The Portland daily press., 1883-05-11
DISASTROUS FIRE.
Oil Tanks Struck by lightning
and Set on Fire.
5000, 900 Worth of Property Destroyed
and Six Lives Lost.

JERSEY CRY, May l0--Lghtning strgck q
tank OF oil in the yard OF the Standard Oh
works at Cavan Point, this morning Inc
tank exploded and this was followed by the
explosion and burning of seven more. a lerge
storehouse together with dock and several tank
boats and ono hundred feet of trestle work
leading to Black Toms Island were also de-
stroyed. Tank No. filled with naphtha,
probably 10000 or 25, 900 barrels, exploded with
terrific force The City fire department were
on the ground at A. but their services were OF
no avail, and they were drawn of and station.
ed at convenient points for the protection OF
property.
The fire Is now extending away across the
track OF the New Jelsey Central railroad to-
wards ten large tanks said to hold 100000 bar
rels, three of which are known 10 DO filed with
naphtha. Small farmers to the north OF inc
yard, assisted by tremen, are moving their
household goods The fire is raging with fear
ful force. The company had besides the oil
contained iu the tanks about q 900 barrels Of
reiinedsoil IN the store house. all OF when was
destroyed. The supposed loss reaches nearly
halt million. Danger to shipping IL antlei-
pated from change of wind which might
cause the burning oil to escape to this waters OF
the bay aud carry destruction to the shipping
In the neighborhood. Hundreds OF workmen
are thrown ont of employment,
EsEcoNp DrsrATcH,l
The IRE at the Standard on Works, Jersey
City, is under control. The loss will foot up
S6u0uUO Two hundred men are thrown ont
of employment. Within 1000 yards from the
fire are the renneiles OF the Eagle and Stand
ard companies, covering many acres Of ground
and with their contents valued at millions of
dollars. Much fear was az one time Expressed
for their safety, but fortunately they sustained
NOS the slightest damage.
Fire Engineer FerIier and Number OF men
We're within tun yards OF hs tank when il ex-
ploded, and were saved almost by mirable.
Dropping the hose, which Was soon burned to
ashes, they fled for their lives When they
mustered together at a sale distance six Of their
number we're found TO be missing. The smoke
was SO dense that IL was impossible TO tell
which way one was going, aud il Is thought
that the unfortunate men ran down to the rlv-
or and were lost. Their names are John Her
bert, Superintendent Joseph Jenkins Fore
man Cooper, George Davis, engineer, Henry
kegler, laborer, Dick CoDkliD. laborer, VIII
liam Curry, boiler maker. No bodies have as
yet been found, for the heat renders close ap-
proach 10 the I iins impossible The burning
works extend, with those Of the Eagle Refu-
cry, about tbree-quarters OF a mile along The
bay. and about quarter of mile inland. The
buildings shat have been destroyed were situa-
ted IN he midst of the tanks The buildings
buried comprise the engine hense, carpenter
shop, machine shop, boiler and pump room,
tive warehouses, cooper shop aud blacksmith
shop. The tracks OF the PenBsylvani, railroad
caught fire, aud several rolling tanks on the
rails were only saved by having earth piled on
top Of them. The bay was q sheet OF flaming
oil. and long trestle bridge Of the railway
abeut qUaFter OF mile long, running from
the works to Black Toms Island, was also
burned 20 the waters edge.