Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-26
Penn OIL PLANT
BURNED SECOND
Time; BIG LOSS
1ncendiarism Charged in Con-
nection With $4,000 Blaze
at West End Property.
LACK OF WATER COSTLY
Three Buildings, With Contents, De-
stroyed-BarreIs of Gasoline
Explode.

Fire, supposedly of incendiary
origin, last night destroyed three
buildings waste house
and boiler house-and supplies val
ued at $4,000, the property of the
Penn Oil and Supply company at
Fourteenth avenue and First street.
The fire was discovered at $40 by
a citizen whose home is across the
street from the oil company plant.
Michael J. Dunn, night Waterman,
who was at the time eating his sup
per in the Office of the company, was
notified of the blaze and at once has
tened to summon the fire depart
MFpt.
Headed by Chief George Newberry
the firemen made a splendid fight,
but because of insufficient pressure
through the small mains. were I'M
able to check the blaze before more
than half Of the plant had been de-
stroyed. When the department COM
panies arrived at the fire, the ware
house, in which it originated, the
flames had not made much Roadway,
but were fast becoming a roaring
furnace. However, the fremen were
powerless in their fight, as only 20
foot streams could be mustered. The
water was being forced through from
the reservoir.
LOSS SHOULD HAVE BEEN $1,000.
superintendent of Waterworks d.
c. Kelly Immediately placed the
pumps at the waterworks in com
mission, and soon as large a stream
as it is possible to send through a
small main, was playing upon the
flames, which had then spread over
the warehouse and communicated to
the other buildings. Chief Newberry
stated this morning that with ade-
quate water pressure his men could
have confined the blaze TO the ware
house and that the loss would have
been less than $1,000.
In the warehouse, lubricating oils, I.
grease and gasoline in barrels, were
stored. The building, as were the /
others, was of frame, with corrugated (
tin lining and tin roof. When the /
fire was at its heighth there was a .
continual roar which sounded to 1
those nearby like a force of artillery. (
Exploding gasoline hurled iron bar
rels hundreds of feet. Tanks, which
had been opened, and which contain
ed lubricating oil, which must be
heated to more than 600 degrees be-
fore it viii burn. boiled. and a rum
bling noise was caused by this.
$500 EMPTY BARRELS CONSUMED.
1t is impossible to state exactly
the quantity of supplies destroyed,
but several hundred barrels of fine
oils, gasoline. cans OF lubricating oil
and boxes of grease, were burned.
Empty wooden barrels TO the num-
Der of 1,5OO, and ] 900 iron barrels
were consumed. AS many more were
saved The supplies on hand were
somewhat lower than usual. The
piping system, used to convey the
oils from the tanks to the vessels
in which they are distributed, was
destroyed Two box cars, contain
ing many barrels of gasoline, were
on tracks adjoining the burning
buildings. but were quickly removed
from danger. The Office building, the
tanks containing turpentine, gasoline
and naptha. and the plant of the
Standard Oil company adjoining
were saved. Firemen, in spite of the
intense heat, stood between the fire
on the west side of the street and
these buildings and tanks and kept
a continuous stream at play upon
them. The wind was from the east
and thus aided IN keeping the fire
from the buildings on the east side
of the street.
COVERED BY INSURANCE.
The local plant of the Penn OIL ,
and Supply company, which is an ;
eastern corporation with headquar-
tiers at Oil City. Pa. is a supply and q
station for western :
Illinois and the entire state of Iowa. .
The stations in that territory will :
continue to supply the customers as !
usual Neither will there be any \
in the supplies TO local :
patrons OF the concern. The wag- ;
ons used here were filled last night
and so were around as usual today
In fine oils. gasoline, turpentine and
naptha, there is still a supply on :
hand There may possibly be a de- L
lay in delivery of lubTicating oil and il
grease. Twenty-Five men are en- d
ployed at the local plant, which is q
managed by Norman G.. Grifhths. ?
Mr.. Grifiths stated this morning 7
that as soon as possible an inventory n
would be taken and the exact dam a
age caused would then be learned.
The loss is fully covered by insur-
ance, which is held in eastern COM
panies and controlled by the home n