New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03

4 Thousand Engaged the BunessRemahdbe Experiences
Some of Them in Sea Pcrls.

Within the last quarter century new type
of ship has been added TO the worlds marine
and a new article of merchandise to It's Coii-
uerce. With sober face man recehlly lnOiuu
Cd among the benefits which had resulted 10 the
worlds life from the operation of the Stahoaru
oil Company the Frightening and cheering Vi
the homes of great masses OF people OF the
earth ranging from the palace OF the prince 10
the howell of the peasant In one sense AT least
this is literally true. There are upward Oh
thousand vessels engaged in the transportation
Of oil from part Of the country 10 announcer
and from the United States TO Europe. Asia,
Africa and the islands of the sea Steamships
sailing ships. barges. tugs. each play their part
in the movement of the stream Of oil pouring
from the earth in the oil fields Of Pennsylvania
through the pipe lines to the coast and thence
T. dating TO every part Of the globe
Life on an oil ship has as MANI adventures
connected with il as life in almost any occupa-
ton one could think of. Probably the hrst dih-
ger which suggests itself is that or the destruC-
ton Of the vessel by fire when far away from
port one would think that a seaman would
hesitate to engage an oil vessel with us suS
gestion of a sumberng volcano Considering
the number Of vessels engaged in the business
and the infiammable nature OF the cargo, the
number Of fires is small. OF the three sailing
ships lost within late years by the Standard OH
fomnany not one was burned. The two fires
which vessels of the company have experienced
We're on steam craft and occurred in port. The
steamer Maverick, while lying In HaltaX N
1895. discharging OIL was partially destroyed
by a fire that was started by the leaking OF an
oil pipe into the boiler room. The oil came In
contact with the furnace fire. and the fire which
resulted was only extinguished by the sinking
OF the steamer.
The City of Everett a whaleback steamer en-
gagged in the coastwise trade, last September.
while lying at Port Arthur. Tex. was damaged
to the extent Of $4,000 by fire. Her plates
were buckled by the heat. While only two thou
iaud Of the eighteen thousand barrels Of oil on
board were burned, the fire being extinguished
by means of steam. it was a spectacular one
while it lasted. The vessel was enveiOped from
stem TO stern with a heavy pail of black smoke
that boiled upward in thick, greasy cloud. She
was able to come North for repairs under her
own steam, however. Modern vessels used for
carrying oil are equipped with pipes for intro
cucing steam into the holds for extngushing
fire. and automatic apparatus which instantly
indicates any unusual change in the tempera-
tire They are built of steel, and have steel
Lulkheads separating the oil from the boilers
and engines which are usually put in the stern.
life on the big barges which go up and down
tie Atlantic Coast in the winter months is full
or danger Hardly winter passes without the
Ices of one or more barges and of several lives
OFT the coasts of New-Jersey and Long Island.
The oil barges, which are Of steel and provided
with sails are much better equipped than many
OF the old tubs employed in the coal trade to
II Get such emergency as breaking away from
the tug in a storm on lee shore.
In February. 1895, the barge s. o. Co., OF