New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-27
PETROLEUM IN FLAMES.


town Creek, opposite Long Island City. The works
aro known as the Brooklyn Oil Works. In their
rear were the warehouses occupied by Church
n Co., soda nufacturers and in the front the large
building owned by the Devoe Manufacturing Com
pany also engaged the oil business. The first in
timation of danger was about half-past
o'clock when the neIghborhOod was startled
by terrible SHOCK followed in an instant by an I'M
mense sheet of fame that rolled in hugo mass re-
sembing ball OF fire toward the sky Scarcely
moment elapsed be ore second explosion followed
and the air was filled with cloud ofhying missiles,
such as pieces of wood. heavy iron bolts, nails and
bars of iron. Excited people rushed to the scene
The wards OF the Brooklyn oil works were literally
a seething sea Of flame An alarm was sounded.
and within five minutes from the time of the first
explosion the entire force of the Fire Department OF
the Eastern District of Brooklyn was present
Chief Engineer Nevins and Assistant Chief En-
gineer Smith took charge of the men. second
alarm was sent out, and several engines from the
Western District responded. strong force of
police from the Fifth, Sixth, Thirteenth, Four
teenth and Seventh Precincts were posted at the
approaches TO the scene to keep back the crowd.
The fire had been under headway for
an hour when it spread to the lumber
yards of ?. Smith, in the rear of the
soda warehouse of Church & Co. For hours the
fremen battled with the finme' but it was not I'M
Ill o'clock that the fire was gotten under control
The Brooklyn Oil Works were completely destroyed
and the warehouses adjoining, bat the building oc-
cupied by he Messrs. Devoe was saved.
The first explosion seems to have occurred in
large still close to what is known as
the steam still in the yards of the
Brooklyn Company. The flames communicated to
the oil IN the steam s,lll. The explosions following
almost directly upon each other scattered the burn
ing oil IN every direction, and the tank k-boat Sweep
stakes which was lying tied to the pier filled with oil
took fire and burst into thousand fragments. The
blazing oil poured upon the surface OF the river,
and tor short time it was feared that the hre
would spread to Long Is and City, but the tide and
current ayerted this danger. 1t was at this tlme
that the greatest excitement was manifested
Lying close to the tank-boat at the time she blew
up the barge Estelle, having on board tho
captain, James Connors, and his wife and deck
hand. They were below when tho first explosion
occurred Lut ran on the deck to SEQ what was the
matter. When they reached the open air and saw
the oil works in flames the captain and his wife
threw them elves over the side of tho barge
fur hest from the fire and hung to an iron guard
rail IN the hopes that some one would come to their
assistance. The deck hand had jumped over
boud and swan to the shore. Two
men named John Roulette and David
Sutton put off from boat-house on the Long Island
City shore and rescued the captain and his wife
from their dangerous position. When they reached
tine barre to which the man aud woman were cling
ing the deck was enveoped In flames, and Mrs.
Connors's hands and arms were badly burned before
she was taken into the boat
While this was going on o scene OF even
greater excitement was being enacted not far
away ful-rigged bark. the Phisop, was lying
tied I'D to the pier at Devoe's factory. She was
partly loaded and had on board 1000 cases OF OIL
When the shock or the first explosion was felt the
sailors on board this vessel made desperate at
tempt to escape. Five of them jumped overheard
IN their fright. but they all managed to scramble
into yawl boat living alongside the vessel lhey
had scarcely got into this, however, when the tank
boat blew up and they again took to the
water Although every effort was made to
save these men only three were picked up,
and it is feared that the other two were
drowned. although the fact could not be verified
last night. The Phison took fire and was
in danger Of total destruction for some time, but she
escaped although severely damaged.
The force OF the explosion caused considerable IN
Jury to the houses at Hunters Point. The windows
were shattered and In some cases pieces OF timber
we're blown through frame houses on the banks OF
the creek piece of the rail of the tank-boat was
forced through the wall of frame building owned
by John II. Livingstone, on East'ave, over
a thousand feet from the explosion. 1t penetrated
the ceiling of room in the first floor.
At o'clock large still, containing about 20 200
barrels OF OIL took fire. This caused another ALARM
but the flames did not extend any further and the
excitement quickly subsided.
No definite estimate of the losses could be obtained
last night hut it is believed that the loss to the
Standard OIL Company will foot up $loOooo,
Messrs. Church & Co. $4,000, P, Smith $4,000,
and it's thought the losses to the Prison and tho
other vessels will rea IN $4,000 more.
At midnight the flames were under control, but
there were ten re-cngines still playing on the az
ioning buildings in order to prevent the fire
from spreadine Assistant Chief Engineer Smith
wosstl in charge of the fire. He said that besides the
oroines there had been four tre-boas belonging to
the several refiners at New town Creek, one from
Lore 4 Fleming's Refinery, one from the Devoe
Manufactu ring Company, one from the Pratt Com
many and the Standard Oil Company tele-
oraDhed for its ire-b Oat at Bayonne, n. y.
A TRIBUNE reporter talked with j. IL. Alexander,
member of the Standard Oil Company, about the
losses and insurance. He said that the losses could
not be gwen, not even approximately There were
probablv 900 barrels of refined oil IN each OF the
four smaller tanks. and 900 barrels in the larger
tank. All that was destroyed, beside the tanks and
the lighter. .,
"How much was the insurance ~ asked the re-
There was nonc," he said, "on account of the
excessive rates charged by Insurance companies"
"Were any of your men inlurtdT
Not one believe. There wasa report IN the Ter
noon that one was killed, but had all the debris
removed where it was said that he was seen last and
have decided that is only one OF the many rumors
incident to fire." m
"Dd you not have hose in your refinery
We mad a splendid fire apparatus Du9
NO one could 90 near 1t after that so 1t
was practically useless Wo had to trust entirely
on the city Fire Department and the tug-Ooats Ply
ing in the creek. | sent To Bay0hhe lor QUO Jug