The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-13
Most Disastrous Blaze in His
tory of Gulf District.
Three-Quarters of a Million
Barrels Burning.
MILLIONS MORE IN DANGER
Flames, Famed by the Wind,
Threaten Other Tanks.
Started From Bolt of Lightning
During DOwnpOur.


is raging at the Humble oil field. II X
the greatest oil confla grafton in the
history of the Houston territory. was
still in full blast at noon today, but
was confined to one earthern tank.
which started yesterday and to the
tank which caught fire early today. A
north wind is confining the fire to
these two tanks. but great fear is felt
that two nearby tanks, containing
100000 barrels, will catch if the wind
shifts.
Seven hundred and fifty thousand
barrels of oil have burned so far. This
represents financial loss of S1,OOO,-
600. Some oil is being drawn from the
second tank, but the lightning bolt
which hit the first tank, put the swing
out of order and prevented any effort
to save any oil in that tank.
The burning tanks are property of
the Gulf Pipe Line company, sub
sidiary of the Gulf Oil corporation.
Trying to Remove Oil.
AS a precautionary measure oil is
being pumped out of the two gulf
company tanks near by, and also out
of two tanks of the Sun company,
which a shift in the wind may put in
path of the flames.
The Texas Pipe Line company farm
to the south is not in danger, altho
the company is taking the precaution
of pumping out some of the oil.
Sunday afternoons storm is respon-
sible. At 4:30 o'clock, during a ter
rifle downpour of rain, a bolt of light
ming struck tank No. 81 of the Gulf
Pipe Line company, transportation
subsidiary of the Gulf Oil corporation.
A column of flame shot Skyward 200
feet. followed by a dense cloud of
black smoke and a report that shook
houses and ratified window panes all
over the Humble townsite.
At 2:45 a. m. Monday tank No. %, i'm
mediately adjoining tank No. 21, on
the north. caught fire, and now is
burning fiercely.
Famed by Wind.
The flames, famed by the wind,
now threaten tanks No. IL and 8, and
even the big7pump station itself. If
gulf tank farm with the further pro-
ha bilitY that the Sun company tanks
on the opposite of the road from the
gulf tanks, will ignite. More than a
n'illion barrels of oil are in storage
in the Sun company tanks.
Tank No. 21. first fired, has ca
pacity of $4,000 barrels, and had
over 100000 barrels of oil stored
therein when ignited. Tank %, the
second to ignite. has a storage ca
practically full of oil. Tanks Nos. IL
and are smaller, about $50, ,060 bar
rels capacity, and are nearly full of
oil.
When the bolt struck the first tank
it put the swing out of commission
and the oil could not be pumped from
the bottom. The flames now are
right or the bottom or this tank
not barrel of the oil salvaged.
The pumps are working on tank
No. %, and removing some of the oil
but the pump station is SO far from
the blazing tanks that the amount be-
ing recovered is not large The pumps
also are busy on tanks Nos. II and 8.
Fire May Burn All Week.
Tank No. 81, the first fired, is the
largest earthen oil storage tank in
Texas. All the tanks on the Gulf tank
farm at Humble in the path of the
flames are earthen reservoirs. 1t is
considered likely that tank 21 will
three days longer. If tanks Nos. IL
and catch fire. and it now is thought
nothing can prevent that, the flames
bid fair to rage the better part of this
week.
The value of the 10000 barrels of
oil now burning is possibly S1,OOO,000
or more, as it is standard Goa stal heavy
This grade now brings $1.25
at the well. but most of the burning
oil was stored when higher prices pre-
vailed. If the Sun company million
barrels catches fire, the loss will be
around S3.000,0 900. Oil insurance
rarely exceeds so per cent of the
value.
No Way to Combat Flames.
There is no means of combating
the flames save that of pumping the
oil from beneath the tanks. Practi-
cally all the officials of the interested
are on the ground watch
ing developments and directing oper-
ations.
One injury is so far reported. Dode
Williams, watchman for the Texas
pipe line company, which has several
tanks just south of the gulf tank farm,
Jumped on a horse when the flames
started, and rushed to turn on the
gate valve to the Texas pipe line COM
pany tanks His horse stumbled and
threw him. He now is in a Houston
hospital
His injuries are not reported serious
FAMILIES FLEE FROM FIRES.
CaTSo in