Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-05
InvadeS the Standard COmpany'S
Works and ExplOdes the Tanks.
4 SCENE OF GREAT TERROR.
The Storm at the East-InterruptiOn
Of Railways and Telegraphs.
THE DAYS CASUALTY RECORD,
And a Fair Compendium OF the Deeds
OF Darkness.
\ RIVER OF FIRE.


CLEVELAND. O.. Feb. 4.-On Kingsbury
run at Wilson avenue crossing, is the oil
refinery Of Thurmer E Teagle. Oil leak
ing from one of The stills ran into the
run, and as that was unusually high, the
oil came uD TO the boiler house, where it
ignited and went OF with great explo-
sion early this morning. The still also
caught fire and the contents went into the
run. In a few minutes the surface of the
water was covered with flames from Wilson
avenue to Broadway. The blazing oil made
its way in center Of the stream, now 150
feet wide, directly toward the Standard Oil
works, and half a dozen engines were sta
toned on the banks ready to save the
buildings endangered. About $4,000 worth
of oil burned at the works of Thurmer &
Teagle and the Republic works, which
caught from the running oil. The burning
stream passed the parafine works of Mer-
riam & Morgan, where small fame was
caused, but it was extinguished before
harm was done. The oil and water to-
gether had now risen to such height
as to cover the alarm box
at the Standard works and rendered it
useless. The Standard people were or
dered by the fire officers to extinguish
every fire about their works. Notwith-
standing this precaution about 1890 three
heavy and successive explosions scattered
as many Standard tanks into fragments
and spread oil in every direction. Tank
No caught fire moment later, as well
as tank No. 2, both of which were of i'm.
mense size. Ten minutes later a gasoline
tank containing 5000 barrels exploded
with report heard for miles. Instantly
a number of wooden structures caught fire,
and a moment later the newly built pump
house costing $4,000 was ablaze. In less
than fifteen minutes two more tanks ex-
ploded. A dozen small reports told of ex-
pIoded reservoirs or pipes. From that
time till nearly the fight went on, the
fremen doing what they could to save
property in the yArds while the Standard
employees were fighting the fire away from
the river. At the largest tanks exploded
with terrific force. Instantly the flames
lighted up the sky in every quarter. The
engines were playing upon storage houses
at the east of the yard, while the workmen
were rolling away barrels of oil to place
of safety. Fully 100000 barrels of oil
burned. The loss is estimated at $780,
900. There was rain storm during the
progress of the fire.
LATER-The fire at the Standard Oil
works is nearly exhausted. The scene re-
sembles chaos. Two years, it is thought,
are needed to restore the works to the
condition of two days ago. Col. Payne,
treasurer of the company, thinks
not more than $4,000 barrels of
oil burned, and says the loss
cannot be stated until the food subsidies
and a careful examination is made The
fire is still burning in spots, and the flames
disclose wrecks on ten receiving tanks,
twenty to thirty shIts, and other smaller
works. 100000 is probably a moderate
estimate Of the company's loss.
FLOODS N OHIO.
The machine shops, flour mills, packing
houses. factories Of all kinds and railroad
freight houses were more or less sub
merged. The water Is receding tonight,
but the extent OF the damage cannot be
ascertained for several days. 1t IS esti-
mated that 23,0O0,O00 feet of lumber, and
100000 to 100000 shingles were
washed away from the lumber yards
The Valley railroad is sew
eral feet under water for
miles, and its bridge near Weightock is
swept away. The New York, Pennsylvania
& Ohio old freight house is four feet under
water, which Will reach within a few
inches of the floor of the new freight
house. The cars are submerged to the
floors. The company refuses freight for
the present. About fifty horses at the
stable at the lumber yards stood all night
in water up to their breasts, and
were rescued with difficulty to-day,
having to swim several hundred feet to
} reach place of safety. Two mills of the
Cleveland Paper company, containing
about forty tons of manufactured paper,
are in the water nearly to the
top of the first story. There
is less damage to shipping than feared
The tug Florence tore loose and capsized
and sunk. Schooners and steamboats,
were tossed about but mostly
rode through with slight injury.
The lower central way bridge is broken,
. the approaches are gone and the draw
TUNED so as to let vessels. pass. The dis
trict all about presented the appearance of
& lake dotted with the chimneys of furnaces,
roofs Of buildings and lumber piles Sc
curely anchored. The infrmary farm on
the rivers edge is submerged.
The freshet is the most
destructive ever known and
the water higher than since the great
food of 1879, and some think higher even
than then. The damage cal scarcely be
less than -$1,0OO,OOO, and may be much
greater. The rain ceased to fall at o'clock
this morning. The weather turned cold
and began to freeze. One family living
on the low land was rescued by boat. A
prisoner in the station near Brooklyn was
also taken out.
ElToLEDo, O., Feb. 4.-As a result of the
severe rain and sleet storm which prevailed
in this territory from Friday evening until
this morning, reports are coming in of
freshets at various points. Washouts on
railroads, and extensive damage to public
and private property have occurred at
Fremont, 0. The Sandusky river is higher