The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-12
Particulars of the Jersey City Oil
Tank Fire.

JERSEY CITY, May 1O.-The works
of the Standard Oil company at Com.
munipaw the most extensive in this
country, are on fire and. about one.
halt the property is now destroyed.
The fire started during a severe storm
this morning. One of the large tanks
nears hore was struck and ex-
ploded by lightning. The burning
oil poured out like an angry river
and flowed down the avenues be-
tween the rows of enormous tanks to-
ward the river. In a short time the
flames communicated with three
huge tanks and they exploded stimuli
%taneOusly with terrific force. Frag-
ments OF iron were hurled a distance
of half a mile and the burning oil
scattered in all directions. The en-
tire fire department has been sum-
moned but they were almost useless
as the burning streams of oil poured
through the yard firing tank after
tank on the east side and licking up
buildings and storehouses. The solid
structure where barreled oil was kept
was attacked by the flames and sue.
cumbed. The engine house went
next and oil and water pump houses,
sunken tanks and machine shops
quickly followed and the whole
easterly side of the works is a seeth-
ing mass of flames. Despite the ire
mendous heat and binding smoke
the firemen r working valiently IN
hopes of checking the progress of the
flames. At 1880 a.. m. the fire was
still raging. Six lives have already
been lost.
Chief Terrier and anumher of men
were within ten yards of a tank
when it exploded and they W. re
saved almost by a miracle. Dropping
the hose which was burned to ashes,
they fled for their lives When they
got together at a safe distance six of
their number were found to be miss
ing. The smoke was so dense that
it was impossible to tell which way
n was going, and it is thought the
unfortunate men ran down to the
river and we're lost. The names of
the men are, John Herbert, Supt.
Joseph Jenkins, Fireman Cooper
George Davis, engineer Henry Keg,
Ter, laborer Dick Conkling, laborer
VIM. Curry, boiler maker.
Waves of burning oil had rolled in
upon the engine house, carpenter
shop, machine shops, boiler and
pump room, two warehouses, a cooper
shop and blacksmith shop and thew
were u heap of ruins in an hour.
Tank after tank was caught by the
flames until seven out of twenty-six
on the grounds were blazing.
The track of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company also caught fire
and several rolling tanks on rails
were only saved by having earth
piled on top of them. The bay was
. sheet OF flaming oil and the long
trestle bridge on the railway about
a quarter of a mile long, running
from the works to- Black Toms
Island, was also burned down to the
waters edge. No bodies have been
found for the heat renders q close
approach to the ruins impossible.
The burning works extend with
those of the Eagle Refinery about
three-quarters of a mile along the bav
and a quarter of a mile inland. The
that have been destroyed
were situated in the midst of the
tanks. The wind Is blowing off the
sea, and therefore there is no danger
other tanks exploding. Had the
wind been northerly the boafdinp
house and the Eagle works would
certainly have persisted also.