The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-03-14
The Members of Engine Company
No. Four Cannot Agree
TWO MEN ARE REMOVED
An Engineer Charged With Insulting
Young School Girls
Residents In the Vicinity Of the Belmont
Tract Protest Against Permitting Any
nore OH Wells There

lHC tcS Wcchiy iucctiHS VI ehO
Board of Fire Commissioners was held
| yesterday morning, all the members being
present and Mayor RAIDER presiding.
! AS soon as the minutes of the previous
meeting were read and approved the presi-
dent said that he believed that several
gentlemen were present to enter protests.
Captain John Cross addressed the board
and said: Il appear before your honor
able body to protest against granting e..
M. Smith permit to bore for oil in the
Belmont tract.
The fact is that many OF us have erected
handsome homes in this vicinity, and we
want to continue to reside there rather
than to be compelled to move. There
are enough wells already in operation
near our houses, and we don't believe that
the board should extend the limits. A
decided stand has to be taken some time
| to restrict these people and 1t might as
well begin in the present instance. II we
don't get the relief we are entitled TO
from this board we will be forced to es-
tablish our rights i'll the courts, for the
nuisance cannot possibly be tolerated any
longer"
Attorney Burdette, who also lives in
the oil region, spoke at length upon the
| question under discussion. I'VE believe,
he said, that if the board understood
the case it would not dream of forcing any
more hardship upon the people who now
| make this protest. The nuisance has
become SO great that every day see houses
being moved away from the stencil OF the
oil wells.
The oil men themselves will tell you
at least most of them-that no one can
live in the oil region. These fellows do
not own the property but in most cases
lease the lots, while we who protest have
our homes here and have lived here for
years. Only few days ago lady who
resides near me hung out her washing,
and it became so soot-covered that three
different times she was forced to take it
in and rewash the clothes. Finally she
beanie exasperated and went down to see
the man who was running the offensive
engine and asked him if nothing could
be done to contine the SCOT and cinders.
He replied that she had better move, to
which she replied that she did not want
to leave; the neighborhood suited her
and she wanted to continue to reside in
her present home. Well, rejoined the
engineer, If you don't move we will
smoke you out. and the fellow walked
off, leaving the woman greatly astonished
at the cold blooded discourtsy.
Il Simply recite this incident to show
the board the attitude of the oil men
toward our residents. If they want to
maintain these nuisances and ruin Los
Angeles as residence city, let them pur-
chase our property at a fair price rather
than first ruin its worth and then force
us to give it away. Individually l have
invested several thousand dollars in my
home, which | would not sell at any
price, and now all | ask is the privilege
of being permitted to live in the depreci
ated property.
Now, my home is almost uninhabita-
ble from the smoke of the oil wells al
ready in operation. The smoke perme
ates the whole place, and the SCOT which
is but a greasy substance, covers and
ruins the furniture and destroys our
clothing. Our wives have to go in the
yard occasionally and their hair gets iull
of the grease.
Il ask that you gentlemen look into the
matter before granting MIR. Smith his
permit and thereby save us the trouble
and expense of applying to the courts. ,,
Captain Cross again took the floor and
said: Il would like to ask the members
OF the board if they would for moment
bore for oil adjoining L. ID. Stimson's
residence on Figueroa street. Not much,
you wouldn't! and we are entitled to
Just as much consideration as MIR. Slim
son, or any one else.
Chief Moore had already been informed
that a protest would be made and he
filed a report asking that he be given
another week in which to commune
with the residents near the Belmont
tract The board granted the time.
II. A. Van Fassen and H. E. Penny
packer applied for permit to develop
oil wells on lots and I, block -, OF the
Hancock survey.
The matter was referred to the Chief
with instructions to investigate the mat
ter and report at the next meeting.
The next matter disposed of was lot
of charges about the same as those in
l,- hon nr1x
meeting. Driver Jeffres of No. com
pany was charged with violating the
rules of the department by Engineer T.
H. Farmer, and thu latter also charged
Callman Collins with Objectionable con-
duct.
Farmer had been quarreling for some
time. He asked that they be heard, and
Engineer Farmer was called before the
board. "A week ago last Tuesday" said
he, collins came into the engine house
and argued with me about marking him
tardy SIX times last month. | told him
that l had to do my duty and he then
abused me in vulgar and profane man
ner. He said that he was on my trail
and would get me yet"
Continuing, Farmer said that Jeffries
was not fit to be a driver, for he has never
made successful run since he has been
in the department He does not know
ago when responding to a call from box
81. Jeffries passed plug, and engine No.
5 beat him to it and connected. Chief
Moore came along and ordered Jeffries to
take the machine to the house.
Driver Jeffries was then called and he
astonished the whole board, Colonel
Moore INCLUDED, by stating that on the
22d of February, after the parade, Driver
Roeder of the hose cart took his horse to
the house and then hurriedly departed.
He did not return until 10 p. m. and he
was then so drunk that he could hardly
stand up.
Mr.. Kuhrts said that Roeder had been
in the department for six years, was
never before the board during his service
and he personally knew him to be al
honest, sober and industrious fellow. He
had the misfortune to be 'Dutchman"
and that was all the other members of the
company had against him.
Callman Collins next testified and he
charged that 9 Engineer Farmer had
tiirted with little school girls. and had
made his presence SO obnoxious that
they now went around the block 50 as
not to pass by him. He had called him
down for it, He admitted that there
is considerable enmity existing between
members of the company. but he claimed
that Farmer is the d'sturber.
J. B. Kuhn. who lives,in a cottage on
the east side of the engine house, said
that he had complaint to make. He
said that Farmer had offended two young
girls last summer as they were passing
Tho enoina house He ,,arsi sfeI IN