The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-02
TEE OIL FIRE At PlTTsBuRc.
Oil Tanks Struck BY lightning - Thrilling
Scenes One Ran Burned TO Death-Loss
Five Hundred Thousand Dollars

From the Pittsbur9 Commercial, jane 2o.l
The most disastrous oil co,nagr,tlon ever known
IN the state OF Pennsyvanla ed yesterday
afternoon III the Eighteenth ward, opposne Tie
borough Of Snaasburg.
TIE THUNDER sroRa.
Shorty after Two O'Clock there i0otned up around
tie horizon black thr atening couts ana the rum
Dido thunder told o. Che e iInc Storm tnat WIS APP
proacnhg. IN lew Moment9 the wnd became
almost tornado viva nlses or lightning anl
rloe reals OF thund r followed, and soon tae awful
Work OF devastation commenced.
THE CONFEDERATION
About half-past TWO O'Clock the lightning struck
Eclipse WORKS and one belonging to the Citizens
Works. The burning oil from these set fire to the
ADJOINING premises, ana ilowed rapidly down 70 the
way, ana soon the bridge was developed m Names.
IL WAS but an Instant and pail black IA midnight
setted over the entire vicinity, and men eeing
from thc terrible scene without scarcely being able
10 see their way. The DANES swept down upon the
Office where MI IL. b. Foster the book&ecper OF The
Eclipse Works, was sitting, AMI only u lew clarred
remains are left TO tell mis- sad fate.
In 4 few moments the scene presented was inde-
scrlbaby ana awiully grant. The spectator who
stood upon the hillside above the bridge could
OBTAIN complete view OF the dreadful connagraton.
and buildings lay Just before him. From each talk
came rohing up immense columns or dense smoke,
anl ever and anon the flames WOULD lean skyward,
as II ANXIOUS TO follow the pillars of saoAe In the +
upward course. Five huge columns Of smoke
ma, Aea the points where Oh tanks were burning,
ahu the uwellnK house OF Dr.. Tweedle and
the buildings of the Eclipse refinery filled in the
Intervening space with lnrd names. Beyond thls,
priuge was 10 be seen clearly defined and allng
ana cracking, about 10 fail soon II l: on each Size
OF the high piers the woodwork fell iuto the river,
and serpent-llke coated Kissing down the current.
Just then there arose Rom the burnng mass OF
the Eclipse ruins the screeching OF the steam
escaping rom the safety valves OF The six large
boilers, and the crowd drew back In momenlary
expectation OF an explosion. Tie valves VIII stled
anu screened III tone which sounded Ike the
mourning OF some unknown monster over the AWFUL
spectacle.
The connagration extended along the river bank
ahAlr hair "A f.,ita
Valley Railroad were SET on lire ana the rails warned
INTO almost every conceivable shape.
The ar was flied with burning clndcrs, and some
OF the first struck ana gnied tank OF crude OH re-
longing 10 Forsythe Bros, and also set fire 10 the
scltng and agitatlne house OF the National Refining
ana storing Company, over quarter OF a mile be-
| low the place where the first fire broke out.
THE LOSS
DR. Twedde estimates the total loss at his place at
| about $33O,0Oo. winch he has an INSURANCE ot
$4,000. His loss on the buildings ANA oil machinery
was about $1,000 0 aud on oil $4,000, anu para
Inc and machinery 100000. The loss ut the Cal-
/ zens' Works was estimated at $4,000 early last
evening, but IL was not Improbable tsat their build
| Ing might be destroyed. This company Is pretty
| fully insured. The loss OF FoTsythe Brothers b,
| burning OF tank, Is estimated al $4,000, which
there Is no insurance. The Astral Oh Works lose
| $4,000; slight Insurance. The loss OF Dilworth
Brothersis probably not 81 100. The loss OF tic
| National Works wall likely be upwards OF $4,000
light cars OF crude oil standing the track OF The
Allegheny Valley Railroad, In trout OF the Citizens
On Refinery, Were burned. and also the same NUM-
Der al one " the rellnerics below. XAc 5harpsburp
| bldge was insured for SAC, 900.
The most of the property DESTROYED was insured
In Eastern companies great deal OF 1t trough int
|. agency OF Swearingen IL McCand.ess.
| THE DEATH OF MR. FOSTER
| Our reporter conversed with Mir. John Moreland
| stated that the remains were found just where Mr.
Foster who was b0okkeeper OF the iTm, was likely
| to have been.
The bo,y was subsequently Identified as that O
| Nj. Foster ny the nndilg OF his pocket knife an,
other articles near the ciarred remains the artcle
| being recognized by Dr. Tweddle last evening Mr.
|
Union Telegraph Company. whose ONCE is III I'll,
same building with MI. Foster. stated that when IA,
left the ONCE but q few minutes before the fire, Mr.
| Foster was there 1t appears that Nj. Foster In,
been up town about Twelve O'Clock, but mad re
turned shortly before the lire. ~ Il not npro
| that he was knocked down by the shock OF tht
lightning and failed to recover al iinie 10 has
escape.
| AIR. Foster was brother OF the late stephen Eos.
| ter, aud most worthy anil estlaiabe citizen.
VARIOUS INCIDENTS
An employe OF the CiZens' Oh Refinery it Il
stated, observed the nash OF lightning and saw IL
strike the tank alluded To. He also felt the shock
| produced by It and came near being Frustrated.
Almost instantly, however, he rushed frantcaiy 10
window In the second story and leaped out. BY
this time his brother and several other persons en-.
ployed la the ie1nely, who also fclt the shock, had
run upon the bridge, and the Immense volume OF
flame and smoke which immediately thereafter en-
tered the opening on this side o. tile river caused an
exciting chase ever the bridge, the brother on this
side OF DIE river. ana who was the only person who
cav them run On to the bridge being frenzled In
gard TO their safety. The time coiiSuaied Ia the
| burntag OF the bridge WAS only eight minutes and
| we can imagine the feelings VI these men Oh the
BRIDGE who having once entered H. were terrified
ut behotdtng the burning OIL sweeping after them
| win velocity almost double what TREY could rum
car Of the Citizens Passenger Railway wei
filed with passengers, mad just turned the curve
The road Leading 10 the bridge whcn the lieltnnie
struck tho tank and sent the burning oil ugh ia IN,
air. and the driver barely had tlnle TO check ca,
before getting into the midst OF the fire. there Is
very steep grade here. Had It reached AS us,iil
stopping place there would have beel little hope io
the passengers Tor number OF them woia eiti.c
have been on the bridge crossing, possibly ali
them would have sought siicer ia t.se bridge Sigh
| ram prevailing At the time or been la the once o
Tie Eclipse on Works where Nj. Foster was located
as It was generally used the railway station -,
| passenger railway by those acquainted with Mr.
Foster, whose gen ALLY won for him many friends
| la any event these passengers would have ben
hemned IN on all sides by the fire, aud escape
| would have been next TO impossible.
/ Yrrrzcn,fsaanu Y1rrara1a rxxaxx.x-