Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-07-25
OIL FIRE Loss
OVER SlOO,00O
" NTIRS-PUlECE COMPANY 81 r.
FltRS IIliNNN iOSN - RI
SUIT or STORM,
VISIBLE FROM The CITY
Rolling Clouds of smoke and Burst
ing Flame Attracts Sight,ccrs
From Tulsa.


rcflncre5 of the Waters Pierce and
Phoenix companies at Sand Springs,
occaslOncd by lightning ON last Wed
nesday night, was yesterday conSer\-
atiycly estimated at 100000. The
loss Is made up of destroyed tanks
pump house and cars. and stored oil
The two big tanks became ignitcd
from the same flash of lightning, Oc-
curing quarter of on hour before
midnight The same flash crippled
telephone and electrical service IN
that vicinity cNtingWshcd all of the
lights in a ear on the loop midway
between the town of Sand Springs
and the park and badly scared sleep
crs OF the community
one tOmpanl's Loss.
All of the oil which was lost was
owned by the Watcrs-hicrce com
pany. In the 1000 barrel tank
standing ON its site along the Arkan-
sas, the company lost about $50, 900
II costs in material aud workmanship
about $4,000 to build q tank of that
size. It was filled to capacity with
crude oil. Yesterday morning, now
ever, ten or twelve tank cars were
placed on the siding al the luadlh6
rack ana filled with oil drawn liulh
the bottom Of the burning tank. IN
this way the company succeeded III
saving from $1,000 to 5000 barrels
Of oil from this tank.
Near the destroyed tank stood an
other of equal size, filled with oil, Ihe
only thing which kept the second tank
from being destroyed was an east
wind which bore the heat and flames
in half-opposite direction.
Pump station Goes.
The newly erected pumping station
for forcing the oil through the eight
inch pipe line from the Gushing tleld,
caught fire from the big tank yestcr-
day morning when the wind temper
arily shifted for a few moments. Ihe
house and its entire equipment was "a
total loss. ammounung to approx
mately $4,000.
The smaller tank Of $1,000 barrels
stood threc-quarters of mile to inc
west of the big tank, on the site OF
the Phoenix, and belonged to that
company. However the use OF II had
been borrowed by the Waters Pierce
company. which has been delayed III
getting storage for its production. IN
this tank there We're about 1--WE or SIN
feet of OIL moro than 1000 barrels,
and the loss on oil there Is estimated
at 81 900 or $4,000. The tank was also
totally destroyed II cost about $ll-
GOO to build,
Two coal cars belonging to the
Sand Springs RAILWAY company stand
ing on the south end of the switch AT
the loading rack of the Waters Pierce
company also caught fire when the
4 n.taFH. ia
tally destroyed. resulting IN loss OF
s. 0O0.
Fully twice as much property as
was destroyed by these fires it was
estimated, was severely endangered
hy them.
\ Great Spectacle.
The burning of these two tanks OF
oil WIS the first time in the history
of Tulsa that such an imposing sight
was of easy access. and all day yes
tcrday and last night thousands Of
persons from Tulsa visited the re
finery sites There was n camera IN
each group of persons, and hundreds
Of snapshots were taken. Pictures
we're also taken for moving picture
wecklies
owing To the closcness of another
tankfm OF OH to- the one on fire, the
| Waters Pierce company maintained q
force of guards on it's property as long
| as the fire ragged. II was feared that
the second tank might explode and
that many would be injured in that
event. The smaller tank owing to the
small quantity Of oil In II, was prac-
| tically destroyed by early morning,
hut the bi tank was still spouting
mrid flames late last night.
Nightfall Changes Scene.
While even in daylight the sight Of
tank OF burning oil is "A grand sight,
uightfal Increases the picturesque
ness The yclluWish flames of day
become brilliantly redeemed and their
angry coutortiuns appear more fren-
I lied and terrific. rs though maddcncd
! hy the darkness But mos, of the
! beauty of rolling blankets Of smoke
is lost Flames leaping from tank
Of burning crude oil become lost in
smoke of the huckest dye from 20 TO
| 80 feet above the tank, and not until
| this smoke reaches n height of hun
| drrds of feet does ii begin to grey and
| pale as it stretches off for miles
! across the sky. The volume is so
great that q may hc seen distance
| ~ thirty miles. while at night persons
/ at distance of fifty miles are able
/ to discern the Redeemed horizon.
| Tank fires are no uncommon thlng
! I'm the oklahoma oil fields. and an
uu1ilv. thousands Of dollars worth Of
property is DESTROYED I'm that manner.
/ Owing to gas escaping from the tanks.
! the oil Is easily lgnited by the cleo
| trical finishes from the clouds. No
/ way is known of combating the flames
except through choking them with
/ steam. which is 70 method that calls
| FOR expensive equipment. Following
each severe electrical storm. tanks.
! burning at distance may he seen
/ from the city of Tulsa. but the oil
| fire of yesterday was the only one
| that has occurred at a place easily
| reached. il being but about quarter
/ II mile south Cf the Katy ana Sand
! Springs lines.
Crowds of Sghtseers.
Throughout the night of Wednes-
! dav. fully unc-third of the population
walked to the scene Of the fire, and
all DAY Yesterday and last night the
cars we're crowded with sightseers. the
majority Of whom were equipped with
cameras Of some sort to catch a pic
/ turc Of the spectacular roll of flame
and smoke.
Increased excitement was added
Yesterday afternoon when the newly
| brought I'm oil well caught fire acress
the Arkansas and half-mile nearer
Tulsa and the skies for miles became