The daily gazette., 1883-05-11
THE LIGHTNING'S WORK
A LOSS OF OVER ONE MILLION
DOLLARS.
SIX MEN BURNED TO DEATH.
One Hundred Thousand Barrels of OIL
Destroyed by Lightning Near Jersey
City-A Terrible Scene of Destruction.

over the city at $50 o'clock this morning,
an oil tank In the National Storage Com
pany's works at Communipaw, Jersey City,
as struck by lightning. A huge sheet OF
flame shot up in the air with a deafening re-
port that shook the neighborhood, land was
heard for miles around. A canopy of
smoke like colossal balloon, rose above
the oil works and spread itself over the city
like pail OF a volcano at the commence
ment of an eruption. Then followed ex-
plosion after explosion, rivalling the crashes
of the thunder and the extensive oil works
were soon roaring mass of flames.
Before q O'Clock seven immense tanks
were blazing rivers of fire. One of the
largest and most destructive oil fires ever
known in this vicinity was inaugurated.
The shaft of lightning of unequalled bril-
liancy and vividness that struck the first
tank was seen by fireman of engine No. 10,
in Holiday street, Jersey City, mile
away, and the engine at once started for
the scene.
1t was soon discovered to be useless work
to stop the flames, and all efforts were
directed to prevent them spreading. This
was partially successful until nearly
O'Clock, when tank No. 7 exploded with
terrific report, and the blazing oil spread
with lightning like rapidity. Chief Ferrier
and number of men were within 10 yards
of this tank at this time, and were saved
almost by miracle. Dropping the hose,
which was soon burned to ashes, they fed
for their lives. When they mustered again
six of their number were found to be miss
ing.
The smoke was so dense that it was i'm
possible to tell which way one was going,
and it is thought that the unfortunate men
ran down to the river and were lost. Their
names were John Herbert, Superintendent;
Joseph Jenkins. foreman cooper; George
Davis, engineer; Henry Kegler, laborer;
Dick Conklin, labOrer; William Curry,
r6Oiler maker. Engines Nos S and and
No. truck arrived shortly after Engine 10
and foun plenty OF work to be done. Tie
waves of flaming oil had rolled in upon the
engine house, carpenter shop, machine shop
boiler and pump room, two warehouses,
cooper shop and blacksl.ito shop, and they
were heap Of ruins IN un hour. Tank
after tank was caught by the flames until z
out of the 26 on the ground were blazing
The tracks OF the Pennsylvania Railroad
also caught fire, and several rolling tanks
on the rails were only saved ny Atyi earth
piled on top of them. The bay was a sheet
Of flaming oil, and long trestlc bridgt Of
the railway about qurGer o. Il mile long,
running from the works TO Black Toms
Island, was also burned down to the waters
edge.
AT the boarding house of the Eagle Re-
| tineTy, close by, the scene was painful in the
I extreme. The newly made widows congre-
gated in one of the rooms, hope and despair
alternating in their distracted minds, and
lamenting the terrible fate OF the loved ones
from whom they had parted but few hours
BEFORE
No bodies have as yet been found, for the
heat renders close approach to the ruins i'm
possible, The burning works extend, with
those of the Eagle Refinery, about three
fourths of mile long the bay and about
quarter of mile inland. The buildings
that have been destroyed were situated in
the midst of the tanks. The wind is south
east, blowing off the sea ,and, therefore, there
is no danger of othar tanks exploding.
Had the wind been northerly, the boarding
house and the Eagle Works would certainly
have perished also.
At IL O'Clock some friends drove over to
the boarding house and proposed to remove
the almost frantic woman. Mrs. Herbert
was taken TO her home on Lafayette avenue,
Communipaw, by her son. She has also
daughter three years old. Mrs. Davis was
in such a condition of mind that fears were
entertained for her reason. She positively
refused to go and stood on the porch, moan
ing and gazing with staring eyes at the
glowing furnace in which her husband has
doubtless been consumed. 81 trusted in
the Almighty" she cried, wildly, "but
George is goneW
Jenkins was unmarried, and his mother
and sister live in Carbondale. Pa. They
have been telegI aphed to. Henry Kegler's
wife and two little girls are,on visit to
their people at CarbOndale, and they also
have been notified.
William Curry was boy of fourteen. "I
am afraid to go home," said his father, gaz-
ing at the boys fiery grave. 'sWhen his
| mother hears it-oh, if had only kept him
| in his bedW and he turned slowly toward
| his dwelling In Jersey City.
Richard Conkling was young man of
| twenty-five or twenty-three, and unmar-
| ried. His father lives near the works.
At 1890 O'Clock the engines were still
playing on the red hot ruins, and flames
| from the tanks still mounted aloft. There
| is no likelihood of any bodies, or even bones,
being recovered, as the place in the neigh
| borhoQd OF which they must lie is one seeth-
ing, roaring furnace. Ten tanks-eight of
oil and two of naptha-averaging, it is said,
about $4,000 barrels each, FIVE lighters
loaded with oil, &C, 900 empty barrels and
several hundred tons of coal have been con-
sumed. The works cover about 40 acres of
ground, and the fire has burned over about
l half that area. The total damage is now
| estimated at 81 ,000,0 900.
Night watchman Edward johnson said to
a Telegram reporter this afternoon: "0n
the approach Of thunderstorm the engin-
eer gets up steam and we are in readiness to
attack fire with the aid of large chemi-
| cal engine. At the time of the explosion of
tank No. this morning, was standing be-
tween the tanks with the missing men play
ing on the one already burning when, with
out a moments warning, | was knocked
down, partially stunned, and almost
blinded by the gravel from the top of the
tank which just then exploded. | managed
to regain my feet and get out. l have seen
nothing of the other men since the eXplos-
ion. am almost certain there have been
other lives lost, as there were many stran-
gers between the tanks after the fire started.
What saved me was that was close to the
brick foundation of the tank, and every
thing went over my head"
The scene this afternoon is one of ruin.
Nothing remains of the immense storage
warehouses or their contents but broker
and tottering walls aud piles of iron hoops
The engine room, with its valuable pumps
and machinery, is a complete wreck, as is
also the office building and cooper shops
The iron trucks and tanks are all that re
main of the dozen tax cars that stood OF
tracks in the yard.
II is said The loss will exceed 81 800 900
Twelve large tanks, eighteen cars, six barges
a dredger. three docks ard five brick build
in IS were destroyed. The quantity of oi