The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-05

NEW YORK, July 5--Lightning struck
and fred the immense plant Of the Stand
ard Oil Company, at Constable Hook.
ing
Charles King. a yardman. wss killed
by the bolt which exploded two OF the big
tanks in the west end OF the works, near
Twenty second Street. Many other men
were in the yard at the time Their fate
is unknown.
In the midst of the brilliant electric
storm which brought New Workers out OF
their midnight slumSers. ball OF FIRE de-
seemed into the Standard Oil works yard.
The roar of an explosion followed which
was heard everywhere within a radius OF
fifteen miles In Brooklyn the conclusion
shook the houses in the south end OF the
town. Many awoke, thinking it an earth
quake shock
Within fifty yards of the exploded tanks
was the Bay View Hotel, used as a iodg-
ing house by half a hundred Hungarians
and Poles employed "a the works. The
thunderstorm had already awakened them.
and when the explosion came they rush
ling chased by the streams Of surning oil
which flowed over and rapidly consumed
the hotel.
The oil from the exploded tanks swept
down the hill on which the wo-ks are To-
Gated. Explosions followed lik- the crash
OF artillery as tank after tank va ign.te1.
Down to the waters edge IL vent spread
ing the circle OF FIRE Nothing could az
its progress Even the water was 10
obstacle and from the burning piers. which
a little while before had been crowded
with shipping it flowed over into the XIII
Won Kull and foated in snaky wizps Of
fame out into the bay.
Right in the line ot FIRE. with the w.nd
blowing from the northeast. were the
pls"is OF the Tidewater Oil Company, the
H sieish Chemical Company. the Ba-
yonne Chemical Works. the Bergen Point
Chemical Company. the Oxford COPPER
Works. the Port johnson Coal Docks. the
Pacific Coast Barge Company and tie
Crude Oil Docks. II vas thought that
none OF these would be saved but quick
action by Vice President Alexander cen
fined the fire TO the Standard yards. and
the plants OF the Columbia and French oil
Works directly adjoining.
The Ere wiped out fifty acres Of Stan
dard Oil Company plant. Including the new
cooperage works When it seemed that
the FIRE would be confined to the section
already blazing another fire occurred in
Eighteenth Street. Bayonne The fremen
started of TO fight the new blaze. leaving
the oil company's men 70 shift for them
selves.
The damage Is estimated at s25oO. eco
and msy be more. The fire will burn
for several days. as there is no way Of
extinguishing it.
Some OF the hremen ventured within
" suty-hye yards Of the oil tank upon
which they were throwing water while
others would not go within a mile Of the
blaze
The timid ones said they heard that in
addition 10 the crude oil tanks which
merely burned hereely when they caught
on fire, there were several naphtha tanks
which would explode II ignited. and would
wreck houses within a radius OF a mile.
The oil men admitted that the naphtha
might blow up. but said they hoped 10
keep the FIRE away. Thus far no tank Of
any kind has actually exploded
Each tank which catches on FIRE merely
burns hercely until the top OF the tank has
blown of and then the FIRE settles down to
steady blaze Every tank which has
taken fire is still burning. II is estimated
by the fremen that there are about twen-
ty-five tanks II is said that nearly every
one that caught fire contained its fun
quota Of 10000 barrels. making at least
100000 barrels OF crude Oil which has thus
far been doomed, with the assurance that
as much more are likely to be destroyed
before the fire stops.
strong wind would Spres d the blaze
so that it would surely consume the
entire plant and possibly half OF the
city of Bayonne.