The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-07-01
ACRlS OF FLANBS.
The Destruction Of a Standard
Oil Refinery.
Il FRlGHTFUL EXPLOSION
And Several Employees Fcarruily
Nurncd-tn Awful Sccnc...Etyc
Acres OF buildings Burned In
II Very Short Time.

LOUISVILLE, KY, June S0.-Five acre,
OF fire was tho awful sight that was wit
messed at tho Standard Oh! Refinery Al
Filth and @ streets this morning. The
immense structure was blazing at ever,
point, and the heat was 80 intense tl,a,
even Mt two hundred yards away per.
sons were overcome. Tho following is a
list OF the casuallicg:
Andrew Mcdonald, aged thirteen
badly burned about tho breast and face,
but will recover. s
John Mcdonald, aged fourteen, liter.
ally roasted alive; can't live but short
time.
Daniel 0'Neil, aged twelve, burned al.
most to crisp, and will die.
John kline, aged twenty-five, fright.
fully burned all over the body, and Can.
not recover.
J. s. Peitigo, aged forty.Gve, badly
though not fatally burned about the
head and breast.
Arthur Yonkers, uged eighteen, slight.
~ burned.
1t was first reported that seven had
loat their lives and later that three we're
killed and thirty.ilve wounded, but Il in
now believed the above will cover the
casualties.
The fire broke out at S:45 o'clock and
was in many respects remarkable ono.
The refinery Is on the east side Of the
Iouisville& Nashville track, but the
tanks arc scattered along both sides. On
last Saturday tank of crude oil came in
on flat car from Cleveland, and it was
TO be turned into the refinery. Some of
the workmen thought tho iron tank
was too hot for such thing to be done
with safely. Afer consultation it was
postponed in the hope that the weather
today would be cooler. tdid not prove
TO be, however, and it became necessary
To run the oil ont OF the car tank
into another one in tue yard. Inspector
.Skeen took John Pe,tigo and another
workman, whose name could not be-
learned, with him and they.climbed on
the car. They mounted the manhead
ana were about 10 unscrew the cap when
they telt that there was a tremendous
pressure from the inside against it. At
first they decided not to open it, but
finally they changed their minds and did
60. In an instant there was dull puff
aa the varor escaped, filling the air all
around. The gas is heavier than the air,
and it sank TO the ground spreading out
all over the locality. Almost in twink
ling it reached one Of the sheds under
which there was fire. There was a
flash as the inaammable vapor ignited,
and Immediately after there was tre-
Ineudous explosion. The tank WAS
blown to pieces, and the hundreds of
gallons OF burning oil vera scattered all
over the great works.
FEARFUL SIGHT,
A great wall OF fire 800 feet high and
nearly 900 feet long moved with light
ming rapidity to the buildings. In less
time than it taxes to relate it, the can.
ming house filled with thousands Of gal
Ions of oil, the shop, carpenter shop,
pump and engine houses. the filling and
lubrjcating house, storage houses, the
paint and glue houses and 900 feet Of
platform were all ablaze and burned
fnriousIy. At the first intimasion OF the
explosion all OF the workmen who would
do SO started to run. Johnny Click,
however, stumbled and fell and his
clothes caught fire. The men bravely
returned to his assistance, but the fire
that enveloped him could not be ex-
tinguished until he had been irightfully
buried.
Three boys, Dannie O'Neil, Andrew
and John Mcdonald. were walking
along the railroad track when the ex-
plosion occurred. They were slightly
10 the east of the tank aud the wind
blew tho blaze directly downupon 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 blaze
streaming after them. As soon Us
the bystandcrs recovered from the, hor.
rided shock cccasioued by their awful
condition they pursued the three boys.
Covering them with coats they soon ex.
tippuished the flames and laid them
under tree near by.
A HEROIC SUFFERER.
When au attempt was made to remove
O'Neil's clothes n great piece Of his flesh
peeled Oft his face and body at the
slightest touch. He was conscious and
never uttered cry. The buildings aud
stocks mud assets burned will be total
loss. There is no insurance, according
to the statement OF Edward 7. Goodwin,
Vice President OF the Standard Oil Com
pany. ~
Mr.. Goodwin said: ut is almost I'm.
possible to estimate the loss. We vii!
first haveto find our bearings. I should
Judge now from present appearance that
The loss on stock and all would be be-
tween $50, GOO and 10000" =.
Distiliery Burned.
LOUISVILLE, KY, June S0.-The im'
nense plant Of the Allen Bradley Dis