The herald., 1894-10-21
DISPUTES OVER THE OIL
PROPERTY-OWNERS TO SEEK RE
DRESS IN THE FEDERAL COURT.
Tho Present Mode of Operating Alleged
to BE n Nuisance and Carried on
Without Regard to Othor
Interests.

While the development of the oil in>
dustry in the city is causing quite @
large number of people to imagine that
there s millions in it and that their for
tune is as good sa made, there are also
others who feel that thsy are getting all
the sours without chance of receiving
solace at later date in the shape OF
monetary return.
These anti-oil men-to apply the
term by which they are commonly
known-are all owners OF property in
the vicinity Of the oil wells which were
recently eunk with euch success in the
Second-street district. Tne complaint
that they make, and which is to be
finally decided IN the courts, is in sub
stance rs follows:
Most OF the wells that have been sunk
are being developed by comparatively
poor men. and men, too, not residents
of the city. 1t is claimed that they have
everything to win and nothing much to
lose, and therefore they are carrying on
development work without any coneid-
GRAFTON for the rights of others. Having
neither money nor, apparently, inclina-
tion, to put in the latest style of ma
cinery, they obtained at nominal
expenditure machinery of an obsolete
type that itself constitutes nuisance.
Both dav and night these engines would
puff and blow aud make sleep an impos-
sibility to the residents within radius
OF q quarter Of mile. The city ordi-
nance passed the other day remedied
this to como extent, for the working
hours are now limited to q. m. to 9
D,,k
enough, say the oil men. and an sgita-
tion is on foot to have the ordinance re-
scinded in their behalf.
If the city council should be per-
suadsd to go back on their record then
the property holders, representing $780,.
coo sunk in real estate in the oil dis
trics, propoee inBtitutiDg suits in the
justices, superior and federal courts.
Failing any such action, however, on the
part Of the council within the next few
days, suit will be fled only in the fed
eral court. The issue to be decided is
simply whether q residential district,
that has been regarded as such, can be
depreciated in value by the operating of
oil wells. ALSO whether the mode OF
operating, in itself nuisance. can be
permitted
OnO VA tdO luOot bci hll6EbbiOub
made is that ct the junction of State
street and Lakeshore avenue q % 70 OF
tank. capable of holding 250 barrels, has
been erected in the most substanti tial
manner in the middle of the road.
Closely abutting is very narrow roa d
and across this roadway an immens Q
pool has formed into which drains by
the side cutters the refuse and debris
from the oil district. This accumula-
ton of semi-liquid matter ia percolatng
through the soil into the Second etreet
park, which is close at hand, where the
vegetation is already giving evidence OF
decay.
There are two sides to every question,
and the dividing line between the rights
OF the property holders as distinguished
from those of the oil men will be settled
by the suit, the papers in which are
Eow almost completed. j. Burdetts, ct
torney st law. ia leading counsel for the
property holders. and he has with him
as associates several legal lights who
live on the bill and consider that their
homes. in which they have sunk large
Gums OF money. are being seriously de.
preciated ia value.
Nearly all women have good hair, though