New Britain herald., 1926-04-08
Two Known Dead

Two Known Dead
 San Luis Ohispo, Cali'., April E lP) - A. H. Soeber and his son William F. Scober, were found dead today about BOO yards from one Of the largest burning oil reservoirs Of the Union Oil com pany.
 The fiocber home, near the burn- Ing tank farm of the Union con- pany, south of here. was blown 10 pieces hy an explosion early today when one Of the blazing reservoirs boiled over, Doris Sechcr, a daugh- ter of William r. Soobcr, was slightly hurt. The elder Seeber was Civil war veteran.
 The Sccbcrs were the first yIc- lims Of the great fire that sprang up yesterday when lightning struck a tank. The fire continued 10 burn today. Hope of saving the Soo-acro tank farm was abandoned.
 Loss May Be StO,OOO.0OO
 During the night farmers and ranchers drove several hundred head of cattle 10 the highlands to escape burning oil streams. Other larIls near the scene Of the fire were being deserted today.
 Company officials refused to es- innate the damage already done, unofficial estimates placed the loss at over $1O,o00, 900.
 san Luis Ohisop. Cal. April g lp, The @NO acre tank farm of inc tnion Oil company, a mile and q half south of here. at which was stored some. G,o0O, 000 barrels of oil was abandoned early today 10 inc 'lre which had threatened it's de- S'ruction since yesterday morning when two underground tanks were struck by lightning. The loss will be millions, the exact estimate not being made yet.
 Great Tanks Boil Over
 Four huge underground reservoirs to which the blaze had been contju- "d all day yesterday and last night, boiled over shortly before l o'clock this morning and flaming oil. sweep ing over q dyke that had been thrown np, carried the fire 10 two other reservoirs and 10 surface tanks, other surface tanks were quickly ignilAd,
 Burns All Night
 The fire burned throughout inc day and night, casting q pail over thN district hy day and an ominous glare by night, Though the blaze had h""n isolated temporarily, 1t was realized by tho fire fighters that the real test would not come until the fire which was so intense that no one could approach within 500 feet of il, reached water settled in the hottom of the reservoirs, generating steam that would cause Inc flaming lal'os to boil over.
 When the crisis did come thn enl- banhmont was not high enough and the blazing liquid, spreading In all directions, rapidly ignitrd other sec lions of the tank farm. 4 ditch digging machine that was 10 have hcon used 10 throw up q strong bull wark against thc expected rush of in" boiling oil, lay idle through the night usclnss because a heavy rain had made the field a hog.
 Unable To Fight Flames
 For th" greater portion Of the night the fire fighters stood hy look ing on, unable 10 do anything after the embankmont had hnen thrown. The blaze also was watched hv off Ctals of most of the lea ling oil companies of the state, who had gathered 10 make observations, which might he helpful in prevent ing or combating future disasters to the industry.
 The fire. flaring 500 10 LOGO feet into the sky. could he seen for 50 miles around. Rain fell in repeated showers during inc entire night and with each shower the blaze tiared to it's greatest height
 The Union oil tank farm was the base supply for Port San Luis, an oil port about eight miles away. oil was shipped by pipe line 10 the great storage center from through out the field of Kern county.
 Loss. Is Millions
 Damage will amount to an unes- timatcd number of millions of dol lars. Even before the flames spread beyond the bounds Of the four res- ervoirs officials of the oil company estimated the loss at perhaps as S1n,uoo,no0 and described the fire as the most destructive in the his tory of tho petroleum industry in California.
 The last two reservoirs 10 catch hrc were the largest on the tank farm, each having a capacity of L. 2ao, ,Uou barrels.
 Iik" the other four storage tanks. they were filled with refining crude of about 25 gravity.
 Tho surface tanks. Of which there