The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-23
LUR1D GRANDEUR.
IWO-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLAR
FIRE AT HUNTERS POINT, LII
ihifteen oii-Tanks in Pratt's Astral Oil
Works Explode in Suecession-The
Flames illuminate Two Cities, and
Set Fire to the River.

NEW YORK. Dec .23.-The eastern mart Of
Brooklyn was thrown in a great state of ex
cltement Sunday afternoon and night over
the burning Of the great Astral Oil works of
Charles Pratt & Co Thousands of persons
stood IN the cold atmosphere Sunday night
and watched the Iurid flames which shot up
ward for hundreds Of feet the brilliant col
ors of which Illuminated the heavens
as far as the sight could reach. The noise
OF the seething flames could be hoard
blocks away, and carried fear into the hearts
OF thousands of persons who lived in the
vicinity. The great fire commenced at noon
Sunday, when tremendous explosion called
out the whole fire department There were
about $50 men at work in the building, and
under the cool commands of their foreman
were soon at work The tank which
had exploded and sent the burning
fluid in all directions contained
about 1000 barrels of naphtha. De
spite the efforts of the firemen and those en-
gagged in the building the fire communicated
with an adjoining tank with $1,000 barrels
OF crude OIL and terrific explosion fol.
lowed.
The shock OF the two explosions broke the
windows of all the houses in the neighbor-
hood and sent people in terror flying into the
street. The eastern half of the block was oc-
cupied by substantial brick buildings from
two to four stories high, devoted to the man
ufacture of tin cans and boxes, stills, and
machinery, boiler and engine rooms, and
general offices. Just west of these buildings
were located the thirteen huge iron tanks,
varying in size from 10, 900 to so, 900 barrels
each. These tanks we're separated from the
western portion of the block by a two-foot
brick fire-wall about the height of the tank
The wall exteuded from Twelfth street
toward Bushwick creek about 200 feet, and
| thence at an angle TO the East river West
of the wall were located the packing sheds,
storage warehouses, and shipping docks, in
| all OF which there were large quantities OF
oil in tin cans and barrels ready for ship
ment
| As soon as the Seconl tank exploded the
| burning oil shot hundreds of feet heaven
ward aud fell in fqHil ere on the west side
of she fire wall, setting fire to the sheds and
| warehouses. In less than an hour the whole
| area to the edge of the river was a sea OF
| flames, and the burning oil flowed over the
| edge of the docks. floating away with
the tide, and presenting a most beautiful
spectacle The fire continued to rage
| during the entire afternoon and night Al
? o'clock il the morning tank D succumbed
to the fire with gigantic explosion thai
shook buildings in a circle of mile ant
stunned people who were watching tht
flames from the North Third street block
The fire reached the gasoline tank and vas
stream Of naphtha and gasoline fowet
| into BushwiCk creek, the surface of whicl
was wrapped in dancing flames. The cas-
river was on the ebb, and the flames wert
whirled down the river. A number o
canalboats and similar vessels were burned
The entire plant was destroyed entailihG
loss of about 50, SOC, 900, with no insur
ance.
The fire is still the scens of great excite
ment, and thousands of persons surround til
blackened walls of the smoking ruins. Lit
tie sheets of fame spring up every few min
utes in different parts of the building, an;
require the most attentive watchfullness o.
the part or the tiremen Oil is scattered
everywhere, and a neglected blaze is likelI
to spread with great rapidity, although lit
tie real damage could be done than
endanger the surrounding property
LATER-The firemen who had been work
ing all Sunday night upon the fire at Prat
&. Co.'S Astral oil works were smoked nearl
to tie color Of a ham, The oil sheds, can
ming department, docks, and workshops, an
the main buildings, furnished ampl
fuel for the fire during the entiI
night, and in the morning a scene {
devastation presents itself 1t is estimate
that $50 600 barrels Of oil were burDei
Pratt & Co were well insured. Precisel
Row much the loss will amount to is NJ
known, bat some estimate may be foun(
when it is known that the works were va
ued at 81 900 900, and that very little is le
hat can be utilized