Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-22
THE FLAMES STILL ALIVE.
The Terrible Fire kept Manchester in Fear
and Trembling All Yesterday-The Body
of Thornton Miller Found.

and Trembling All Yesferday-The Body
ofThornton Miller Found.
The smoke Of the terrible confagration
in Manchester hung over Allegheny all yes
terday. The flames kept alive all day, and
at P. M. the fire was just as strong as it
was in the morning. The iremen were
hard at work up to that hour, and there
seemed very little hope of quenching the
blaze before morning. No further spread
ing of the fire was then reported, and the re-
naming tank had not exploded. The
much -feared-for warehouse with its store of
benzine was also safe.
The loss will not be quite so heavy as at
first feared. Its figure is about $50, 900.
excluding the loss of 5000 barrels of crude
oil. By the accident nearly 100 men will
be temporarily thrown out OF employment.
Mr.. A. D. Miller, Jr., statesss that a new
plant will occupy the site of the old one in
a very short time. A much larger refinery
will, he says, rise from the ashes of the de-
stroyed buildings.
The body Of the missing fireman, Thorn
ton Miller, was found about A. M. yester-
day. The body was almost destroyed. only
a remnant of the tspinal column and some
other portions remaining. The body must
on board pile by the railroad siding.
Miller leaves wife and several children.
But that the wind was blowing up the
river many of the surrounding houses would
have been burned.
The following figures covering the insur-
ance were furnished: The total amount,
as placed by Edwards & Kennedy, is
.S4S, 800. About two-thirds of the insured
property suffered; S12, 140 was settled on the
refinery proper; $500 on tank No. 8;
1000 on tank No. 9; "a, 800 on tank No.
10; 80, 300 on tank No. II 81 500 on slaves
and headings, and $3.50 on the barrel
factory.
On the threatened benzine warehouse
there is an insurance of $9, 900.
All these assurances are placed in foreign
companies, and no Pittsburg company is
affected.
The Miller refinery has for many years
been strong rival of the Standard Oil
Company, which has made several attempts
to absorb it. 1t was erected in 1860. and
had a capacity of 200 barrels of crude oil
per week.
AT II o'clock last night the great confa-
grafton was reported to be sinking fast.
The big tank on the Adams street side was
almost burned out, and it was thought that
the benzine tank was out of danger. 1t was,
however, feared that the benzlne had all
evaporated with the intense heat.
The fremen deserve the greatest credit
for their gallant battle with the flames. So
great was the heat that at one time they
found it necessary to throw water over one
another. Toward evening some six of the
Manchester police force relieved the more
exhausted of the men. The worst fear about
o'clock was for tank 10, which had been
twisted by the heat so that its seams burst
open. No evil effects, however, resulted.
The old Grant engine blew out cylinder
during the afternoon, and the packing
round the Friendship engines piston gave
way. Both engines were crippled and had
to leave work. Mr.. Miller found the nat.
ural gas cock under the still that exploded
turned on full, and he thinks that this
caused the blow up. He said that he
thought some tampering had been done BY
outsiders.
Perry Hawk, who was so badly burned in
the fire, is lying at the residence of his SON.
in-law, D. A. Vausdale. His condition is
said to be no longer critical, and he will
recover.
A Coroner's jury will view the remains ol
Thornton Miller this morning, and an in.
quest will be held on Saturday.