Year: 1869


Blowing Up Of the standard Oil Works In


Pittsburg-seven Persons Injured.


From the PsbUTg Commercial Of yesterday morning


Yesterday morning, shortly after 8 o'clock, an
explosion occurred in an old still in the Standard
Oil Works, situated on the Allegheny Valley
Railroad, half O mile below the Sharpsburg
Bridge, which resulted in the serious injury of
several persons, the destruction of one still con-
tanning nine hundred barrels of oil, and the
damage of two other stills. An alarm was
sounded from Box 49, corner of Butler and
Thirty-eighth streets, and the engines from that
district were soon on the ground. Some time
afterwards the alarm was repeated, and the
entire Fire Department was called into service.


A report was freely circulated that several
persons had been killed, and others badly in
jured, which greatly increased the excitement,
and hundreds hocked to the scene of disaster.
telegraphic despatch was sent down town, to
the effect that the entire works would probably
be destroyed, and large number of oil mer-
chants repaired to the scene in carriages, and by
the street railway. Our reporter, on visiting the
works, ascertained the following facts


Shortly after eight o'clock q large still, which
had recently been repaired and into which
about nine hundred barrels of crude oil had
been placed, exploded on the top, scattering the
burning oil about the adjoining stills. Next to
the exploded still was a new one, about being
completed, and upon which several men and
boys were employed. They were from the boiler
works of Messrs. Stater d Son, Nineteenth
street, and were more or less injured from the
burning oil. 1t was impossible to check the
flames of the exploded still, and no effort was
made to save it. The injured men were con-
Quoted as soon as possible to the Office of DR..
Hanna in Lawrenceville


Adjoining the new still are four smaller ones,
all in operation, and efforts were directed
towards saving them, and preventing any fur
ther explosions The first of these four soon
took fire at the ''manhead,' which seemed to
be leaking, and for two or three hours burned
with great fury. 1t was supposed to contain
about two hundred barrels of oil, and for an
hour or more an explosion was momentarily
expected Streams of water were kept con-
stantly playing upon it, bat with no percept-
BILE effect, except perhaps to keep the imam
head" cool. After the entire department had
been summoned, by the second alarm, a greater
volume OF water was thrown upon it, and the
flames were finally subdued about two o'clock
in the afternoon. No further damage was ap-
pretended to the works, and soon after the en-
gines began to leave the ground. The oil in
the exploded still was still burning but it was
so remote as not to endanger any other part of
the works.


The Standard Works are owned by company
composed of Messrs. James A. Hutchinson,
Lockhart d Frew, r. Robinson 81 Co., N
Holmes 81 Sons, John Harper, and Michael
Graver The works are among the largest in the
country, and carry very heavy capital. There
was no insurance upon the stills, as no risks are
taken upon them by the insurance companies.
The loss will not exceed $4,000, while it may
fall below that figure.


Two large crude Oil tanks, of about eighteen
thousand barrels capacity each, and both nearly
full, stand within the inclosure, but these
remained intact as ddalso an underground tank
into which oil was being drawn off, by means of
pipes, from the stills where the fire was burning.
The agitating house also uninjured. When
the extent of the works, the large quantity of
oil in the tanks, and the nature of the fire are
considered, it is surprising that so little damage
was done.


The exploded still had been repaired about
two weeks ago, and it is supposed that some ex-
are of the opinion that there must have been
considerable water in the crude oil which had
recently been put into the still, and that the ex-
plosion was caused by the generation of steam.
The exact cause of the explosion, however, will
probably never be ascertained.


The fire will not interfere materially with the
operation of the works, as the stills not injured
will be worked until the Others are repaired.
The exploded still will be abandoned Altogether