Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-11-29
TIE COAL OIL MATTER AeaIs.

TIE City Board of Trustees held a special
nesting last evening for the purpose of con-
sidering the petition for the repeal of Ordi.
nance No. 125, commonly known as tie coal
oil ordinance. A large number of insurance
men were present. and lumber of other
citizens, as well as the representatives of the
oil dealers. There was full Board, Trustee
Gutenberger having returned to the CITY.
Mayor Brown, In stating the object Of the
meeting, said the first duty of the Board was
the protection Of the ciiizens of the whole
city; also that II was their desire to be az
lenient az possible with the parties engaged in
the oil traffic. He then said IS one OF the
members was not present at the meeting
Monday when the matter was discussed. he
would ask that the subject be resumed from
the beginning.
Joseph Steffens, member OF the firm of
Whittier, Fuller & Co, then stated that the
petition for the repeal had been presented
because the ordinance conflicted with the in.
terests OF large business, He understood
that representative Of one OF the Boards of
Fire Underwriters of San Francisco was
present for the purpose of enlightening the
Board OF Trustees on the restrictions on fhe
storage OF oil in San Francisco, and also tie
iignt In which the subject was considered By
insurance companies.
Edward Cadwalader then introduced q.
NJ. Nichols, Surveyor of one of the Boards
OF FIRE Underwriters of San Francisco.
stating that he had been authorized to do 70
oy the Sacramento Board of Fire Under
writers at special meeting held in the after
noon. MIR. Nichols was Intercepted by the
Mayor, and stated that long experience
and close study of the subject had made
aim conVersant with the matter of explosive
l. 10 ho1s 4 - L @
ordinance to regulate the storage of oil was
worse than none at all, as it allowed 500 gal.
Ions OF kerosene to be stored, or the same
amount OF any of the other products OF
petroleum, some of which he stated were
worse than Chain lightning" In San Fran.
cisco 1t had been thought necessary to
specify the quality OF the oil, and
that ], 600 gallons of kerosene in tin cans
that would stand fash test of IlOo Fahren
helt was allowed; that some OF the other
products were limited to 100 GALLONS. while
those that were considered especially hazard.
Gus were only allowed to be stored in auanti-
ties in specially licensed warehouses. Mr..
Nichols considered kerosene practic lly safe
when stored by itself, the only trouble being
IN cases where there was sufficient fire to
melt the tin cans. He also stated that stand
ard kerosene would not emit vapor of any
kind, and that none of it would take FIRE M.
49, Nv AO sPOhO VI - SIatS law L!eaJ
was in force in many of the Eastern
States, which required that a Comni..
sionsr be appointed for the purpose
OF testing the various kinds of burning fluids.
aud which prohibited the sale of all under
certain degree of fire.test. Mr.. Nichols was
Intercepted in regard to a recent fire which
occurred in New York-to which reference
has already been made-and he replied that
he understood the fire was started by an ex-
piosion Of crude petroleum. He also said, in
reply to question, that two oil warehouses
in San Francisco were insured at Il per cent. /.
that the rate on paint stock was per cent:
on wholesale drug stores, i per cent. and
newspaper oiiices, containing steam engines,
II per cent.
After few remarks by different persons
present, vote was taken by the Board on
the question of granting the prayer of the
petitioners, and it was lost by unanimous
vote.
Arrangements were then made for Mr..
Nichols to meet the oil dealers and the City
Attorney to-day, for the purpose of framing
new ordnance to be submitted to the Board
OF Trustees at the next meeting, and one
that will be more satisfactory to all parties
interested.