The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-06
LIGHTNING FIRED THE OIL,
BOLT OF ELECTRICITY DrsCrvp.
on PETROLEUM TANKS.
Terrific Conh"sration In the Yaras
OF the standard OIL Company =.
Bayonue, y. -, with a Loss ~

NEW YORK. July 5.-The fire NJ ~.
works OF the standard oil COMPANY ~
Constable hook. Bsyonne, n. J.. mn,
prove great loss. Charles kim =.
electrician. was killed; John Was,e 80
owen Drummond. watchmen, were ovs,
come by fumes and smoke. and Fred
Mauer was cut by nying glass
The fire was started about o'cIoce Ell.
morning by bolt of lightning. which fan
during a thunder and rain storm i,
struck squarely in the immense ward 40
the STANDARD OH Company, which cov.s.
500 acres of ground. King was strueh +.
the bolt and at the same time Il explodeS
TWO immense reservoir tanks OF crude oil
one hundred men were at work In ths
yards. and whether more were kineA 4,
not is not yet known. The explosion 49,
heard for miles, aud the heavens wers n,
up for hours afterward by the f,amss
which leaped "A hundred feet In tina ~,
Even ~ O'Clock this morning the column
OF smoke rose high, and the still b,rntrr
tanks spread out IN such cloud that "a
those coming from the west the brirht
morning sun was obscurcd.
The Gil from the exploded tanks svens
down the hill on which the works ara 10.
Gated Explosions followed like crashes or
artillery, as tank after tank was iru,ted
by the fiery flood Down to tho watar..
edge II went spreading the circle OF fre
Nothing could stay its progress Eve
the water was no obstacle and from ths
burning piers. which a little while before
had been crowded with shipping, II fove6
over into the XIII Won Kull and noated
in snaky wisps OF flames into the hav
Meanwhile the Standard on tugs rar
into the docks and dragged out fifty YES.
sells lying AT the company's piers Then
the tugs formed Gordon a little wav our
from the docks, and fought the fiames
from that side. Great booms OF logs vers
thrown out In a semi-circie to prevent Tia
burning liquid from flowing unrestratnrd
over the water and CARRYING deaf r,,cs,or
to shipping down the bay.
Inside the yards the Bayonne IRE "A.
partnent made an Intellectual fight asainst
the burning fluid Water was OF no avail
and the fire had to be fought by strategy.
trenches were dug to divert the streams
or burning oil from attacking properfv
outside the ell yards
There were In the yards Of the StnnA.
ard OH Company. when the first stur,rd
1856 crude oil tanks. Over thirty 81 thcss
nave already been exploded and they All
may 80, as the fire continues TO spread
An estimates OF loss are at this time there
suess-work. AT 10 a. m. the fames we've
shooting up into the air fully 800 feet
high, and the blazing oil extended over
an area or nearly half a mile. The heat
near enough to the flames TO do much
good. The fire boats along tho shore 81
Constable hook were able 20 occupy
better position In this respect. but the
water that reached the blazing oil had
little effect.
AZ 1890 o'clock the total loss was esti.
mated at 15o6D. The company has its
own system Of insurance. None Of ths
officials OF the company ut that hour bN-
lieYed that any OF the 100 reported miss.
ing had been Killed or severely injured. hut
several had been painfully burned. Tho
company's docks Mt Constable hook have
been stripped and shipping was taken TO
a place of safety.
The tenement district OF Bayonne was at
the above hour threatened by the flames
and the firemen were forced TO turn their
efforts In new direction.