The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-06-17

OIL AND BUILDINGS BURNED - LOSS
OVER S500,000.


At 7:14 A. NJ. Friday 20 900 barrel
iron tank on the top of the hill OPP
posite Titusville, owned by the Tidi-
QUITE Pipe Line, was struck by light
ming. An explosion soon followed and
the oil commenced to burn. there
being $4,000 barrels in tank. In spite
of every effort q tank adjoining hold
ing Is, 600 barrels burst its top and was
in flames about A. Nj. The following
from the Sunday Ne,0s Letter is good
description of subsequent events:
But a scene that battles description
took place at twenty-five minutes past
twelve o'clock, when the tank on the
summit of the hill, which was struck
by lightning about five hours before,
overiiowed for the first time; and the
burning oil came pouring down the
hillside roaring, cracking, surging
mass of liquid fire, the flames shooting
heavenward hunrdeds of feet and the
dense smoke of inky blackness rolling
upward mountain high. The seeth-
ing flame came from a tank that was
almost hidden from view by the foli-
age of the trees; but these green trees
were singed and burned off near the
ground, many of them being ten or
twelve inches in diameter, by this one
ignited tank No. 2, which is located
farther down the hillside, and the
dull, heavy explosion that followed
startled everybody, especially those on
the south side, some Of whom had not
until then thought of packing their
household effects, and moving them
and their families to places Of safety.
The wild scene that followed this
eXplo1ion beggars description. Men,
women and children, living on South
Perry street Just below tank No. =,
were delrious with excitement. Strong
men ran back and forth swinging
their arms wildly about their faces to
drive the smoke from them, crying
like babies. Some women screamed,
some wept and others tuintiHg were
carried bodily from the dwellings just
in time to save them from cremation,
for the flames, after the first overflow,
came pouring down toward the small
dwellings, on south Perry street like
water down the hillside. But thank
God no one was burned, or very scri-
ou5ly injured, rumors to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
This torrent OF burning oil empticd
into the creek at Perry st. bridge and
it Was but few minutes before the
south end Of that bridge was warped
and rendered worthless by the in
tense heat of this flood of burning oil
which was being emptpd into the
creek on either side OF the structure.
The fireman stood on the opposite side
battling the flames in heat SO intense
that the skin peeled Of their faces.
| Men never worked harder, or stood
their ground more hCroicully. II was
apparent by this time that no huuau
agency could save Acme so. nor any
Of the refinery tanks on the opposite
side Of the creek; but this flood Of oil
which was emptying into the creek,
ENDANGERED the Acme works on the
north bank OF the creek, and several
streams Of water were directed upon
the tanks and stills Of these works.
IT was Il hot berth, but the fireman
unilinchngly stood their ground.
The river OF flame, as il was slowly
carried down the creek by the current
presented an awful spectacle. and the
inhabitants living on the north side Of
the creek on ST. John st. did not until
then apprehend their imminent peril.
All along the creek bank was II scene
Of widest, indoscrihable confusion.
Men and woman were throwing furni-
ture from the upper windows of their
dwellings and carrying clothing and
bedding carefully out Of doors 10
places of safety. The crying Of men
women and children, the Shriil call
THROUGH the tirenans bugle, the
suucaling of pigs that had been turned
loose, the quGcking Of geese produced
an incOugruity Of sounds that no pen
can ftting!y describe; then ever and
anon crash, puff of smoke, an avail
anche OF flame Was the signal that ali F.
other tank had caught.
About two O'Clock the side hill was
one vast wilderness OF fame and
smoke. Some twenty or twenty-five
tanks were snorting forth smoke and
flame, then there were periodical out
bursts, when The flame would come
beichino forth like unto the vOmit-
ing Of fire and lava from the creator Of
Nesuvius. Then oil would come tear
ing down the hillside in great waves
OF fire, while the brave fireman stood
their ground gallautly, unilimchingly
clinging to the nozzle of the hose
which was throwing great streams ol
water into the sizzling mass. At
every Outburst the great crowds Of peo.
pie on the north side Of the creek
would surge back up Franklin, Wash
ington and Perry streets as fast as
their legs would carry them. Al
about half past two o'clock the house
hold effects were cleared from nearly
every dwelling on Railroad and
= Mechanic St, and Il good many falni-
lies We're packing their goods oil
Perry, franklin, Washington and
Monroe SITS, up as far as Spring st.
During Friday night and all day
! Saturday the huge tanks on the hill
continued to belch forth flame and
smoke, and the brave firemen Of Titus
vile, Oil City, Cory and Warren con
tinued their vigiant CtiOrts-the steam
2 ers and water works being in constant
, use throwing water on the many tank.
of oil and benZine along the creek iOl
y Il distance Of four sQuaTCS-and kept
= the flames confined to the creek
| Tanks exploded during Saturday, thi
, fiery liquid running down the stream
which was sWeled by frequent rains
and the many building on the nortl
side were in great danger, but the fire
! men kept the flames from doing mucl
damage. A gun of the Titusville
3 battery did good work by making
holes in two large iron tanks, thus let
ting the oil run slowly out, and there
was feeling Of security and a hope
/ among the people that their warfare
of thirty six hours was at an end
though vast quantity Of oil was still
: burning. II was near IL o'clock sat
!. urday evening when the grandest in
4 - t9..u