Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-22
SANTA BARBARA.
THE STORY OF THE TROUBLES IN
SPOOKvILLE.
Summerland Neighbors Have and About
Gas Wells Their Present Status.
News and Personal Notes.
Special Correspondence to the HERALD.

Special Correspondence to the HERALD
SANTA BARBARA, March 20. y
Summerland, little spiritualistic
suburb situated few miles below this
city, more familiarly known as "Spook-
ville," has received more and more no.
toriety ever since its advent into this
skeptical world. Four years ago the
place where the city is now situated was
but barren waste. The land was over
grown with the thrifty mustard plant,
cultivation being impossible. Today
there is quite village, situated on the
cliffs near the ocean, where nightly visi-
tations from spirit-land are had.
But Summerland is not yet what it is
destined to be. The city now has a
weekly paper-printed for the exclusive
benefit of mediums and their subjects !;
Wells-Fargo office, railroad station
and grocery store, besides several mi
nor business concerns and commodi-
GUS hotel. A library building is also
one of the appurtenances of the city,
where weekly social gatherings are held.
lands first gas well was struck, and
since that time the troubles OF this burg
have become noted. When the gas was
struck each property-owner began per-
sistent search for the gassy fuel from
the bowels of mother earth. Holes were
run down about every 100 feet, but the
searchers met with little success and the
work was given up after three or four
small wells had been secured. The flow
of gas was good and every resident used
it for fuel, until lately, when the flow
diminished go that it had to be replaced
with wood and coal.
In the meantime, however, when the
search for "gushers" was going on. H.
l.. Williams, founder OF the city, sold to
company in this city all right, title
and interest in the streets of said city,
and the company soon began boring
holes in the streets in the hopes OF strik-
ing good flow. But those who had
come from far off cities to make Sum-
merland their home, objected 80 strenu-
ously to this proceeding that Mr.. Will
liams was compelled to repurchase from
the company that right which he had
sold. This brought on i'll feeling! among
the spiritualists, and two factions
and the other by E. I. Slight. Family
ouarrels were numerous, and one assault
led to another, until arrests were made
and the leaders were brought into court.
From that time until today Spookville
has held prominent place in court pro-
ceedings. Tomorrow will be devoted
entirely to Summerland cases. Three
suits for damages are to be tried; one
that of II. l.. Williams vs. E. T. Slight,
to recover the sum of $32 900 and costs
of suit. the complaint alleging that the
defendant made misrepresentation con-
cerning the property, greatly affecting
the sale of lots in Summerland. In an
other case Slight is sued in the sum of
$4,000 by La Roy Prescott, the COM
plant alleging that his good name and
reputation were damaged to that extent
by the defendant causing his arrest on
October II, 1891, for malicious mischief.
The third case is that of James 5.
Loveland We. H. L. Williams, E. T.
Balch and La Roy Prescott, asking that
an interlocutory order be made requlr-
ing the defendants to permit the plain
tiff to enter upon their premises to lay
and connect water pipe with the water
system and reservoir, and that he have
such further order that he may recover
IFOul CuH uelouuauVo IH0 ooSV" VI 0ho
suit.
Much interest is centered in these
cases, as all parties are we'll known
throughout Southern California.
NOTES.
The churches today were overcrowded,
visiting tourists attending en- masse.
The Santa Rosa arrived from the
north this afternoon with a large list of
passengers.
A large number OF excursionists leave
the San Marcos tomorrow morning.
Their places will be filled upon the ar
rival of the noon train.
Friday night about midnight an cover
loaded" Spaniard took a tumble from
the wharf into the ocean. He was
fshed out after remaining in the water
about fifteen minutes, sober and re-
pentant.
The Wilbur Comedy company finished
a very successful week at the opera
house last night, in the Clemenceau
Case. The company made very. good
showing here and made host OF friends
among theater goers.
A Japanese tea was given Friday af-
ternoon and evening by the ladies of st.
Cecelia club, at which $329.S0 was taken
in. 1t was beautiful affair and the
ladies are deserving of great credit, The
affair was given for the benefit of the
cottage hospital.
District Attorney Putnam yesterday
addressed the council upon the subject
of placing the police Judge on salary
instead of the present "commission"
business. This is an important move
on the part OF the attorney and it is
hoped the council will consider favorably
his discourse.
Another meeting of the city council
was held yesterday afternoon to discuss
unfinished business. The water ques-
ton was the main topic and there was
much wrangling between the water COM
pany's representative and the council
men. An ordinance was passed to its
first reading regulating the water rates
in compliance with ]. T. Johnson's ex-
pert report.