The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-13
Destructive ConfiasratiOn.
TIE ERIE OIL WORKS AT WEEHAwKEN on FIRE
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF OIL TANKS AND CON-

TIE ERIE OIL WORKS AT WEEHAwKEN on FIRE
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF OIL TANKS AND CON-
TExTs-Loss ESTIMATED AT SGOO,O
New YORK, July ia fire broke out last
night in the Erie OIL Works at Weehawken,
caused by a stroke Of lightning, which
struck one Of the tanks containing $4,000
barrels of oil. during heavy thunderstorm
The fumes spread rapidly, and one tank
after another took fire until five, each con-
tanning $4,000 barrels Of oil, and another
containing 5000, were soon burning fierce
". Several smaller tanks, containing in all
125, 900 barrels, also took fire about mid
night, and it vas thought others would fol-
low.
The inaccessibility of the works, and the
fac. that the fire has ragged steadily since it
commenced, makes it impossible to give
more accurate particulars. The actual loss
could not be ascertained, as the fire is likely
TO burn all day, but it is estimated at $780,
900. These works are probably the largest
oil works in the United States, all the oil
coming over the Erie road being stored
here.
The light from the fire illuminated New
York most of the night. One hundred and
twenty-five men will be thrown out of en-
ployment. About one year ago the same
works were struck by lightning, and one of
the tanks was ignited, but it was cxtin
guished with but slight loss.
Second Dispatch.]
NEW York, July 1.-THE fire at the oil
deuo, of the Erie Railway Company at
Wcehawken, N. j., is still burning, with no
hope of eXtinsuishing the flames until it is
burned out. at about $50 O'Clock this
morning tank containing three million
gallons of refined oil exploded with terri
&c report. The cap was blown over four
hundred feet in the air, and tower after
tower of flames filled the air to. upwards
of two hundred feet. The oil ran down
upon the river and soon it was abaze with
burning oil. All the oil tanks are either
burned or torn down, and the cooper-shops
and one warehouse are burned; while it Is
not expected the remaining warehouses can
be saved. The railroad tracks have been
wrenched from the sleepers by the great heat
and all the property in the neighhorhood has
either been destroyed or badly damaged. IL
appears that the burning of the first tank
last night heated the one near it to such an
extent that gases generated, blew the cap off
if. and an instant later the tank was in a
blaze.
Third Dispatch.]
New YORK, July 1.-THE fire at the
Weehawken oil docks continues this eve
ming. though not so vigorously. 1t will, Of
course, continue to burn several days until
all the oil is consumed. When Inc last tank
exploded six fremen were on the cover, but
only one of them was hurt, sustaining in
Juries to his spine.
There are six engines on the ground
obo t,f,an M
from Hoboken-and all are playing with
streams Of water on the flames, which
oreedily lick up the liquid element and
show no signs of yielding. The Erie coal.
dock has been burned for distance of FIVE
hundred feet between the river and the
main land.
The oil was owned and stored by many
persons and was stored at the shippers risk.
The tanks and buildings destroyed were the
property of the Erie Railroad Company,
whose loss will not exceed $4,000, and is
fully insured. A boiler shop OF the Erie
company and the store.rooms OF the oil works
adioin the tanks, but these have not yet been
touched, although the rails leading to them
have been melted and twisted into all shapes
by the intense heat. The telegraph wires
along the line are broken.
It is probable that the figures in this morn
ine's dispatch of the number of barrels OF
oil consumed were too light.
The superintendent of the works thinks
at least 10000 barrels were burned, while
others place the number at 10000. The to-
tai loss is now fixed at about S5O0,O00. In
addition to the buildings above mentioned
as belonging to the Erie company, several
other bulldogs, but of no great value, used
as warehouses, cooper-shops, &C., were also
burned. Several large pieces of trestleWork
rroro DESTROYED.