The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-07-02
four exploded tanks was running in streams

four exploded tanks was running i'll streams
down to tho river hank and along the line
Of the shore, carrying destruction with 1t.
At times considerable portion Of the sur
face Of the Allegheny river was sheet OIL
fire, where the oil had run upon 1t. The
destruction along the track Of the Allie
ghcny Valley railroad was very complete.
The rails forming the tracks were bent INTO
all kinds of shapes by the extreme heat,
while the ties for several hundred feet were
reduced to ashes. About a quarter OF
with the station-hollse ut this point, were
destroyed. In front OF the Citizens Re
tinery several tank-carS loaded with oil had
arrived during the morning. These were were
soon on fire, and the cars, with about SSVo
worth of oil, consumed. The company
lose the cars, platform, and track.
THE NEXT REFINERY $50
below the Eclipse was that Of the ForSythe
Brothers. As we have said, the lightning
struck here, too. The tank struck contain
ed about three thousand barrels of crude
oil, which, together with the oil, fell u prey
to tic flames. Fortunately the fire did not
communicate to any other part of these
works, although there was plenty to feed
the blaze if it had got i'll among the large
tanks on the ground. gt.
THE ASTRAL REFINERY,
owned by Mr.. John Il. Bell, was next be-
low the FurSythe Brothers. 1t was not as
large as some of the others, and had been
erected almost seven years ago. Ncyerthe-
less. il was complete in all it's appointments,
and was valuable. MIR. Bell had not been
running his works for nearly two years. lie
had. however, Il lot of oil and barrels on
hand, and everything ready to commence
operations ut any moment. The IRE was
enough for the works. They were not
struck by the lightning, but it is supposed
caught fire from the sparks from some Oh
| the other burning masses about. Ihe
flames made short work OF the "Astral.
Nothin. was left but the barrcl-housc-
machinery, tanks, buildings, and oil, being
consumed in IN incredibly short space OF
time. The fire here was, rs in other places,
sure and steady, and exhibited no peculiar
elements. No men were about The estaD-
| lishmcnt.
The nextwas the Anchor Refinery, owned
by Mcssrs. Dilworth Il Brother, located be-
low and next to Bells. a tank in il caught
fire aud was consumed. 1t contained seVe-
raj thousand barrels of crude oil. The re-
mainder of the works was preserved.
| Cochran's oil-yard was the next. This
was used rs q storage-yard, and contained
only tanks. One of them, containing about
900 barrels of oil, was destroyed. 1t
caught fire from the flames which spread
oll. IRON the National Storing COmpany'S
premises, Just below. This was the extent
of the conflagration. The National is Il
stock company, owned by Il number of citi-
Zens, and was organized several years ago.
Mr.. Arthur Kirk is one of the principal
managers. 1t is also under control Of i
board Of directors. The place consists OF
refinery and storagc-yard. 1t is located
half a mile below the Citizens refinery
these two being the extremes of the fire.
| When the lightning separated, as hereto.
| fore noted, one of the balls struck q tank OF
the National. 1t was in flames simulta-
neollsly with the Citizens and DR.. Twed-
dies. The tank contained large guam
tity of oil-how much could not be
directly ascertained. From the tank to
the settling pans, in which was 1000 bar.
rels of oil, then to the agitatlng g-housc. and
| finally to other and smaller tanks, the
flames sped, and the premises were in u few
moments all on fire. Nearly all the works
and oil in this establishment were destroyed
The barrel house was all that remained,
and small portion Of the works near the
| river.
The conilagration proceeded no further
There were other large retinerics below,
but fortunately there was gOodly space i'll
tervcning. and the heat was not sufficient 10
set them OH fire.
In its course the destructive agent had
envcloped four refincries, together with
tanks in storage yard and in two other
| re1rneries.
| BURNED TO DEATH.
| By far the SaudeSt incident connected with
| this most disastrous conflagration was the
death OF Mr.. Henry Is. Foster, clerk in DR..
| TWeddlc's Office. AS soon as DR.. Tweddle
returned from town he made inquiries lis to
| his employees, and learned that Mr.. Foster
was missing. No effort could be made To
save him, and his friends could only wait.
| Subsequently il was stated that Mr. Foster
had been seen and was Ill right. This, sad
| " enough, was disproYed by the event.
| Last seen he was in the Office, which caught
! lire rs soon as the first tank burst. 1t Is sup
| posed that he was so severely shocked with
| the electricity that he could not make his
escape from the buildins. He was the father
in-law of Mr. Buttertield, the attorney, was
aged about tifty-three years, and leaves q
| family. His charred remains were recovered
| about five O'Clock. Deceased ras brother
of Stephen G. Foster, the composer.
LOSSES AND INSURANCE. .
DR.. Tweddle estimates the totel loss at
| his place ut about $3.50, 900, on which he has
| IN insurance of $50, 600. His loss OH the
buildings and oil machinery was about
and machinery 100000. The loss at The
Citizens Works was estimated at $4,000
| early last evening, but it was not improbu-
BILE that their buildings might be destroyed.
| This company is pretty fully insured. The
loss OF Forsythe Brothers by burning of a
tank is estimated at S15, 900, on which there
is no insurance, The Astral Oil Works lost
sat, 900; slight insurance. The loss Of Dill
worth Brothers Is probably not over 81 200.
The loss of the National Works will likely
be upwards Of $a0, 900. Eight cars of crude
oil standing on the track of the Allegheny
! Valley railroad, in front Of the Citizens oil
| refinery, were burned, and also the same
| number at one Of the retineries below. The
| Sharpsburg bridge was insured for $35, 600.
| The most OF the property destroyed was In
sured in eastern companies. =. -.s
ESCAPES, INCIDENTS, ETC.
A number Of narrow escapes from death
| Several persons jumped from windows OF
| the burning buildings, and were more or
less hurt. A city railway car filled with
passengers was barely checked in time to
escape running down q heavy grade into the
midst of the flaming oil which filled the
air when struck by lightning. The gold
fish in the little pond in front of DR.. Twed-
dies house were all killed, and many Of
them looked rs though they had been
cooked in boiling water; mono Of the fowls
on the premises escaped, and valuable
horse was burned in his stable.
-Four engines were on the grounds; but
only three could work, as it was almost i'm
possible to obtain water. The fire ragged all
night, though the spreading of the flames
was STONED the previous afternoon. About