Year: 1879

TINE PHILADELPHIA OIL BLAZE.
rhe scene at the Point Breese Fire
A Grsphic Description From Oar
correspondent.


sps cial Correspondence Of the Republican


PHILADELPHIA, June 18th. 10.


Aswas stated in yes terday's tele-
grams, most destructive fire broke out
about 10 A. NJ, in the works OF the At
lantic Refining Co., which ragged all
day long with unabated fury. Through
out the day people were going to, or
returning from the scene of conhagra'
ton, in wagons and on foot, but to.
ward dusk especially the roads leading
to Point Breeze, were filled with both
classes of travellers, bent on seeing the
effects of the ire by night. And it was
q sight worth seeing.


1t is we'll known that the fire was
caused by the lightning striking the
packing house where was stored vast
quantity Of oil ready for shipment. In
an instant this building was in flames,
and these rapidly extended out to the
end of the wharf, where lay ship Ia.
den with oil and abodt to depart Tor
foreign port. A panic ensued among
her crew, all of whom but two imme-
diately left the ship to her fate and
sought safety on land. These two
fought the fire till the clothing was
nearly burned off their backs, when
they too, had to seek safety by flight.
Previous to becoming hopelessly on fire
her captain, it is said, offered the pilot OF
a tug $4,000 to tow his ship only to the
middle Of the stream, where he prob
ably intended to sink her, but tie pi-
lot refused his aid, owing, 1t was said,
to.the fact that his tug was too small
for the work and also that The stream
in that vicinity was sheet Of burning
flame.


An employee Of the works stated that
this same vessel had been struck by
lightning the day before. causing con-
siderable damage to one of her masts.
At any rate she seemed doomed to de-
struction and also to become firebrand
among the shipping in the immediate
vicinity, for she soon burnt loose from
her mooring5, and, drifting along with
the tide, set tirefrst to one vessel then
another, and so ON till in all seven
were reported to have been burned.
These ships continued to burn at night,
but were almost consumed, and lay
along the shore where the wharves had
been. The Hudson" " large ship,
which had about 1000 barrels of oil on
board, presented an awful, yet fasci-
mating sight. From stern to stern she
was one mass Of belching fire, which
rushed fiercely and greedily upward as
though not content with what it had
already destroyed, it meant to annihi-


late even space itself. Although the
flames were dazzling bright they threw
out smoke, which, traversing the air
across the city and far into New Jersey,
had all the appearance of portentious
storm cloud and which hung like pail
over the lower suburbs of the city.
Several tugs lay near the Hudson,
forcing water for the tiremen to differ
ent parts of the grounds. In an open
space stood three large oil tanks, built
something like the body of a gas re-
ceiver, one Of which, containing 1000
barrels of oil, had taken fire early in
| the day. From this tank the fire rush
ed into the air with unbounded fury, at
times shooting forth volume of flame
equal in extent to the circumference OF
the tank, and reminding one forcibly
of the descriptions of a volcanic erup.
ton. Again there would be an appar-
ent lull for few seconds, during which
the murky smoke seemed to envelop
the tank and its immediate surround.
ings-but only for few seconds, tor
the flames, as though jealous OF their
absolute supremacy in that place,
would burst forth again with violence
that made them resemble in form the
massive ball-like white clouds that sail
across the sky previous to q summer
storm.


This tank was the centre of attrac'
ton to the crowds of spectators gather
ed around at safe distance, among
whom were many women. The other
two tanks were located about 200 feet
away, and it was momentarily expected
they would fail prey to the tlames.-
TO strengthen this feeling, the wind
suddenly changed so that the flames
blew directly toward these tanks
The iremen, however, were promptly
on hand, and, despite the heat, placed
themselves in position to throw water
on the sides exposed to danger. 1t was
by no means pleasant place for the
men, as was shown by the steam that
kept ascending from the tanks as the
water fell on their heated sides. But
the fire in the ignited tank was now
manifestly losing its force, although it
bade fair to burn for number of
hours yet; consequently the fears for
the safety of the others were consider
ably lessened. The ground rounda-
bout, which had become impregnated
with oil in the course of business was
thoroughly burned out.


Meanwhile, owing to the change OF
wind, some of the burning vessels were
blown loose from shore and began to
float down stream. Two of the tugs,
however, quickly steamed up and took
them in charge, towing them to safe
place further down the river. As their
charred and smoking hulks passed 81
emily by they recalled boyhood stories
of ghostly skeleton ships traversing the
ocean without visible crew to guide
them.


Numerous stories were told of the oc-
currences of the fire. 1t was said a
cabin boy had jumped from his ship and
was drowned. Nothing definite, how
ever, was known. A number of Italian
seaman want aadlv infO town HAVING