Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1892-06-10

were QuiChl3 AVSNCNtf 49,
the.city into almost total darkness
and rendering the hydrants at once
useless for fire purposes, but no one
imagined that fire was to add to the
horror.
PIRE FOLLOWS FLOOD.
At 4 o'clock a. m. dull heavy
explosion was heard and immediately
n heavy streak of lurid flame fully
200 feet in heighth pierced the inky
darkness and threw a glaring light
over the vast ezpanse Of angry wa
ters. At once the cry rang out from
a thousand throats that the Crescent
Oil refinery was on fl 2! Never be-
fore did a fire seem to spread so rap
idly. and in less than three minutes
from the time the explosion was
heard the vast plant was one sheet
of seething flames.
Then it was that terror relgneu
supreme. Thousands OF people
rushed pell-mell through the streets,
tumbIing over and knocking each
other down in their aimless endeay-
ors to escape from what they ap-
peared to imagine was the crack OF
doom. The bright light revealed a
truly appalling sight On the roofs
and in the windows Of the upper
stories Of most Of the houses IN the
flooded districts appeared men, wo-
men and children in their night
robes, and all piteously appealing for
help.
(OiI creek now swollen to 500 times
is natural size and reaching from
lone hillside to the other, presented
an appalling picture. Floating
swiftly by on its bosom were all sorts
oY animate and inanimate objects,
tanRs, stills with the steam in them
and blowing of, houses, barns, horses
and COWS, and clinging to various
objects were scores of human beings,
their terror stricken countenanees
cleaning white in the vivid light.
A vERIrABLE SEA OF FIRE.
About one hour from the time the
Crescent orkscaught oil discharged
! from an overturned tank further up
/ the creek reached the Crescent fire,
where it at once ignited, and in q
moment the creek was one vast sea
of fire. This blaze spread to the
international Oil works, owned by j..
LIP. Thomas & Co., and they were
soon in a blaze. Then came the large
refining plont and soap factory OF
| Rice & Robinson, which the flames
lin a short time reached and con-
sumed. On sped the fire destroying
! the Oil Greek refinery and wax plant,
| the large furniture factory store and
storeroom Of Casperson 4 Rowe, on
South Franklin street, the Cullen
hotel, the Western New York and
! Pennsylvania freight depot and about
seventy-iive private dwellings.
No tongue, no pen, no language
can do justice to the scene OF terror
and confusion that prevailed in this
stricken city as the sun went down.
The Illuminating gas works, the cleo
trio light plants the city water works
we're all under water, while the nat
ural gas mains had been turned off at
Ion City. This left Titusville with
out waterfuel or light, at least from
the sources from which these neces-
stiles have been accustomed to come.
Parents and children stood by with
i ont the power to aid one another g
struggles against the clutches Of the
food until eventually they went down
! to rise no more. As sad and as sick
ening scenes as ever transpired in
the valley of the Conemaugh three
years ago were repeated here, while
thousands looked on unable to avert
them
ONE HUNDRED DEAD AT OIL CITY
Flood and FIRE laid Waste large
sections of Oil City and a fearful
lloss Of life resulted. Ninety persons
were burned or drowned and the
number may exceed 200. A terri
tory Of at least forty acres along Oil
creek is burned or flooded or both.
/ In addition to those dead large
number are injured and probably
a thousand people are homeless.
The fire started at ll:40 a. m, Sun
day with an explosion of naphtha
and oil on the surface of Oil creek.
The people Of the city were appraised
of the Titusville calamity and the
whole town was out watching the
rising Of the waters
The entire upper end Of Oil City
on both sides Of the creek was under
water at the time of the explosion
which caused the awful condagration.
The town consists Of four principal
parts. The south side is on the
opposite side Of the Allegheny river
and at no time in danger. In the
acute angel formed by the confluence
Of Oil creek and the Allegheny
river lies the business section of the
lcity, and across Oil creek and on
down the vest bank of the Allegheny
is tho Third ward. which is the dis
trict entirely burned. Cottage HILL
/ the high ground Of the city, lies
back of the business section between
the two streams It is there the oil
irnHnora and n GREAT many. Residences