The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-02
Improbable Profit.

The Buffalo people are very much excited
about the Pipe Line bill. They want II TO
pass. They want the Governor to sign IL.
They are DESTROYS Of having pipe line from
Bradford. Pennsylvania, 10 Buffalo, so that
they can bring oil from Bradford and have
it refined at Buffalo. They say Buffalo can
furnish most OF the materials used in REIN
ing. and the profits Of the business they
think would bc large
This may be SO. We suppose the profits OF
refining OIL though precarious and iluctu-
ating, are often very large. The business
has long been carried ON extensively at
Hunters Point, ON the west end OF Long
Island, opposite 10 this city The Standard
Oil Company and other companies and in
dividuals engaged in the business there are
believed to have made great deal Of money.
But, however large in itself the profit Of
manufacturing the various articles made
from crude petroleum may be. We doubt
whether. when all the effects Of the business
are taken into account. II is not, to speak
paradoxically but correctly, an Improbable
profit.
The stencil arising from the works is nor
riblc. The influence Of establishing an oil
factory In keeping population from neigh
hOrhood is most potent. Even If the Often
sivc odor arising from the works be not In
itself unhealthy. about which there may en-
ist some difference Of opinion, 1t must be iu-
directly very injurious, 10y the loss OF appc-
tito and ~ slccp, and the nausea and posi-
tive discomfort which 1t occasions. The
diminuton In the value Of property at Hun
tors Point in consequence Of the oil works
must be something enormous, Even the
travel on the railroad is sensIbly lcsscned
or kept down by these works one Of the
most common objections urged to the water
ing places on Long Island il the necessity,
in passing "a and fro Of inhaling the dread
ful smells OF hunters Point.
But it is not the west end Of Long Island
nor the whole Of Long Island, alone, which
is injured by these oil rciincrios The east
side Of upper New York city suffers almost
~ seNercly. The smells that arise from
Hunters Point and float over the East river
OF a WARM summer evening, settling down
on the cast side Of this city, are almost I'M
endurablc. They are the source Of tho
greatest annoyance. making many persons
sick at the stomach, causing them also.
severe headache, and banshing sleep from
their eyes.
Tho consequent influence on the value OF
real estate on the east side Of town is highly
detrimental 1t is particularly appreciate
Just at this time, the season for leasing
houses. Not only does it have an effect to
keep down the rent Of houses subjected 10
this odor, but very many persons will not
inhablt thcm at any price.
Wherever, in dense population, or in the
ncighborhood Of n dense population, an oil
refinery is set up, u public nuisance is
created. Buffalo is an unfortunate city ii
she cannot contriye, in some manner not so
at variance with constitutional rights as the
Pipe Line bill, to introduce all the public
nuisances she requires II her citizens will
! give Little attention to arithmetic they
will find that the net results of an unproft-
able profit do not figure up ON the right
side.