Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-12-13
NO ESTIMATE OF TIE LOSSES

One of the most disastrous fires
that has visited the city from a fnan-
cial standpoint for quite awhile, was
the burning of the oil house and coal
chute at the Cotton Belt sl ps last
night. The fire caught about 6: so and
from the best information obtainable
originated in the office of the oil house
The cause cf the fire is not definitely
known as the Office was on fire when
first discovered by the night watchman
in making his rounds, and he did not
even have time to go inside The big
oil house, in which was stored thous-
ands of gallons of oil, was soon a mass
of flames and was doomed The night
alarm and boz. the city departments
and the department at the shops were
soon battling with the flames A high
wind which sweeps down the Arkan-
sas river and across the level stretcn
of land famed the flames until the
heat was almost unbearable. Hun
dreds of spectators gathered on the
scene to watch the burning building.
The loss in dollars cannot be estimat
ed for some time as the books will
have to be checked up to ascertain
the amount of oil on hand
The big Oil house next to the round
house was the first building to take
fire. In this building which is 80
feet by 120 feet and 20 feet high there
was stored the oil which is used about
the shops. A fresh shipment had just
been received Saturday and this was
stored in the tanks before night fall
The workmen had not been many
hours from the scene of their labors
until the whole was a mass of flames.
Nearly every kind of oil that is manu-
factured was in the tanks. AS near as
can be learned there were two cars
loads # common coal oil, car of head
light oil and many other kinds of lubri-
cants. The finer oils were stored in
kegs and burned fiercely. From time
to time as the fire ragged fiercer one of
these kegs would explode and drive
the crowd back. One keg went straight
UP into the air for fully fifty feet and
looked like hugh bomb as it burst and
the ball Of flame and smoke rolled up
ward. Another keg was sent straight
toward the crowd and drove the peo-
pie back helter sKelter. The keg, as it
fell, hit Mr.. Chas Claxton bystand-
er on the back and knocked him down.
but he was quickly pulled out of danger
by his friends. He was not seriously
hurt, but his clothing was burned and
his hands scalded by the hot Oil. In
hghting the burning oil the fire depart
ment could de- but little and as soon as
'he blaze was started it was seen that
me Oil house was doomed. The
streams of water kept playing on the
liames in order to keep them from
spreading and the department then
turned its attentions to the other build
lhgs which were in great danger.
for time it looked as though the
entire plant was doomed The wind
NleW hercely and it was battle of the
elements against which human
strength could do but little. The round
mousse, next to the oil tank, caught sew
erai times, but hose was carried to
'"e top OF the building and from this
vantage point the blaze on the roof was
soon extinguished.
me next structures to catch were
'ne coal chutes which were built just
JACK or the roundhouse. The wind
''ew the flames directly to the chutes
""o no one could get close enough to
eni 10 play stream of water upon
men, The chutes were filled with
o'i and three box cars which had
just been emptied were still en- top
'nu We're first to catch. The whole
ese end of the structure was soon
ss OF flames, but did not burn so
N''ely because of the heavy timbers
'..u 'he coal. This is aps the only
son the rest of the shops did not
Great masses of coal smoke