The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-02-28

bitter fight committee was appointed
consisting of Major Langfitt, United
States Engineers, Mr.. Stillman Of the
Board of Fire Underwriters and Coun'
Gilman Flegel, who after careful con
sideration recommended, as am in
formed, that some of the largest tanks
be removed to Portsmouth near st,
Johns, and that substantial retaining
walls be built around others.
Here are extracts from the evidence
produced in Portland which | have
carefully studied and to which | re-
spectfully call your attention,
Major j. l.. Phillips of Springfield,
Ill.,. wrote: THE Standard Oil Com
pany has voluntarily moved the oil
plants outside of the city limits.
"The City Council of Danville, H.,
ordered the Standard oilSCompany
outside of the city limits. and mer-
chants are getting oil and gasoline at
Westville, few miles from Danville, "
Mr.. Stillman of the Fire Underwrit.
ers stated to the Portland Council
1.-The warehouses in Portland are bad
risks because built upon piling."
From New Orleans, La: 1.-THE
Standard Oil Company raised the price
of oil SO high that the industrial plants
had to discontinue the use of oil and
return to the use of coal for fuel.
Fire at the piers of the National
Storage Company at Bayonne loss
$500, 900, the fire tugs had to turn
streams upon themselves to keep from
burning"
"Pipe line near Bond Brook, N. j.,
burst, the oil flowed over the ground
after the pipe line had been repaired
the division superintendent, Mr.. Ur-
ban, ordered to fire the oil spread over
the ground; this fire burned furiously
in the midst of heavy rain.
Fire at 400 to 475 East 10th street,
New York City, during the fire a
fireman threw burning window sash
into the water near the Standard Oil
tanks, in an instant there was flash,
and with lightning like rapidity the
fire followed the course of the oil
upon the water.
Lightning struck a tank of crude
oil at Constable Hook, n. j., the oil
caught fire, flames spread to nearby
tanks, the oil spread to waters edge,
burning so rapidly that people living
near by had to run out Of their
homes partially, dressed, the firemen
could not work more than few
minutes at time, the loss is between
Que and two million dollars; several
fremen are in the hospital injured by
burning oil; the tiremen could do very
little, with the flames. They finally
dug trenches, but the burning oil passed
even over many of these trenches; it
was finally found that the fire could be
fought with steam better than with
water. The fire burned ffty-six
hours"
From the Oregonian: minneapolis,
April oath, 1903, eight men and two
women were killed by an explosion Of
the oil companies tank, at the foot of
9Th avenue, the explosion came with
out an instant warning and second
after the concussion the walls had been
thrown down and the entire structure
was a mass Of flames; not a person in
the office escaped alive. 1t is ex-
pected that sparks from switch en-
CINE ignited the infamable fluids. "
Oregonian March 7th, 1903: "At |
Tonesta, Pennsylvania, man ran into
the river to escape the fire, but the
burning fluid surrounded the man, and
he was burned to death.
May 11th, "The oil tanks of the
Standard Oil Company blew up at the
foot of 10th street, the blazing oil
flowed into Tracks Creek, where barges
were moored; some of them caught
fire, others were removed by tugs; the
entire New York fire department was
kept busy. fighting the flames. One
man is missing and supposed to be
killed by the explosion.
Here are extracts from a letter by
the Honorable John H. Lewman, H
City Attroney at Danville, Ill.
"The Danville City Council passed
an ordinance prohibiting the storing of
oils in quantities within one thousand
feet of a residence, store or other
b lding. The Standard Oil Company,