The New York herald., 1872-08-01
THE GREAT OIL FIRE.
The Scene of Tuesdays confagration-Later Es-
Inmates Of Losses-The Burning ships-Extin-
gushing the Naphtha-L. I. c. Bunk
ers, vs. New York Firemen.


There was comparatively little OF public interest
to be cleaned yesterday at Hunters Point IN refer
ence to the great oil con1agration OF Tuesday last.
At midnight on Tuesday the last smoulderinR rem
nants OF the fire 1ickered out. ana but short time
previously the Standard OIL Company's Oflcals had
obtained the aid OF one two OF the volunteer fire
companies for the extnguishment of the fire in the
naphtha tank. There was no particular object in
view at this time beyond avoiding the possibility
OF ignition OF the large tank OF crude petroleum
which stood near II and had escaped unharmed
through the fire. This naphtha, 1t will be under
stood, was burning at the surface only, and
THE FLAMES WERE QUENoHED
by throwing the streams OF water into the air
above It and allowing the torrent to descend like
heavy shower upon every part OF the surface ut one
time. In this way the fire was simply swamped
out. The large refining house, the most valuable
building the property, il the only one saved,
and even this with Its machinery, has been dam
aged to the extent OF about five thousand dollars.
There was nothing on the grounds yesterday that
could interest spectator, save, perhaps the SIN
gular looking masses Of the charred barrel hoops
that covered the site Of the storage shed and the
piers, like network Of wire. All else was cal.
cined nothingness. Just north OF the Empire OIL
Works, in the little between Ravenswood and
Hunters Point lay the backened hulls of the ship
Elps, the bark Edward and the brig Roslyn. The
two former vessels were still burning at late hour
last night but it is likely that the fire viii have
| hausted itself this morning. Both vessels are
| BURNED TO THE WATERS EDGE
utterly destroyed The Rosyn was lying in the
Seneca, which vessel is entitled to the sole credit
Of rescnlng AL that Is left Of q, her. The Under
! side the Roslyn and has taken charge of her. The
| river thieves, scores Of whom still swarm around
ce a n be- In ali
probability the null OF the Rosyn can yet be turned
| TO some account.
and owned in Arenda, Norway, ana was six years
old. she rated A11a at Loyd's, and was l3a feet
long, with breadth OF beam SO feet, depth Of hold.
10 feet She had board 1000 barrels Of OIL instead
OF 15oo, as previously reported. Her agents are
Ss ESye o G e Hds sp1 was bark Of 5 TONS
built IN 1870 at Maitland N. s. 146 feet over all,
81 feet beam and Is feet depth of hold. She had on
board 5000 barrels OF Oil. Her agent Is j. f. Whit
ney, OF 26is Broadway.
The Roslyn was on American brig, of a2a tons.
built in 1861 ut GlenwOod, L. l., and owned In New
York by smith, Strong 4 Co.. OF Al Exchange place.
She was empty when burned.
One OE the canal boats destroyed had 200 barrels
of oil Oh board, another had $50 barrels and the
third was light. Nine canal boats and three
going vessels escaped destruction
1t should be understood that the Standard Oil
Company and the Long Island Oil Company are
SEPARATE CONCERNS.
The former corporation owned the oil, stock and
machinery, the latter being only lessons to the
Standard Company OF the yards, piers, bulkheads
Mr.. Rockefeller, OF the firm OF Rockefeller, Flag
Ter A. Andrews, ISL Pearl street, principal owners
| III the Standard Company, was busy at his oifice
and expressed the utmost willingness TO give the
statement OF the companys losses to the press:
ut about one hundred thousand dollars;
insured for SS6,500, almost wholly In foreign CON-
and er ne G oss q E M e
not Interested IN the oil destroyed on board any OF
the vessels aioat, that being IN the hands OF the
shippers an1 consignees, Messrs. MeiSner, Ackman
d Co. No interruption will ensne to the cO:npany's
business, ana the discharge and loading of oil will
thousand dollars VIII cover the loss on their ma
chlnery
The loss Of the Long Island Company Is esti-
ROUND FIGURES
BY Mr.. Wardwell, the Superintendent, at about
| thirty-ive thousand to forty thousand dollars,
though, rs he states, no actual estimate has
been reached. This is largely covered by nsur-
ance All the foundations OF the piers and bulk
heads are in good condition, only the superstruc.
| ture above high water mark being burned or. The
large storage sheds erected at cost Of about fifteen
thousand dollars were OF course totally consumed.
| Mr. EnOch COe, proprietor OF the SuperphOsphate
and Fertilizer Manulac,ory, adjoining the standard
| works, Is not I'm the city and his superintendent
could give but an approximate idea Of the losses
probably $4,000. There We're destroyed at this
factory two brick buildings, Que stone building and
one wooden building, together with considerable
| quantity OF fertzing compounds In barrels. The
rain of yesterday also caused some additional dam
aye to 4 portion OF the stock which was left cx-
posed In consequence OF the destruction Of the
stores.
TIE LONG ISLAND CITY FIREMEN
| express the opinion generally that Chief Engineer
snyder was right I'm Offering positive objection,
| he did, to the steam fire engines from New York
! taking any part In suppressing the cOnnagratOn.
| They say that the New York flremen only came to
| the rescue when the work was all over, and that
| they were consequently sneaking la TO wear the
| laurels.
Chief Engineer Snyder, however. neglected to
assign any such reason for his action on Tuesday
night In conversation with a HERALD reporter.
The drift of his remarks could not
serve to create any other impression than that
the Long Island City volunteer force opposed
to New Yorks interference solely because the
New York tremcn are paid force He stated dis
tincty that the Long Island City Department felt
that
THE VOLUNTEER SPIRIT
was being "crOwded Out' by the influence OF the
paid departments in large cities like New York and
Brooklyn, and this was the only defence made by
him at that time.
When the New York fire companies, Engines
10 and 0, repaired TO Hunters Point on Tuesday,
they simply responded in person to q telegraphic
request for their aid, sent to this city
upon learning the spirit OF opposition that pre-
vailed among the Long Island City fremcn they
quietly returned They were followed, however, by
MEAN, DEsPICABLE CROWD
to the ferry gates-the crowd comprising some OF
the volunteer hremenGl and horde OF their sym
pathizers, "bunkers' and ''runners" This gang
hooted, bissed and jccred at the New
York nremen In disgracefnl manner,
and good drcncblng from the steamers would
doubtless have convinced them speedily whether
cient. 1t will doubtless be .scme time" before
New York fire company troubles such rutlians again.
mur TrnMAnn c-nyY,nS y-rpYr