The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-09
Storage OF; f;Pctro1eu1n.
,-,...s71 :, . 'I,''-l : 80
Editor Ddi|y Mems Na.

1/AuOF. O1uy IFetOS
The new Ordinance regarding tho storage of
petroleum, which you regard with euch strong ad-
1niration in your issue OF yesterday, should be en-
titled an Ordinance to njure the Wholesale Trade
OF Charleston" The Committee have prepared q
Bill more sweeping in Its restrictions than has
been enacted in any other wholesale mart in the
whole country. They have, apparently, only
viewed one side Of the question, and summoned
before them only such persons as would testify in
accordance with their preconceived opinions, thus
furnishing grounds for the belief that from the
commencement of the partial investigation, the re-
suit was foregone conclusion although 80 entire
prohibition Of the Wholesale trade was hardly to
be expected. This ordinance provides that petrc-
leum and its products shall not be stored scu.h of
Line street, in quantities Of over one barrel, and
that for only one day-thus necessitating tho
building or hiring Of warehouses to specially store
an article which Is now of as common sale and
traffic as turpentine OF rosin, both of which pro-
ducts burn as readily aspetroleum, if On especial
effort is made to ignite them. We deny in toto
that kerosene or petroleum, refined to tho fire test
OF ITO degrees, is exceptionally dangerous; arGi
recent United States Law amended Revenue
Law. March ]. 1867, y Which We annex provides,
viz: ( ~ ~
nLUauNArNa OILS t@.
SEC. 29. And be further esac.ed, That no per
son shall mix for sale fnnDhtha and Illuminating &
offer for sac such sare Or sha iP se i or o'e offer
for sale oil made from petroleum for illuminating
purposes, inflammable.at less temperature or fire
test than. 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and any person
so doing shall be held Ito be guilty Of a misde-
meanor, and on conviction thereof by Indictment
Hs I hi
by fine Of not less than 500 1.or more than $780,
and BY inpria5nment sors term Of not less than
l Six months nor more thsn three years.
nrdsr, =
framed, not for BEST interests af the merchants
Of Charleston, but to satisfy an ignorant prejudice
existing in the minds of It members Of the
Board Of Underwriters, who we're cIieay instru-
mental in conooctiogs 8 Bill (which -Herods
HERoD IN its Keeping restrictions, So far as our
knowledge extends, 10 person Interested in the
purchase. sale, or stdsagesof petroleun was sum
moned before the Coranitttse, and no opportunity
was Afforded for rebp testimony the Ordi-
nance being based upon er p1Tte; evidence, the
Committee quietly igsaring the old.axiom Of there
Ebeing two sides to EbryS question. Tho jobbine
trade in petroleum n s,st now BE abandoned, and
Savannah, Baltimore and other Wholesale marts
w.n reap the profits ofE q which is daily
increasing in magnitude and now as an article o.
export, ranks third mvalue, while the home coz.
sumption IS airh6sa nss Committed
| we're not, perhaps, aware that the rates Of ONT
tirm in the city averaged over two hundred bar.
rels per month during the past winter, all 81
which was shipped to the interior ST his State and
Georgia, besides selliag II fty il bond
for export; a trade that sefeotually
stamps out. ~: sfs4
Now, We submit Ne Editor, vhether the large
and increasing ttsade should bes sso msrtrnmarily 81
crushed, without pasties5 pecuniari