The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-11
DESTRUCTION
Swoops From the Heavens on the
Lightning's Wings.
Furious Flames Among the Oil Tanks
Run Riot
Six HDAaansEsefnss Meet Grim Death
insfhe Fires EInDrace--One Mil
lion Dollars OF Property

New YORK, May 10.-The Standard
Oil works at Jersey City was struck by light
ming early this morning. Seven oil tanks have
already exploded Thsfire is stiIl raging with
terrible force. More disaster is feared. Esti-
mated loss $500, 600
10 a. M.-The FIRE at the Standard Oil COM
pany's works, New Jersey, is still raging, and
| Is now near the tanks of the Jersey Central
track, where l5o, 0Ou barrels are stored Thus
far DOC, 0c0 barrels of oil are destroyed includ-
ing 100000 of refined, stored in the store
house. 1t is now thought the loss will reach
| $3.50, GOO.
| IL 80 A. M-The oil fire is still raging. The
| Eagle refinery is in danger. If the winds con-
| tinue southeast the remaining buildings may
| be saved
FULLER PARTICULARS.
JERSEY CITY, IL M. May 12.-The
works of the Standard Oil company at Com
munipaw, the most extensive in the country,
are fire and about one half the property is
now destroyed. The fire started during a Sc
we're storm this morning One of the large
tanks near the shore struck and ex-
ploded by lightning. The burning oil poured
out like an angry river and famed down the
avenues between rows Of enormous tanks to-
ward the river. In short time the flames
| communicated with three huge tanks, and they
| exploded simultaneously with terrific force
Fragments of iron were harled a distf nee of
half mile, and the burning oil was scattered
| ia all directions. -
The entire fire department has been sum
moned, but their services are almost useless as
the burning streams of oil poured through the
yard, firing tank after tank, the east side and
licking up the buildings Tho storehouse,
solid structure, where barreled Oil was kept,
was attacked by the flames, and succumbed
The engine house went next, and the oil and
water pump houses sunken tanks, and ma
chine shop quickly followed, and the whole
easterly side of the works is a seething mass
of flames
Despite the tremendous heat and binding
smoke, the firemen were working -vaiantly in
the hope of checking the progress of the
flames, but 1t appears at this hour that the
works would be destroyed, and it is feared the
flames viii reach out and consume property i'll
the neighborhood
The people are deserving their homes, and
moving out what is valuable of their effects
1t is estimated that there 500 900 gallons of
oil IN the tanks, and the loss of property al
ready laid in ashes will reach 81, o0o,0OO
The shaft of lightning of aneaualed brilliaR-
cy and brightness that struck the first tank
was seon by the fireman of engine 10 in HaIll-
day street Jersey City, mile away, and the
engine at once started for the scene 1t was
soon discovered to be useless work to playupon
the flames, and all efforts were dressed TO pre-
vent them from spreading. This was partially
successful Until o'rlyeh miscL tlaIsk expl0G-
gu with a terrific report, and the blazing oil
spread with lightning like rapidity-
a. Chief Terrier, and number of men were
within ten yards of this tank when il exploded,
and were saved almost by miracle. Dropping |
the hose, which was soon burned to ashes, they |
fed for their lives When they mustered to- |
were found missing. The smoke was so dense |
that 1t was impossible to tell which way one |
was gong, and 1t is thought that the unfortu-
nate men ran down to the river and were lost |
Their names are
John Herbert, superintendent; Joseph Jen- |
Kins, foreman cooper; George Davis, en-
gineef; Henry Vegler, laborer; William Curry |
boiler-naber.
The waves of flaming oil had rolled in upon !
the engine house, carpenter-shop, machine !
shop, boiler and pump room, two warehouses, |
the cooper-shops and the blacksmith shop, and
they were heap of ruins in hour Tank
after tank was caught by the flames until seven
out of the.twenty-six on the ground were blaz-
ing.
Property on the tracks of the Pennsylvania
railroad also caught fire, and several rolling
tanks ON the raiIs were only saved by having
earth piled on top of them The bay was a
sheet of flaming OIL and the long trestle bridge
Of the railway, about quarter of 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 refinery
close by, the scene painful in the extreme
l he newt y-ma6fe widows congregatedin one of
.he rooms, hopeand despair alternating in their
minds and lamonting the terrible
fate of their loved ones, from whom they had
parted but few hours before. No bodies
have been fouad, for the heat renders close
approach torthe ruins impOssibis.
The burning works extended, with those of
she Eagle refinery, about three-q quarters of d
mile inland The buildings that have been de-
stroyed were situated IN the midst OF tanks I
The wind is southeast, blowing off the sea- and 4
therefore there is no danger of other tanks ex- 1
Dloding. Had the wind been northerly. the
boarding house and Eagle works would cer-
ainly have been destroyed also. II
BxcIrEMENT AT WHEELING.
WHEELING, w. Va, May 1O.-A fire
broke out at Bridgeport opposite this city, in
ohio, this morning at $50, caused by the over
heating of terra Gotta chimney in three
story frame tenement house belonging to Amos
osborn, of this city. This house. and the
Cochran house, a three-story frame
lotel adjoining, with wagon and black
ninth shop on the same lot were all
destroyed The hotel was situated at
he west end of wooden bridge spanning the
vest channel of the Ohio, and this caught fire 4
several times, and only by herculean efforts
Is destruction was prevented. Several fire. | {
men were badly burned The fire department |
If this city sent over two engines, which saved
he bridge. Loss, 81 900; no Insurance
Much excitement was caused when the bridge
vas threatened, as il is the only communion
ion between the central part of the city and
)hio, via Wheeling island.
HORROR AT BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE, Md, May 1O.-A fire &C
;urred this morning in back building of the
'esidence of the Misses Adams, on Madison.
Itreet. Mr.. Adams, an old gentleman. par /,
dyed, suffoeated and a colored cook
burned to death. The colored house girl |
Jumped from the third story window and broke {
ler arm. She was otherwise severely injured | 1
n4naaxr SNas...
New YORK, May TO-. Lavinia Fen
7aissiere, of rs Dynever road, Stoke Newing- !,
on, London, England, has sent communica- {
ion TO Register Maggie. of the board of vital
in regard to certain property, which ;
will cover half of the state of New Jersey, aud
which he claims to be his by right of inherit
anee In long letter to Register Maggie, he 6
'ays that his uncle made viii in 1898, and n
hat he has learned OF the death of all OF his
relatives in this country exceprJohn Bethel. !
he goes on to say that if Register Maggie will !
lxanlne into the records he viii reward him I
for his trouble.
)IH IT7ER'C pITDCHASE :