The record-union., 1896-03-11
STANDARD OIL COMPANY.
It Gets the Privilege Of Putting Up a
Warehouse.
Residents and Property-0wners in the
Vicinity Make Vigorous But
Futile Protest.

AeOHdfu, w dcnuOFSl, INSAt, A<e'' - -
Kay. Bentley, Devine, Tozer and Pen
nish being present.
On motion of Kent, the fine of Pennish
for tardiness the night before was re-
mitted, as was that of Wachhorst, and
the President advised the board to ab-
rogate the rule, if they were not going
to abide by it.
The resolution to abolish the office of
Clerk to the Superintendent of Streets
was taken up and the Office was abol-
ished, Mckay, Tozer and Bentley vot-
ing no.
The ordinance granting the Standard
Oil Company the privilege of putting up
a warehouse between B and c, Eight
eenth and Nineteenth streets, came up
next.
Corporation Counsel Johnson was
called on for his opinion as to the neces-
sity of getting the permission of the
Chief Engineer, and said that he
thought the ordinance, as presented, did
not obviate the necessity of such per-
mission.
Arthur NJ. Seymour, for the company,
asked the privilege of withdrawing the
ordinance presented Monday night and
presenting another, which would not
need the Chief Engineers permission
to become operative. He was allowed
TO do so.
C. A Elliott, for the property-own-
ers in the vicinity of the proposed ware
house, addressed the board in opposi-
ton to the ordinance, stating that in
1893 the company succeeded in getting
an ordinance passed giving them the
privilege of erecting a warehouse at
.s..I
stands on the books to-day. To grant
them this privilege means to dedicate
that portion of the city to the Stand
ard Oil Company for fifteen years, as no
one will wish to build in the vicinity of
the warehouse. Citizens have no ami
mostly against the company because it
is a rich and powerful corporation, but
oppose the ordinance because they feel
that it will be a detriment to the city.
There have been several oil fires in
other cities that have been disastrous,
and the fear that there will be a ware
house allowed is already depreciating
property in that vicinity
A petition from citizens in that vicin-
ity, representing $75, 900 worth of prop
erty, was presented.
Tozer thought that it was hardly
meeting by reading the petition, but
Kent said that although the homes
there were humble. they were just as
dear to the owners as if they were rich,
and the privilege of petition was all
they possessed in this matter.
The petition, which was numerously
signed was read.
Leonard called Mckay to the chair,
nd fIof !, oh
tion to allowing the warehouse, but
when the company presents an ordi-
nance taking control of the matter from
the Chief Engineer of the Fire Depart
ment, he had changed his mind. He
found also that the company already
had privilege granted to them two
blocks above.
Wachhorst thought there was not
much property up there to be dam
aged, and the company would do much
good to the city in building up that por-
tion of town.
He had hardly concluded, when a
German lady, who was evidently one
Cf the property-owners, Jumped on
him with both feet" and said she would
like to put an oil tank alongside of his
house and see how he liked it.
A Mr.. Morris said he had bought
property and built a block away after
the company's request was refused last
fall, and when it was understood that
the sense of the board was that no
warehouse would be allowed in the city
Other citizens also entered their pro-
tests against the warehouse, declaring
it a menance to their property and
damage to values. One of them, also a
Teuton, named Schamyl, became very
much excited during his address and
acclaimed so violently against the tam
ell house" that President Leonard had
to put a summary stop to his speech
Chief Engineer Guthrie said that for
five years past the company has been
trying to get a warehouse. He had
twice recommended granting their re-
quest for other localities. He had
thought the matter over considerably
lately and believed that the people
over there should have some considera-
tiOn. He should recommend the board
to refuse to grant the permission asked.
Mr.. Seymour asked him some ques-
tions about rates and comparative risk
of planning mills and oil warehouses,
and was answered that if he knew a
place that was on fire that had fifty
gallons cf gasoline in it, he would not
order his men to go into it, but would
not hesitate to send them into planning
mill if necessary.
Mr.. Wiseman argued that the insur-
ance companies charge a much less
rate on oil warehouses than on planning
mills
Bentley argued against the granting
of the company's request. The roof of
the present warehouse has been broken
in for months, and there is no security
that the company will take better care
of the property in the future than in the
past. The property owners have right
10 consideration. The company has been
granted the privilege at Twenty-fourth
and 3 streets for the last three years.
but does not avail itself of it, and has
purchased the tanks Of the Whittier
Fuller Company, and Is trying to force
itself on property owners in that vicin-
ity. II should not be allowed to do So
Mr.. Seymour spoke strongly in favor
Of the ordinance, and said that when
ever anything was proposed in Sacra-
mento it was always opposed.
The Auditor of the company who was
present, said that in the past four years
there had been only four fires in the $50
warehouses of the company on this
coast. OF course, wnen there is a fire