle, setting his residence
and then out buildings on fire.
The manner in which Mr. J. d.
Bells aud Forsy,he & Bros refneries
were ignited is mysterious, unless it was
from burning shingles blown from the
Eclipse establishment, three or four
hundred yards distant. The National
and the single tank at the Anchor
Works no doubt caught from the burn.
ing fragments of the bridge that foated
down the river. The Citizens was un,
questionably ignited from the exploded
nk of the Eclipse.
The dwelling house Of Or. Tweddle
which, with its contents, was worth
from fifteen to twenty thousand dollars
was burned to the ground in less than
fifteen minutes, all the trees and shrub
berry on the grounds being burned en-
tire or charred The gold fish in the
fountains were all killed, as we're al
the domestic fowls on the premises
With single exception, all the domes
tic animals, and very valuable hors,
and carriage and the entire contents o
a stable we're burned. All the build
ings and stock of the works wer,
burned.
Henry B. Foster, the chief clerk o
the establis ament, was burned to Gin
der in the main Office of the Eelips'
Works. II is supposed that he was S,
severely shocked with the elcctricit,
that he could not make his escape from
the building. He was the father in Law
of Mr.. Butterfeld, the attorney, wa
aged about fiity.three years and leaves
a family. His charred remains wer
recovered about seven o'clock last night
There was report about the scene o
disaster that telegraph operator, Will
trying to make his escape over tn,
bridge, was cngulphed in the flames an,
lost his life. We are unable to trac
the report to a reliable source.
The following individuals and corpo
rations suffer by the FIRE; The Citizen
Oil Refining Company; the Eclipse Oi
Refining Company; J. b. Bell & Co
oil refuers; Forsythe Bros, oil re6ncrs
the National Oil Refinery; the Ancho
Oil Refinery; the Allegheny Vale
Railroad; the Sharpsburs Bridge Com
pany, and several citizens to Unite
extent. The estimated loss is S540, 00C