New-York tribune., 1911-11-07
'EXPLOD|NC TANKS ROCK
BAYONNE;; EIGHT HURT
Standard Oil Plant Saved by
Underground Piping, as Tugs
Rescue Steamers.
BLAZE UNDIMMED BY FOG
10000 Gallons of Liquid Fuel
illuminate Panicstrisken Town
5000 Employs Turn
Out to Fight Fire.

! Two tanks. each containing 10000 gal
/ Ions Of gasolene. exploded at the plant
! of the Standard Oil COMPANY at Con-
stable Hook. near Bsyonie. y. j., last
nj ht. Eight persons were badly burned
and the town of Bayonn. was shaken
as if by an earthquake. The burning
oil mounted skyward 10 great height.
and the lower part Of Nov York Bay.
despite the falling rain and mist, was
/ brilliantly Illuminated.
/ Residents of Bayonne were just finish
/ ing their evening meal WHEN loud re-
port. followed by prolonged rumble,
brought them terror stricken 10 their
feet. Clocks and ornaments on the
mantelpieces came crashing TO the floor
and the glassware and china in the
closets clinked ominously.
The streets were soon filed with peo-
ple rushing wildly here and there, try
ing IN find the cause Of the rude inter
ruption. Presently a whistle sounded,
and As it's tones rang through the moist
ure laden air they knew that an expio-
e;on had occurred at the Standard OH
!
plant.
! Flames then burst forth from the
| tanks. and the Fire Department at Bay
onne made ready for the expected sum
mons to aid in extinguishing the blaze
/ No summons came, however. The COM
pany maintains its own fire system ana
/ the whistle which reassured the Bayonne
citizens was the signal which called OUT
the company tugboats In the XIII van
| KuU and in the bay, and all the en-
| Moves at the plant. The tugboats ar
rived quickly and several tank steamers
anchored at the docks to be loaded with
oil during the night and morning were
| hauled out to places of safety.
Meantime the underground system es'
tablished at the plant ten years age
after a somewhat similar fire that rageC
for a week was put into operation. a
number Of pipes are connected with the
various tanks, and the arrangement Il
such that the supply of oil can be drawn
off in a comparatively short time.
There are $50 tanks In the plant TIT
tanks which exploded last night wer'
so situated as to cause confagratioi
that would have. wiped out the entir'
plant had 1t not been for this under
ground mechanism.
Employees TO the number Of five thou
sand responded To the whistled alarm
and hurried to tho blazing tanks. The!
lrealized that the structures were doomed
and directed their efforts TO saving sucl
Of their comrades as were known &
have been working near them.
The first TO attract their attention va
David Allen, the superintendent OF tn
section OF the plant where the explosion
took place. He was found lying nea
cue of the tanks, badly burned about tn
face and body. and was removed TO tn
Bayonne city Hospital. Seven workme
also were slightly burned, but none O
them seriously.
Later an appeal for aid was sent to III
city authorities, which met with promp
response Police reserves formed cor
don 10 keep back the crowds attractet
by so unusual a spectacle, ambulance
and surgeons were sent from the Bay
onne Hospital and soon the city's entir
firefghting force was at the scene Ever
when additional lines OF hose were rul
into the yards by the regular f1remel
and many more streams were directed
against the flames the fire continued &
| sUread