Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-06-06

son which caused the awful contsagrs-
lion. The town consists of four offer-
ent pa rte. The south side Is on the
opposite slde Of the Allegheny riser.
and Was at one time in danger.
In the acute angie formed by tie con-
auence OF OIL creek and the Allegheny
river lies the business section OF the
city, and across Oil creek and on down
the west bank of the Allegheny Is the
third ward, which Is the district en-
urely burned. Tonight Il 10 a smolder-
ing mass OF ruins. Cottage hill, the
high ground of the city. tles back OF
the business section between the two
streams-
The Whole City Ia Peril.
1t is there tha Oil retineries and u
great many residence are located, and
tonight the skies are red IN that direc-
with Lights from several huge OIL tanks
that are burning. There Is eouslder-
able peril To wnat is left of the city
from a number of tanks bursting and
blazing and oil streaming down the
creek. Hundreds of people were
gazing upon Oil creek today
when the fire. started. Many
houses on both sides short
distance above the business section of
the town were partially submerged, a
thick coating OF oil, presumably from
bursted tanks /, the region of Titus
vile. covered the surface of the creek.
Floating along were three tanks of
naphths. The sun was shining hot
and caused vapor of oil fumes TO rice
from the wide surface OF the creek.
Several thousand people seemed stimuli
taneously To recognize their peril and
Just as they began TO move the calam-
ity came. 1t IL believed that q spark
from an engine Of the Eastern New
York Il Pennsylvania railway ignitcd
the fumes, which could he seen plainly
dancing IN the air about twenty feet
above the surg!ng waters. Every eye
witness says sheets of flames and vol :
umes of smoke shot upward to height
of 100 feet in the vicinity of n bridge
crossing OIL creek fifty yards above the
junction with the river. In two min.
utes the fire had spread up and down
the stream for over two miles, and in
less than ten minutes all between
buildings was IN flames.
Thrown Into q Panic.
Thousands Of witnesses were thrown
into a state of the widest panic. Men,
women and children ran through tn G
streets screaming, and beseeching each
other to be conducted to place OF
safety. Clouds of smoke obscIred
everything. When the darkness Was
most dense three frightful explosions
In succession shook the very earth.
These were the floating naptha tanks
IN the creek. The cause was not then
known, and feeling that some hor-
rible uncertain fate was impending
added to the other terrors. A strong
wind sprung up, partially remov-
ing the veil of darkness blowing
directly toward that part situated on
the south bank of the creek, and tha,
| is all that saved the entire city from
destruction. The terrorized masses by
this time partially regained self-pOsses.
sion. 1t was then evident that the
whole of the third ward and large
number OF buildings on both sides OF
the creek further mp were doomed.
Lower down, where the buildings
were about the waters surface, the
| fire was swept directly in among them.
Many of the persons who lost their
lives were overtaken in the streets. As
they fled for safety an almost perpen.
| dicular wall Of stone hemmed the vic.
tins in on one side, the river on the
other, the devouring flames at their
| rear. Others were burned in their
houses and many were drowned. One
rescuing party with large skitf load
of persons taken from flooded
houses was overtaken by the blazing
| oil and perished. Four of party who
stood on the Western New York 4
Pennsylvania railway bridge are known
| to be dead. There was nothing to be
done but let the fire burn itself out
The fire department did heroic service
and subdued many i'll other parts oil
the city. The OIL City Derrick's plant
near the creek. ls badly damaged. The
| flames on the southwest side of the
third ward had spent their fury at 4
| O'Clock this afternoon, but 1t will he q
| day or two before the fires die out.
List OF the Victims.
Atll O'Clock tonight the list Of those
known to be dead or missing is as fol
lows:
John o O'Leary, express messenger, and
his mother, burned.
| Willis Stewart, burned.
r. V. X. Plank. burned.
Matthew Lyon, wife, daughter and
| son, burned.
| Sherd Wick, missing.
| W. RI. Shafer of Franklin Postal
Telegraph, burned.
| w. III. Reilbold. member OF council
and proprietor of Bellvue hotel, burned
| James Rogers. drowned.
James Holmes of jamestown, burne ed
Frank Goodrich. burned.
William Eakin and two sons, burned
Charles Miller, burned.
| Ed Mills aud four children, drowned
Mrs. John Roache and child, burned
| Charles Fisher, burned.
| Mr.. and Mrs. Copeland and baby
burned.
Mrs. Levi letters, missing.
| Daniel Sullivan, burned.
| Ed Heating, burned.
William Moran. drowned.
| Samuel Richardson and four chIl
dren, burned.
| James Burns, missing.
| Frank Watson. burned.
/ Frank Hassenfutz. burned.
| T. l.. Delworth, prominent lawyer
| burned.
J. II. Dougherty. wealthy OIL man
burned.
William Ter wileger and his brother
| John. burned.
| Unknown woman and six children
| burned.
! Eugene Fritz, badly burned.
| Mrs. George Hawke and daughter
| fatally burned.
I l... k..tf.r s,1 E~.,..A