The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-31
BAY0NNES BIG BLAZE.
The Standard Oil Company Loses
Two Million Dollars.

The most disastrous confiaRration that
ever visited Bayonne broke out ut uine
o'clock last evening in the barrel factory
of the Standard Oil Compauy's establish
ment. At three O'Clock this morning 1t
was still raging fercely over acres of oas
barrel slaves and beads. At noon the
debris was still smouldering
So far as eau be ascertained the tre-
mendous blaze originated in the great
three story building in which the barrel
manufacturing machinery was located
This structure was under the care of
three watchmen, aud August kahrs. one
of them, was the first to discover the fire.
He was making his rounds of the lower
story aG the time. When he entered one
of the storage sections he encountered Il
dense smudge which extinguished the
lantern he carried. He Immediately gave
the alarm,
The next instant the place was ablaze.
From the lower story the Fl ,nes soon
spread through the factory, and, famed
by "A strong westerly breeze, conmuui-
Gated to the one story head storage house
adjoining. 1t then spread rapidly to the
eugine house III which a magnificent
huge Corliss engine was located and
menaced the adjacent boiler houses.
Sparks also set fire to the big barrel run
way leading from the factory to the re-
finery and docks. From the mead house
the flames spread to the immense stacks
of barrel slaves stored in the thirty acre
yard. Within half an hour after the first
outburst Of fame the place was seeth
ing sea OF fire.
The fire department responded prompt
ly. but most of the companies had to
travel three mile. t, reach The scene.
FOUGHT THE FIRE WELL
Altogether u force OF about five hum
ra0 nlt.p HuhTinO fha III rA with forty
streams of water before 1t was an hour
old. The city's Volunteer Fire Depart
ment worked under the direction of Chief
Engineer Berry and Assistant Engineers
Waters and Mellendick. 1t rendered
splendid service Councilman Charles
pany's employees. The intense heat and
the falling walls made the fire fighters
labor under much difficulty ana danger,
but by midnight they nal the great blaze
fairly well under control
Half an hour after the first alarm the
walls of the barrel factory fell with
crash that was heard half u mile away.
Then the walls of the head house and
other BUILDINGS crumbled to the ground
under the great heat and the load of ma
chinery and stock. MyrIads of huge
sparks were showered upon the other
flung into the Kill Won Kull. They en-
dangered the works OF the Bergen Point
Chemical Company for about two hours.
but luckily the wind veered a trife and
the firemen were saved further efforts In
that direction.
The fire WAS a gorgeous spectacle and
1t attracted several thousand spectators.
many of whom came from jersey City,
Elizabeth and Staten Island. The re-
fection was visible for miles. Order at
the fire was maintained by Chief of Po-
lice John B. McNeill and twelve patrol
men,
The boiler houses and barrel runways
were the only sections of the barrel de-
partment saved. While the Corliss en-
gine was badly damaged it is far from
being total loss. The barrel factory
was three story brick structure about
$50 by 400 feet in area. 1t was sup
Piled with twelve shaving machines.
thirteen blocking machines, a dozen
heading machines and twelve turning
machines. Its walls were two feet thick
and it cost about $50 600 The machinery
was valued at $4,000 The factory had
capacity of 1900 barrels an hour and it
was operated about ten hours each work.
ing day II supplied all of the company's
refineries in this section of the country.
The Corlfss engine cost $4,000, and the
head house and other structures burned
were worth fully $4,000. The head house
contained 1000, 900 barrel heads valued at
twenty-five cents each. 1t is estimated
that there were about 10000 900 barrel
slaves, worth four cents zach. in The yard.
The piles of slaves covered acres of
ground and were from fifteen to forty
feet high. The total less 10 the company
will undoubtedly reach 81 100000.