Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-06-10
Flood and Fire.

Flood and L Ire.
Word reached Butler last Sunday noon
Of great floods and fires at Titusville and
Oil City, that the third ward Of Oil City
was then burning, and that hundreds OF
people had been drowned and burned.
This combination Of food and flame
seemed incredible until it was explained
that there were dozens of oil tanks located
along oil Creek and also some retineries,
that the food in the creek had upset and
undermined the oil tanks, causing the oil
to spread over the creek, that the oil had
taken fire. and that the fire was thus
spread to the reiineries and to the houses
of the towns along the creek, of which
the principal two are Titusville in Craw-
ford county, and Oil City in Nenango
county, at the junction Of the creek with
the Allegheny river.
The flood in the creek was caused by
very heavy rains or water spouts in that
section on Saturday, and by the bursting
of a large mill-dam on the east branch Of
the creek at Spartansburg.
At Titusville the creek rose suddenly,
about. midnight of Saturday night, and
people whose houses were near the creek
were penned in their houses. At about
. o'clock Sunday morning three terrific ex-
plosions shook the city, and a great light
went up from the Crescent refinery, which
almost instantly become one vast sheet OF
solid flame, the light from which illumi-
mated a full half mile ofsurrounding black
ness and showed to the. assembled and
horrified spectators the full extent Of the
great calamity that had beiallen their city.
The tongues Of flame shooting 200 feet and
more straight into the heavens; the shriek5
and agonizing cries of the helpless human
beings aged in their dwellings like rats
in trap. in the middle of that rushing
and mighty water aud within the very
shadow of death from burning oil, benAne
and naphtha that threatened at any time
to engulf them; the shrill whistling; the
jangle of the fire bells; the clatter OF the
steamers hose carts and hook and ladder
trucks; the crackle, roar, rush and rumble
of the huge body of water and sky piercing
flames all went to strike terror to the
strongest heart. The people, in their
eager haste to get some place out of danger
they knew not wherein many cases
rushed pelI nell over each other and scores
were inquired by being knocked down and
tramped on.
Oil creek, now swollen to 800 times its
natural size and reaching from one hillside
to the other, presented an appalling
picture Floating swiftly by on its bosom
were all sorts, manners and kinds of ami
mate and inanimatc objects-tanks, stills
with the steam in them and blowing off;
houses barns, horses, cows, chickens,
everything almost being borne onward
with rush. Clinging to various objects,
such as drift wood, pieces of boards,
timbers and any other object they could
lay hands on, were scores ofhuman beings,
their white ard tcrrorstricken counte-
nances desperate struggles and plaintiye,
soul piercing cries for aid all combining tc
create impressions on the minds of the be-
holders never to be eilaced or forgotten.
About one hour from the time the
| Crescent works caught another alarm wa'
sounded, and it was found that oil dis
charged from an overturned tank further
| up the creek had scattered itself over O
broad enough expansc Of water to reach
the Crescent fire, where il at once ignited
and in a moment a large acreage OF Tho
creek was one vast sea of fire. This blaze
soon spread to the International Oil Works
and they were soon in a blaze. Then camC
| the large refining plant and soap factory
OF Race g. Robinson, which the flames in Z
short time reached and consumed. ThC
wind was in tho right quarter and on sped
the fire, arriving in due time at the oi
Creek refinery and wax plant--as fine {
one ~ 6as in this country and but recent
| ~ completed.
Three rciincrics, some business blocks,
hotel, a railroad depot, and about IS resi-
dences were burned and the estimated
loss Of life was 45.
Most Of the bodies recovered after Tho
flood subsidcd, showed that death hat
| been caused by burning oil, and 8omt
bodies were burned bcyound recognition
The property loss was estimated at mil
| lion and half