New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-06
THE STORY OF THE FIRE.

THE STORY OF THE FIRE
| The Standard, formerly known as the Long
Island OIL Works at Hunters Point, partly burned
yesterday for the third time within few years. At
about p. IN. barge No. Of the Daylight OIL Works
was lying alongside the wharf the sheds where the
oil is stored, when Capt Meyer who sitting the
deck, hghtedhis pipe with a match He cautioned
against handling fire carelessly by who stood
near by on the wharf. He made reply. and In an
instant the from the hold Of the barge caught fire.
and an explosion occurred which was distinctly heard
long distance The deck OF the blown
| up into the air TO a hight Of 100 feet, killing
the unfortunate Meyer instantly The barge had been
partly unladen, and filed with gas. the fame OF
which spread in moment to the Oil in barrels the
wharves through which 1t rushed with great rapdity,
the barrels as they caught fire exploding with sound
resembling the cracking Of musketry In two three
minutes the flames had spread through the oil Sheds
which covered space about 600 feet in length by ESQ
In width and in which barrels filed with distilled oil
were piled up In three four tiers There was little
wind, and the dense black smoke from the burning oil
rose In perpendicular column nearly to the zenith, and
then spread out in dark pail over the entire heavens,
almost hiding the light Of the The column OF
smoke was distinctly from oil parts Of NewYork
and Brooklyn. and many miles away on Long Island.
SURROUNDING PROPERTY ENDANGERED.
Five fire engines from Long Island City on
the ground, and in half hour two steamers arrived
from Brooklyn. OF the latter, steamer No. Is was un
able to work through disarrangement of the ma
chinery; steamer No. "a did good service All their ei
forts were directed to preventing the fire from spread
ing. brick wall about Ia feet in hight, separated the
fire from the Standard Companys refinery, which
three tanks filed with distilled oil, refined oil and
naphtha respectively short distance TO the north
east were Pratts Astral Oil Works, and just across
narrow creek, in which three burning barges,
r. W. Burke's Queens County OIL Works. Just
beyond the limits Of the fire to the south Goes manu-
factory fertilizers. Just beyond this the ferry boat
Idaho OF the Williamsburgh line lying the ways
undergoing repairs. All these in imminent danger
and any OF them might readily have been destroyed il
steady breeze had blown In its direction for few min
The remen fought earnestly and with great
age. Streams directed upon the tanks which were
scOrched and blisered by the intense heat The police
boat seneca arrived at half past two and poured four
streams the fire. the freboat, John Fuller threw two
streams and the Uncle Abe three These saved
Bukes works the creek, and the steam engines
kept the fire confined TO its original limits
on land Seven vessels lying near the dock, all
Of which taken of by tugs without suffering much
damage, except the bark Lote Stuart, from Yarmouth
Nova Scotia which was drawn up the stream with the
sails burned off and her fire. The ferryboat
Arizona OF the Wamsburgh line was soon on the spot,
ready to take off her cOnsOrt II the fire should extend
into Goes works. which stood between it and danger.
MARCH THE FLAMES.
AtGI5 wind from the west suddenly sprang up,
rying the flames directly toward the oil tanks aud the
refinery. This caused stampede OF remen and police
men standing in the yicnity but the wind died away
az quickly a rose and the danger OF an explosion was
averted Fifteen minutes later the wind carried the
flames almost ato Prats works. and the cry arose that
they had caught fire. This caused the intervening space
TO speedily empted Of all who were there at work or
az spectators lest they should be caught between two
fires Again the wind suddenly changed, and
when the smoke cleared away 1t was seen
that the Astral works were untouched. Soon
the oil had been so far consumed that the names
did not reach sufficient hight to endanger surrounding
property; but still vast volumes OF smoke Issued from
the three barges which burned alongside and over all
the ground occupied by the sheds the fire arose to
hight of three or four feet The scene at this time re-
sembled the burning of a prairie. The smoke which
pread the had assumed lighter color, and
occasionally the flames from the burning acres as II
collected by whrlwind shot up In spiral column for
distance 100 $50 feet Over the whole space the
number Of barrel hoops bore testimony to the hight
to which the barrels OF oil had been piled BY p. M
the confined to the oil in the barges upon which
few streams still played to prevent it from breaking
out into fierce fame
LOSSES AND ASSURANCES.
Mr. Rockaeiar estimates the total loss OF his firm on
buildings and oil ct 100000 There 1000 barrels OF
refined OIL ready for shipment This was worth about
q per barrel involving loss on oil OF $4,000 The loss
on buildings and material for refining Is about $4,000
The main works,of Messrs. Rockafellar Co. are at
Cleveland Ohio. The crude oil is distilled there and
the dstae is brought TO the works at Hunters Point
and there refined This done for the that sui
phurc acid enters very largely into the refining procet
and the cost OF shipping 1t TO Cleveland would be
much greater than of shipping the dstiliate
here and refining IL. Tho main ONCE 10 In
this city, at No. 40 Pearl-st. The yard and
buildings were formerly owned by Josiah Macys Sons,
and WAS known as the Long Island Refinery 1t was
leased by the Standard OIL Company for several years,
but after the fire Of last year Rockafear Co. pur-
chased the property and erected and larger build
ings and piers. The works have been burned three
times within few years 1t is alleged that each time
the fire has started on Of the barges loading and
unloading at the PIERS and has been almost inyara
bly, the result OF gross careessness on the part OF en-
ployes.
The fire Of yesterday much less destructive than
that Of July 80 1877, when the Standard OH WORKS
Charles Prats Astral Oil Works. f. f. Goes superphos-
phate Works. three ships and barks ard four canal
boats and barges burned making total loss OF
nearly $4,000.
Tue following is list OF the companies In which the
o and sheds belonging ~ the Standard Company in
' On IA, OH Fremens Fund Of CALI. 1880
Liverpool London and Rutgrrs. !oOO
900 North Missouri boo
10000 Arcuc loOO
North 10000 hns !DW
fls,n.n American Of Missouri. LOO
Isms, ,-.... 81 600 German Of Eps Penn.... !, 200
RtnA Of Hartford 1900 On w ~a$. ooo
Williamsburg City,. 100 f mns o nA"0'u''''' 3V90
Psir6eld County Conn. $500 Other eompaneA lbOOO