The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-12-08

eees . .
Nearly the entire plant of the Standard
Oil company in this city was destroyed by
fire yesterday. The fire will involve loss
of close upon 100000, on which there is no
insurance.
For time it looked as if the Downey av-
enue viaduct and scores OF houses in that
vicinity would be devastated by the flames.
From 2:3O o'clock in the afternoon until late
into the night thousands of people watched
the flames leap hundreds of feet into the
heavens, saw the iremen helpless to bat
tie against the flames and witnessed two
acres of vari-colored tongues lick and wither
iron as if it had been paper
The cause Of the fire is not positively
known. Two men were present when it
started, and as neither saw the flames until
after they had burst forth they are unable
to give any certain explanation. AS neither
were smoking, and the fire started suddenly,
it is possible that the benzine exploded from
natural causes.
The Standard Oil company's plant is sit
uated in a space bounded on the north by
the Santa Fe track and the river, on the east
by Olympia street, on the south by row
of houses which face on Aurora street and
on the west by San Fernando street, on
which run the Southern Pacific tracks
leading north. The Offices and warehouse,
which was a one story brick structure about
100 yards in length on San Fernando street,
: contained white lead, lubricating oil, par
rstne and case goods of coal oil, benzine and
gasoline. In the rear of this warehouse were
the yards, in which were located over doz-
en- tanks varying in capacity from 1000 gal
Ions to 25O,OOO gallons, and containing ben
zine, gasoline, coal oil, linseed oil and
crude oil.
THE FIRST FLAMES
1t was about 2:3O o'clock yesterday after
noon when Arthur Stevens, driver for the
c. NJ. Jones Oil and Fuel company, drove
into the yard through the only wagon en-
trance on Olympia street and ordered 100
gallons of benzine. In his wagon was a
small tank of this capacity. Nels j. Peter
son, one of the men employed about the
tanks located about five feet east from the
warehouse This tank had a capacity of
1900 gallons, but contained only 400 gallons
of the infammable material. Stevens sat ON
the wagon seat to hold, the horse while
Peterson filled ive-gallon bucket from the
tank and handed the stuff up to Stevens to
be poured into the tank on the wagon. Pc
terson says that the first he realized of any
fire was when he heard sudden puff, and,
looking down, saw that the five-gallon can
and contents were on fire. The flames
leaped onto the wagon and soon that vehicle
was ablaze. Peterson instantly tried to
turn off the faucet of the benzne tank, but
too late, for the fluid evidently rushed up
through this vent and, setting fire to the
rest of the contents, caused the tank to ex-
plode at the rear end. In an instant the
flames were running in every direction and
shooting high into the air.
"Fire! fre!" screamed Peterson as he ron
for his life from the tank. Stevens in the
meanwhile, as soon as he perceived that his
wagon had caught, whipped up his horse
and drove mady out of the yard, nearly
overturning the oil wagon belonging to Z.
II. Miller Both of the drivers hurried
away, though, and the flames on Stevens
wagon were extinguished further down the
street.
THE PLACE WAS DOOMED.
Once started, it was impossible to stop
the flames inside the yard. The instant he
heard the cry of alarm and saw the bright
light, E. S. Sullivan, the general manager
OF the company, who happened to be in
the office, ordered heavy sheet iron doors
and shutters closed, in order that the build
ing might be protected. He first supposed
that one of the tanks had merely caugh.
fire, and could be extinguished in short
while, but he soon realized his mistake Ar
alarm was Immediately sounded from box
PIP, at the corner of San Fernando and Au.
rora streets, but long before the engines
arrived, and even before the men who
turned in the alarm could return to the
office, it became apparent that the place
was doomed. The force of the explosion
scattered the blazing fluid on the roof OF
the warehouse, and sent the sheets of flame
flying over to a long line of wooden sheds
which ran on the south end of the yard, and
contained empty barrels, boxes and similar
light material of combustible nature.
CROWDS FLED IN TERROR.
There was deep rumbling as the flames
sped onward, a rumbling which sounded
menacing, a,.d as the crowds which had be-
o,,r to Gather saw tho Aanoac ;urp,,;rr o,,..