The New York herald., 1878-10-30
A REFINERY ON FIRE

GASOLINE STILL OF COAL OIL REFINERY or
THE BALTIMORE UNITED OIL COMPANY Ex-
PLoDxs-Two MEN KILLED.
[BY rxLxasAPH TO THE HEnALp1
BALrfMoRx, Nd, Oct %. lsya
The Suburban village OF Canton was Tho scene OF
alarming and extensive oouhasraten to-day. tnvolv-
ina the horrible deaths OF two persons, VINO
literally roasted ahve and the probably fatal burning
OF third. The scene OF the nre OF tho coal
oil rsnneriss OF tho Baltimore United OIL Company,
~ Egh,centh street and Kignth avenue. IL origin
ased IN gasoline still, containing ior,y-nvs bar
res OF The Quid and Is supposed 10 have beau caused
by . stoppage or ono Of Toe vacuum ppcs Tho sim
exploded with tsrrinc iorcc, scattering tho burning
oil In every spreading tho ames almost
inssantascousiy over tho cntiro works. Two i'm
mcnss tanks con,aintna 500 barrels OF parainc OH
were sooa ablass, and immcnse volumes Of fame shot
upward through the dense smoke To great hoghk
Tho pump house and other buildings on the grounds
were quickly consumed. Tho city Fro Department
responded TO the summons but owing tho fact that
there water supply in tho village only ooe
engine could DO opesa'ed, and tn's was done BY
splicing nearly . milo OF hose from tho
city plug tho outskirta with this
stream and some hand exiinguishers the
nre was prevented from spreading beyond tho United
OIL Compsny's worka Embaukmen,s wero ALEC
hastily constructed to prevent tho rvor Of burning
oil from escaping tho adjoining works. several oil
which In the Immediate visnity.
Tho tanxs underground also contained 8. 900 barrels
Of oil, bu. up to . late hour they had not ignied and
it 10 thought the flames will not communicate TO
them.
MxN.
Tho general excitemcnt ami alarm manifested al
tho threatening character OF tho connagration
heightened by the rumer. which circulated quickly
among the great throng Of spectators, tho effect
that threo Of tho workmsn missing, and u was
feared had per,snsd &c the fumes. Tho three men
were
LSwis LEpRUS. RoBRRr DrxsxoRR.
WILLIAM SMIru.
Leoruu was at tho pumphouse whom the explosion
occurred. and was covered with tho burntng oil and
horribly roasted. The poelod from his body and
the nesh literally sloughed on from his iorsarm'.
leaving pair Of skeleton aud hands Ia wh,cb
snrsds Of flesh adhered rho dnger nails wsro taken
or entirely He was. besides, horribly burned from
head 20 loot. AZ midnight no was still living, and
hts physician thinks no may survive. His sight Is
entirely destroyed. The unfortunate mar
riod only two weeks ago
smith was caught In volume OF flaming oil and
quickly burned TO doath. Tho charred remains wore
tho spot where no was standing when tho ~x
posaon took place. lie had been employed tho rsnn
cry only two weeks and agcd twcni y-six Ho
wife and two children. Tho scorchcd and blackcnsd
corpse OF Dinsmore was found near sne agtstor. He
aged forty Ave and had w,io ana three children.
He had only been employed AZ the rsnnery atsw days.
Mr. West, tho president Of the company, had the
corpsss placed IN oons and prepared for burial An
Inquest wilt be held tomorrow Tho remains were
recovered with great difficulty. and whom brou, ,ht
into the pre.ancs OF the women and onidrsa 81 Tho
vicsims touching scene Was prcscnsed.
AMOUNT
The Ore soonnaed 10 burn aercoly until past m'd-
night, nut the Surrounding property is considered
sale the loss 10 estimated at $4,000 to protoo.
which the company hods polsciss In homo and Tor
siga companies Tor about enc-tourth tho amsunt Of