The herald., 1894-08-01
THE VEXED OIL WELL PROBLEM.
The New Ordinance Does Not
Give Satisfaction.
1t Goes Back for Some More
Amendments.
The Document Presented by the City
Attorney Does Not Please tho
MRjo of the Council.
They Oppose Ii.

The council tackled the much vexed
oil well question at a special session
yesterday afternoon.
President Teed was in the chair and
In order to open the proceedings called
for the reading OF the revised ordinance
which was tackled on as an addendum to
the report of the city attorney presented
at the session Of the council on Monday.
This new ordinance differs very extern
sively from the original document and
10 by no means 80 restrictive in its
character as the first one prepared.
The now ordinance stipulates that a
permit shall be obtained from the fire
commission before a we'll shall be drilled
or operated outside of the general fire
limits. Further, that no engine shall be
operated for Gil we'll or other purposes,
except between 5 O'Clock in the morning
and O'Clock in the evening and that
the plant shall not be operated in q
manner offensive to people residing in
the immediate neighbornood. AS to the
noxious fumes and smoke the oil men
are required to use smoke consumers
and in the event Of failure to comply
with these conditions the permit to
operate shall be revoked on two days.
notice. When O we'll has been drilled
to the oil sand the derrick must be
removed within 80 days. Any violation
OF the conditions OF the ordinance sub
jects the offender to fine of $100 or 81
days in Jail.
Mr.. Nickel opened tho ball with re-
gard to the new ordinance prepared bv
City Attorney Mcfarland by saying: II
do not remember that we instructed the
city attorney to place clause in this or
dinance providing that the permission
OF the FIRE commission should first be
obtained before oil.wells could be drilled.
We directed him to draw up an ordi-
nance governing the manner in which
the wells should be operated 30 that
they would not interfere with public
health. therefore move to etrike out
that section."
Mr.. Innss stated 1t was time that this
oil we'll matter was settled. This was
the third ordinance which had been
drawn up and he would like to know
just what Mr.. Nickel wanted in the or.
dinance. II this one was not satisfac-
tory he would move that the matter be
referred to special committee consist
ing OF Messrs. Nickel, Rhodes and
Campbell to prepare one to suit their
ideas.
Mr.. Nickel then stated that he was
not in favor OF the clause limiting the
operation of the wells between the hours
of 8 q. m. and p. m.
+. A. Rogers ON behalf Of the oil men
then appeared before the council and
stated that if the hours for pumping the
oil were limited it would work positive
financial injury to the oil men, as it was
necessary that they should pump their
wells during the entire "a hours in order
to obtain full results from their invest
ment.
The proviso with regard to the re.
moval of derricks was stricken out, as
was also the section limiting the hours
of pumping, although the clause was
changed to read that wells should not be
drilled except between 5 a. m. and 7 p.
m. A clause providing that all elush
and debris from the wells should be re-
moved was adopted, and the ordinance
was then referred to the committee on
fire and water to further whip it into
shape and more closely comply with the
ideas OF the counclmen ~ expressed at
the meeting last week,