Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-07-05
FIVE ACRES OF FLAMES.
A Mammoth Oil Refinery at Louisville
Wiped Out by Fire.

OF fire was the awful sight wit
messed at the Standard Oil Rein
cry at Fifth and G Streets this
morning. The immense structure
was blizing at every point, and the
heat was so intense that even POO yards
away persons were overcome. The tol-
lowing Is the list of casualties:
ANDREW MCDONALD, aged H. bad y
burned about the breast and face, but will
/, recover.
JOHN MCDONALD, aged IA, literally
.oasted alive: cannot live but short time.
DAN O'NEII, aged II, burned almost to
aYcrisp, and will die.
JOHN KLINE, aged %, frightfully burned
all over the body, and cannot recover.
SEvEREN SKENE, aged Al, terribly
burned but will recover.
J. $. PETTIGo, aged 45, badly though not
fatally burned about the head and breast.
ARTnUR YoNKERs, aged Is, slightly
burned.
The fire broke out at S:45 o'clock, ana
was in many respects remarkable
one. The refinery is on tho
east side of the Louisville d Nash
Vile track, but the tanks
are scattered along it on both sides. On
last Saturday tank of crude oil
came in on Il flat car from Cleve-
land and it was to be turned
into the refinery watts. Some OF
the workmen thought the iron tank was
too hot for such Il thing to be done with
safety.
After consultation it WAS postponed in
the hope that the weather to-day would
be cooler 1t did not prove to be, how
ever, and it became necessary to run
the oil out Of the car tank into an
other one in the yard, Inspect
or Severen Skene took John
name could not be learned, with him,
and they climbed on the car. They
mounted the manhead, and were about
to unscrew the cap when they felt
that there was a tremendous pressure
from the inside against it. At
first they decided not to open
it, bat finally they changed their minds
and did SO. In an instant there was
dull puff us the vapOr escaped, filling
the air all around. The gas, as is
known, is heavier than the air,
and it sank to the ground, spread
ing out all over the locality
and moving with the wind. Almost
in a twinkling it reached one of the
sheds under which there was va fire.
There was Il flash as the intlammable
vapQr ignited, and Immediately after
there was a tremendous explosion.
The tank was blown to pieces and the
hundreds Of gallons of burning oil were
scattered all over the great works. A
wall of fire 300 feet high and nearly 800
feet long moved with lightning rapidity
to the buildings.
II less sireao>estt, takes to relate it,
the canning house filed with thousands
OF gallons of canned oil; the cooper
shop, carpenter shop, pump and
engine houses, the filling and lubrica1ing
houses, the storage houses, the paint
and glue houses and 800 feet of plat
form were all ablaze and burned furious
~
At the first intimation OF the explo-
sion all of the workmen who could do
so started to run. Johnny Cline, how
ever, stumbled and fell, and his clothes
caught fire. The men bravely returned
to his assistance, but the fire that en-
veloped him could not be extinguished
until he had been frightfully burned.
Andrew and John Mcdonald, were
walking along the railroad track when
the explosion occurred They were
slightly to the east of the tank and the
wind blew the blaze directly down
upon them. Shrieking with pain they
impulsively jumped backward and
into the clear space on the western
side of the track. Their clothes
were on fire, and they ran down
the track with the bright blazes stream
ing after them. AS soon as the bystand-
ers recovered from the Mortified shock
occasioned by their awful condition
they pursued the three boys. Covering
them with coats they soon extinguished
the flames and laid them under tree
near by. In an attempt made to remove
ONeil's clothes great part of his flesh
peeled off his face and body at the
slightest touch
The buildings and stock SO far as
burned will be Il total loss. There was
no insurance, according to the state
ment of Edward l.. Goodwin, vice-pres-
dent of the Standard Oil Company
Mr.. Goodwin said: at is almost i'm
possible yet to estimate the loss We
Will first have to find our bearings, and
while we do not think the fire will
spread any more at this hour III
o'clock there is no telling | should
Judge now, from present appearance,
that the loss on stock and al would be
between $50 900 and $4,000"