Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 July 1890 — HEAVY LOSS BY FIRE. [ARTICLE]

HEAVY LOSS BY FIRE.

Several Uvea lost In a Burning Be finery at Loulsvillp, Five acres of fire was the awful sight witnessed at the Standard Oil Refinery, - Louisville, on the 30th. The immense structure was blazing at every point, and the heat was so intense that even 200 yards : away persons were overcome. The fire broke eut at 8:45 o’clock, and was In many respects a remarkable one. The refinery is on the east side of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad tracks, but the tanks are scattered along it on both sides. On last Saturday a tank of crude oil came in a flat car from Cleveland, and it was to be turned into the refinery vats. Some of the workmen thought the iron tank was too hot for such a thing to be done with safety. .After consultation, it was postponed in the Jhope that the weather Monday would be j copier. It did not prove to be, however land it became necessary to run the oil out [of the oar tank into another one in thb yard. Inspector Severnskene took- John Pettigo and another workman, whose name could not bo learned, with him, and they climbed on the-car, They mounted the manhead and were about to unscrew the cap when they felt that there was a tremendous pressure from the inside against it. At first they decided not to open it. but finally they changed their minds and did so. In an instance there was a dull puff as the vapor escaped, filling the air all around, and it sank to the ground, spreading out all over the locality and moving so fast Ithat almost in a twinkling it reached one lof the sheds under which there was a fire. iThere was a flash as the inflammable vapor Ignited, and immediately after there was a tremendous explosion. The tank was blown to pieces and the hundreds of gallons of burning oil were scattered all over the great works. A wall of fire 300 feet high and nearly 900 feet long moved with lightning rapidity to the buildings. In less time than it takes to relate it the can -j ning house filled with thousands of gallons of canned oil, the cooper shop, the car- i penter shop, and pump and engine house,’ the filling and lubricating house the stor-! age halls, the paint and glue houses and! 900 feet of platform were all ablaze and 4 burned furiously. At the first intimation' of the explosion all of the workmen who j could do so started to run.

John Cline, however, stumbled and fell j and his clothes caught fire, The other men 1 bravely returned to his assistance, but thef fire that enveloped him could not be ex-1 tinguished until he had been frightfully! burned. Three little boys, Danny O’Neil, j Andrew and John McDonald, were walking, along the railroad track when the explosion 1 occurred. They were slightly to the west' of the tank and the wind blew the blaze, directly down upon them. Shrieking with| pain they impulsively jumped backward and into the clear space on the western side of the track. Their clothes were on fire, and they ran down the trank with t,hn bright blaze streaming after them. As soon as the bystanders recovered from tho horrified shock occasioned by their awful, condition, they pursued the three boys.» Covering them with blankets, they soon, extinguished the flames and laid them under a tree near by. When an attempt was made to remove O’Neal s clothes a great piece of his flesh peeled off his face and body at the slightest touch. Ho was conscious and neyer uttered a cry. The buildings and stock so far as burned will be a total loss, estimated at from $300,000 to $400,000. ; Three of the persons burned can not recover.

Later, tho immense plant of tbe Allens Bradley Distillery Company was swept, away by fire,doing damage of not less than $150,000. The type foundry warehouse of Marder, Luse & Co., at Minneapolis, was destroyed on the same date. Loss on building and stock, SSO,OOO.