The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-05
LOSS WILL RUN
INTO MILLIONS.
ughInIng Bolt Starts Fire n
Standard OH Co.'s Works. =
CONSTABLE HOOK THREATENED
Tank After Tank Of Crude Petroleum Ex-
pIodst and Burning OIL Rushed Out
FIERY STREAMS IN EVERY DIRECTION.
llrsp Humber Of Vessels Pulled From ths Piers 10
Places Of Safety Trenches Dug 10 Stop
Flow Of Burning OIL
Tink After Tank Of Crude Petroleum Ex-
pIolst and Burning OH Rushed Out
FIERY STREAMS IN EVERY DIRECTION.

NEW IOik. July o.-4 hC iiiC OF ihC
works of the Standard Oil Company.
at Constable Hook, Bayonne. N. j..
which started early this morning was
still raging at . a. m. and no estimate
can yet be made Of the damage. though
It will run into millions.
The entire plant is almost certain to
be consumed. The oil from the works
is spreading along the upper bay and
the Kill Won Kull. blazing at 1t flows,
and serous damage is threatened the
adjoining property.
Naphtha tank No. 7 exploded shortly
Gfter 6 o'clock. The force OF the explo-
sion smashed windows on the Hook and
at least one person was killed and sew
eral injured.
Charles King, an electrician. was une
one killed and John Wasto watch
man was overcome by fumes and smoke
and Fred Mauer was cut by flying glass.
They lived In Bayonne.
A LIGHTNING BOLT.
The fire was started by a bolt OF
lightning which fell during a terrihc
thunder and rain storm. 1t struck
souarely in the immense yard OF the
Standard Oil Company, which covers
over six hundred acres of ground. King,
the watchman. was struck by the bolt
and at the same time IL exploded two
immense reservoir tanks OF crude oil.
One hundred men were at work in the
yards and whether more were killed Is
not vet known. The explosion was
heard FOR miles and the heavens were
lt up for hours after by the flames
which leaped hundred feet in the air.
Even at s o'clock this morning the
column of smoke which rose from the
still burning tanks spread out In such
n cloud that to those corning to this
city from the west the bright morning
oun was obscured.
b, HOTEL QUICKLY BURNED.
within fifty yards of the exploded
ksnke was the Bayview Hotel used as a
lodging house by half hundred Hun
gariaEs and Poles employed at the
works.
The thunderstorm had already
awakened them and when the explo-
Uion came they rushed out OF the rear
OF the building chased by the streams
or burning oil which flowed over and
rapidly consumed the hotel.
The oil from the exploded tanks
swept down the hill on which the
works are iocated. Explosions followed
like the crash OF artillery as tank after
tank was ignited by the fry flood.
spresdsng the circle of fire.
Nothing could stay It's progress.
Even the water was no obstacle, and
from the burning piers. which little
while before had been crowded with
nhipping. II flowed over into the XIII
Won KulI and floated IN snaky wisps
of fame out into the bay.
"a . VESSEL SAVED.
Meanwhile the Standard Oil tugs ran
into the docks and dragged out fifty
vessels which were lying at the COM
peny's pierA Then the tugs formed a
cordon little way out from the docks
and fought the flames from that side.
Great booms of logs were thrown in
a semi-circle 10 prevent the burning
liquid from flowing unrestrained over
the water and carrying destruction TO
shipping down the bay.
Iuside the yards the Bayonne fire
department made an Intellectual fight
against the burning fluid Water was
Of no avail and the fire had TO be
Fought by strategy. Trenches were dug
10 divert the streams OF burning oil
from attacking property outside OF the
oil yards.
Right in the line of fire with the wind
blowing from the northeast were the
the Kalb Fieish Chemical company. the
Bayonne Chemical works. the Berge-
mort Chemical company. the Oxford
Copper Works, the Port Johnson Coal
docks. the Pacific Coast Barge COM
pany, and the Crude oil docks.
II was thought that none OF these
would be saved. but quick action by
Vice President Alexander confined the
IRE to the Standard Yards and the
-. - ho nA
OIL works directly adjoining. He went
unto the crowds outside the fire lines
and hired every man who would handle
q shovel. These he put to work dig
gfnR trenches around the circle OF fire
and in this way the burning LIQUID was
prevented from eating Its way across
9he Hook.
There were in the yards OF the Stand
ard Oil company when the fire started
16B crude oil tanks. Over 30 OF these
have already been exploded and they
all may go. as the fire continues "a
spread. All estimates OF loss are at
this time mere guess work.
THIRTY TANKS DESTROYED.
Al 1o:30 o'clock thirty of the Stand.
ard Oil Company's tanks had been de-
efroyed or were beyond salvation. Al
that time the total loss was estimated
ct &2,5o0.000
The company has its own system OF
Insurance. None OF the officials of the
company at that hour believed that
any Of the one hundred men reported
missing had been killed or severely in
5ured, but several had been painfully
burned.
The company's docks at Constable
Hook have been stripped and shlppins
was taken by tugs 10 a place OF safety
The tenement district OF Bayonne was
threatened by the flames and the fire.
men were forced TO turn their efforts
On q new direction.
The stock OF the Standard OIL Co
closed on change Tuesday at $40 a 81;
and opened this morning at $40 a $40.
General flaushins)-r went to the wal
Am|nUHrA M