The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-05-17
a BIG BLAZE.
The standard OH Works in New Jsrse
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i - Destroyed by Fire.
| NEW YORK. May 10.-The STANDARD
| Oil Works at Jersey City were struck By
lightning early this morning. Seyer
Eoil tanks have already exploded and the
| fire is still raging with terrible force
More disaster is feared. The estimated
loss is $500 900.
10a m.-The fire at the Standard Oil
Works in Jersey City is still raging.
Near the tanks of the Jersey Central
track, where 10000 barrels of oil are
stored, thus far 90, 900 barrels have been
destroyd, including $4,000 barrels of re-
fined oil stored in thestore rooms. It is
now thought the loss will reach $780,
600
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
JERSEY CITY, May 10. II a. m.-The
works of the Standard Oil Company at
Communipaw, the most extensive in the
country, are on fire and about one-half
the property is now destroyed. The fire
started during severe storm this MORN
ing. One of The large tanks near the
shore WAS struck. and exploded, by
lightning The burning ell poured out
ike an angry river and flowed down
slie avenues between the rows of enor-
nous tanks, toward the river. In
short time the flames communicated
with three huge tanks aud
they exploded simultaneously with
terrific force. Fragments of iron were
hurled distance of half mile and the
h,.r oil cnatfara6 in oil EirarN
tions. fhe entire fire department has
been summoned, but their services are
almost useless as the burning streams of
oil poured through the yard firing tank
after tank on the east side and licking
up the buildings and storehonse, 3 solid
structure, where the barrel oil was kept,
was attacked by the flames and sue
cumbed. The engine house went next
and the oil and pump houses, sunken
tanks and machine shops quickly
followed, and the whole easterly side
is a seethiDg mass of flames. Despite the
tremendous heat and binding smoke
the firemen are working vallantly in the
hope of checking the progress of the
flames, butt appears at this hour that
the vast works will be destroyed, and it
is feared that the flames will reach out
and consume the property in the neigh
bOrhood. People are deserving their
homes and moving out what is valuable
of their effects. 1t is estimated that
there were 100000 gallons of oil in the
tanks and the loss of property already
laid in ashes will reach $l,G0O,000. The
shaft of lightning of unequalled bril-
liancy and brightness that struck the
first tank was seen by the fireman of en-
CINE No. 10 in Holiday street, Jersey
City, one mile away, anu the engine at
inn cfa tod for l.
discovered to be useless work to play
upon the flames,and all efforts were di-
rected to prevent them from spreading.
| This was partially successful until near
ldy 5 O'Clock, when tank No. exploded
| with terrific report and the
blazing oil spread with lightning
rapidly Chief Ferrin and
anumber of men were within ten yards
of the tank when it exploded and were
saved almost by q miracle, dropping
the hose which was burned to ashes,
they fed for their lives. When they
mustered together at safe distance, six
of their number were found missing
| The smoke was so dense that it was Inn
| ing, and it is thought that the unfor.
| tunate men ran down to the river and
were lost.
The names of the missing are John
| Herbert, superintendent; Joseph Jen-
kins, foreman cooper; George DAVIS,
| engineer; Henry Kigler, loborer; Dick
,Conklin, laborer, and VIM. Curry, boil
| er maker. The waves of flaming oil
had rolled in upon ihe engine house,
carpenter shop. machine shop and black
smith shop, and they were in heap of
caught by the flames until seven out of
twenty-six on the ground were blazing.
The tracks of the Pennsylvania railroad
| also caught fire and sew
eral rolling tanks on the
| rails were only saved by having
earth piled on top of them. The bay
was sheet of flaming oil and the long
trestle bridge of the railroad, about a
quarter OF mile long, running from
the works to Black Toms Island, was
also burned to the waters edge AT
the boarding hodse of the Eagle refinery,
close by, the scene was painful IN the
extreme. The newly made widows con.
gregated in one of the rooms with hope
ana despair alternating in their de
stracted minds, and lamenting the terri
| bic fate of their loved ones, from whom
they had parted but q few hours before
| No bodies have been found, for
| The heat renders close approach
10 the ruins impossible. The burning
| works extend, with those of the Eagle
refinery, about three-quarters of mile
inland. The buildings that have been
| destroyed were situated in the midst of
the tanks. The wind is in the south
cast, and blowing off the sea aud there
fore there is no danger ofthe ether tanks
exploding. Had the wind been north
erly the boarding house and Eagle works
would certainly have persisted also.
The fire is now under control. It is
thought the loss will exceed 81 400 900
Twelve large tanks, eighteen cars, six
barges, one dredger, three docks and five
prick buildings were destroyed. Among
the losers besides the Standard Oil Co,
are several other oil firms who each lose
from four 10 seven hundred barrels OF
oil, which was stored in one of the
warehouses.
Trouble at Dodge CITY.
n