New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-22
4 BRILLIANT OIL FIRE IN ALLEGHENY,
LARGE REFINERY DESTROYED IN THE EARLY
MORNING.

MORNING.
Pittsburg, Aug. 21.-At O'Clock this morning
mdden asd brilliant glare spread over the lower sec
ion of Allegheny and Plttsburg dull heavy boom
followed. For moment darkness once more covered
tue sky, and then fame and smoke shot I'D In vast
volumes from the Allegheny side of the Ohio Riyor
Lieutenant Holmes. of the Allegheny police force who
was on Beaverave the time at once realized that
an explosion. and one OF great magnitude had oc-
Cured and he quickly sounded the alarm. lie then
hurried TO the location of the flames and saw that the
large oil refinery of A. D. Miller doomed 10 destuc-
ton. At the refinery he found Perry Heuok the
night Waterman, lying injured and dazed on Wash
ingon-ave With the assistance Of another officer
Heuck taken to drug store near by, where his
injuries were attended 10. Heuck could tell nothing
Of the explosion, how he escaped. Thornton
Miller the engineer Of the establishment was missing,
and II IS thought he persisted in the flames.
In the meantime the flames were sweeping all be
fore them. Starting from tho gasoline still which
the of the explosion, they spread in all d.
rectons. Tho tank of waer-white oil was the first
to burn and Il was soon followed by large tank OF
the ordinary brand and $4,000 barrels were aoaze at
once
Alarm after alarm was sent out from headquarters,
and soon every engine in the city at the scene
and streams OF water were pouring in from all diIec
TONS Near tho of Preble-ave. ana Adams-st'
stood a cooper-shop long, low brick bu lding stored
with empty barrels and with rows of them standing
on tho outside These latter were on fire. and
seemed TO be but question of few minutes when
those inside must be destroyed Within fifteen min
utes the entire square, except narrow STRIP along
Prebleave., was mass of flame.
The roofs of the neiglborng houses were smoking
and the occupants, many of them han-clad, were
standing around half stupehed with the lear
that their homes were TO be devoured In
short time nearly all OF the residents OF
lower Allegheny were on the scene but when 1t was
announced that 900 barrels of benzlne were stored
in the building at Washington and Preble aVes whch
was on the verge Of the fire, the people scattered
like sheep, but were again near the dangerous
spot. While hard at work. Fireman Mulvenhlli, OF
the Eureka Engine Company, had his loot badly
crushed. At half past B o'clock the fire was under
control so far as combining the flames within their
original limits was concerned but the fire was still
burning at O'Clock this morning The FIRE kept
from the houses most in danger, and by hard work
the lumbery ard at end of the property was saved
There was S4S, $50 insurance on tho refinery, OF
which about $4,000 is involved in the fire. On
the refinery building the insurance was $l2l4 placed
In tho American of Philadelphia; Aetna, of Hartford;
Royal of England Phoenix. Of London and the London
and Lancashire. On the warehouse, $4,000, IN tho
Connecticut Fire, American, OF Philadelphia; Home,
of New-York; Citizens, of Cincinnati; Commercial
Union of England security OF Connecticut Union, OF
Pennsylyana. and Scottish Union and National. On
oil I'm tanks 81 500 in the Scottish Union and National
Of Liverpool London and Globe, Commercial Union,
in the Fire Association, Aetna, and Farmers, of
York, Penn On slaves and headings, $1,000, In
he Lion Of England. on OIL In tanks Nos.
and o. S155OO, in the Liverpool an dLondOn and
Globe Aetna, Western Of Toronto; Royal Liberty, OF
New-York; security, Commercial Union and Union, of
The loss viii not exceed 100000 The bones of
human being, supposed TO be those Of the missing
engineer were found in the ruins