Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-02
A PETROLEUM r

Huge Oil-Tanks Near Jersey City, n. j.,
Set On Fire by Lightning-An Explosion
Occurs, Enveloping Six Unfortunate
Workingmen in the Fiery Ltqutd-The
Loss to Property Placed at &1,5OO,O00
Partially Covered by Insurance.
JERSEY CITY, May ii.
The works of the Standard Oil Company
at Communipaw, the most extensive in this
country, We're burned yesterday. The fire
started during a severe storm in the morning.
One of the large tanks near the store was
struck and exploded by lightning. The
burning oil poured out like an angry river,
and flowed down the avenues between rows
of enormous tanks toward the river. In .
short time the flames communicated with
three huge tanks, and they exploded stimuli
taneously with terrific force. Fragmentso of
iron were hurled a distance of half a mile,
and the burning oil was scattered in all di-
r~ections.
The entire fire department was summon
ed, but its services were almost useless,
as the burning streamsof oil poured through
the yard, firing tank after tank on the east
side and licking up the buildings. The store
house, a 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 the machine-shop quickly fol-
| lowed, and the whole easterly side of the
works is a ~seething mass of flame. Despite
the tremendous heat and binding smoke,
the firemen worked valiantly in the hope
of checking the progress of the flames.
1t is estimated there were 500, 1000 gallons
of oil in the tanks, and the loss of prop
erty will reach $1,000, 900.
The shaft Of lightning, of %unequaled
brilliancy, that struck the first tank, was
seen by a fireman of engine No. 10, in Halli-
day street, jersey City, a mile away, and all
engine at once started for the scene. 1t was
soon discovered to be a useless work to play
upon the flames, and all efforts were di-
rected to prevent them from spreading.
This was partially successful until nearly
five o'clock, when'tank No. z exploded with
q terrific report, and the blazing oil spread
with lightning rapidity.
Chief Ferrier and a number of men were
within ten yards of this tank when it ex-
ploded, and were saved almost by a mir
acle.
Dropping the hose, which was soon
burned to ashes, they fled for their lives.
When they mustered together at a safe dis
lance six of their number were found miss
ing. The smoke was so dense that it was
impossible to tell which way one was
going, and it is thought that the unfortu-
nate men ran down to the river and
were lost. Their names are: John Her
bert, Superintendent; Joseph jenkins
foreman cooper; Joseph Davis, engineer;
Henry Kegler, laborer; Dick Conklin,
laborer; and William Curry, b%oilcr-maker.
At the clearinghouse OF the Eagle Re-
fnery, close by. the scene was painful in
the extreme. The newly-made widows con-
gregated in one of the rooms, hope and de-
spair alternating in their distracted minds,
and lamenting the terrible fate of loved
ones, from whom they had parted but a few
hours before! No bodies have been found,
for the heat renders a close approach to tire
ruins impossible.
The burning works extended, with those
of the Eagle Refinery, about three-quartcrs
of a mile inland. The buildings that have
been destroyed were situated in the midst Of
tanks. The wind is southeast, blowing Off
the sea, and therefore, there is no danger of
other tanks exploding. Had the wind been
northerly, the clearinghouse and Eagle
Works would certainly have been destroyed
also.
The property destroyed consisted of
eleven TANKS Hlleu, OF partly Hlleu Wltn OIL,
two brick storehouses. six barges, loaded
with oil; a steam dredging machine, several
cars, a %machine-shop, a cooperage, a black
smitf-shop, a p%umphouse, several steam
pumps and the entire equipment Of the es-
Enlistment, except sixteen tanks. The
burned works extended about tllree-fourtlls
of a mile along the bay, and one-fourth of a
mile inland, were erected about fifteen years
ago, and cost in the neighborhood OF $780,
600. The entire loss, including the de-
struction of oil and the contents of the
buildings, is believed to be about 81, SOC, 900.