The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-29
PHRIL0US PARSIMONY.
Too Shallow Oil Blows Up
an Oil Tank in Bay
Onne.
LUCKILY NO LIVES WERE LOST.
Good BOilermakers Are ON Strike,
Which May Account for the Ac-
cident.

Crude oil still No.3. in the Old Polar yard
of the Tide Water Oil Company, at Con-
stable Hook, burst at quarter to twelve
O'Clock yesterday forenoon. There have
been many explosions of oil stills and
tanks in this region, but none so loud as
the one yesterday. This may be ac-
counted for in measure by the low state
of the atmosphere and an easterly wind
which blew across the works. Ornaments
and other articles of bric-a-brac were
thrown from the walls of houses two
miles from the scene of the explosion.
Smoke and flames burst forth next, and
the big whistle blew a fire alarm. Fire
Chief Mahnken and the several companies
responded When the still burst, the
flames struck the coal trestle in front. and
seven empty coal cars which happened to
be standing on top. The sides of three of
the cars were burned out, and the others
wers charred to such an extent as to be
rendered useless. Beyond the coal trestie
and parallel thereto is the boiler house.
Almost every window in this house, in
cluding the framework, was smashed
with the force of the explosion.
by the merest miracle the life of the
fireman employed in the wrecked still
was saved. He was turning on the blow
| pipe in order to increase the heat of the
furnace when the head of the still blew
out. The head, q circular sheet of boiler
| plate of twelve feet in diameter, composed
of many sheets riyeted together, was
| blown clear away. Near the furnace the
boiler plate is burned away until now it
| is no thicker than silver dollar.
There was only about twenty-four
inches gof oil in the still when the explo-
sion took place. The furnace fire was
laid and started at full blast. The oil
generated gas and the still, unable to
stand the pressure, burst, No. 4 still
caught fire and while it was being pumped
out the firemen kept three or four streams
playing on it. The walls of No. 2still are
Shattered and the still is therefore in q
very precarious condition.
Those who are competent to Judge say
that putting fire under still with only
a few inches of oil in 1t ought to be
stopped on account of the danger to life.
Had this occurred on week day 1t is not
improbable that several lives would have
been sacrificed. The stills are built to
stand two pounds to the square inch, and
from the appearance of the stills in this
company's yards few of them are capable
of standing even that
They are nearly all leaky. The cracks are
being stopped up with plaster of paris. A
day or two ago, after filling up a still, it
| had to be pumped out because plaster of
paris would not hold it.
A stin holds about five hundred barrels
of oil, and by firing up as soon as there Is
a little oil in the bottom several hours are
saved No other company practices this
dangerous method.
The company is working with small
| force of not more than dozen boiler
makers, and these are, 1t is said, not prae-
tical men, hence tanks and stills are all
out of repair. Five weeks have elapsed
since the regular hands went out on
strike and they stand firm for their de-
mand which is one hours work day
less. No one who knows the work these
men have to perform considers their de-
mands unreasonable.
This loss of about $40, 900 may be laid to
the determination of the company to work
green hands rather than give In to the
regular boilermakers, said an expert
enced man who had examined the wreck
caused by the explosion.