Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-07-05
WALL or FIRE.


Tho standard oil Warehouse ut Louisville
Fired In n Peculiar Manner-Five Acres %
Burning OLA Number Of Fatalities.
LOUISVILLE. KY, July Five acres
OF FIRE was the awful sight Witnessed
at the Standard Oil refinery at Fifth
and C streets yesterday morning. The
immense structure was blazing at every
point and the heat was 80 intense that
even 200 yards away persons were over
come. The following Is list OF the
casualties:
Andrew Mcdonald, aged 10, badly
burned about the face and breast, but
will recover.
John Mcdonald, aged IA, literally
roasted alive; can live but short time.
Dan O'Neil, aged IL, terribly burned
and will die.
John Kline, aged 90. frightfully
burned all over the body and can not
possibly recover.
Severn Skene, aged Al, terribly burned
but will probably survive.
Us. Pettigrew, aged As, badly. though
not fatally. burned about the head and
breast
Three little boys, Danny O'Neill and
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 ire
and they ran down the track with the
bright blaze streaming after them. As
soon as the bystanders recovered from
the shock occasioned by their horrible
condition they pursued the boys Cow
ering them with coats they extinguished
the flames and laid them under q tree
nearby. When an attempt was made to
remove O'Neil's clothes, great piece or
flesh peeled of his face and body at
slight touch. He was unconscious and
never uttered cry.
The fire broke out at S:45 o'clock and
was in many respects remarkable one.
The refinery Is on the east side OF the
Louisville & Nashville railroad track.
but the tanks are scattered along 1t on
both sides. Last Saturday tank OF
crude oil came in on fiat car from
Cleveland, and it was to be turned into
the refinery watts. Some Of the work.
men thought the iron tank was
too hot for such q thing to
be done with safety. After
consultation it was postponed in the
hone that the weather would be
cooler. 1t did not prove to be, however,
and it became necessary to run the oil
out of the Car tank to another one IN
the yard. Inspector Severn Skeene took
John Pettigrew and another workman,
whose name could not be learned, with
him and they climbed on the car. They
mounted to the manhead and were
about to unscrew the cap when they
felt that there was o tremendous
pressure from the inside against It
At first they decided not to open It,
but finally they changed their minds
and did so. In an instant there
was a dull puff as the vapor escaped,
filing the air all around. The gas, as
It is known, is heavier than the air and
it sank to the ground, spreading out all
over the locality and moving with the
wind. Almost in twinkling it reached
one of the sheds under which there was
q fire. There was fash as the infiam-
able vapor ignited, and Immediately
afterwards there was tremendous ex-
plosion. 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 800 feet high and nearly
900 feet long moved with lightning rap
idity to the buildings. In less time
than it takes to relate it the canning
house, filed with thousands Of gallons
Of canned oil, the cooper shop.
the carpenter shops, the pump and en-
CINE house, the filling and lubricating
house, the storage house, the paint and
glue houses and 900 feet Of platform
were all ablaze and burned furiously.
The loss is about $50, 900; no insurance.