The herald., 1897-02-19


dissatisfied is sure"
DO you regard the surroundings as
unhealthful?"
Worse than that" answered Mr..
Conrey. There is danger of broken
bones or even loss'o life"
NUMEROUS AFFIDAVITS.
The Herald is in possession Of 125 affi-
davits made by prominent citizens. all
residing in the oil district, the regular
form of which runs as follows:
THAT the portion of said city of Los An
geles in the vicinity of said oil wells Is
th!ckly populated and occupied with resi-
dences and such oil wells with attached
engines and boilers and oil tanks, are To-
cateG on vacant lots, and also in and among
rich residences and in some instances upon
lots on which houses occupied for resi-
dences q ersituated,
That in and among such wells and
houses large quantities of crude oil are
stored in tanks, and in open reservoirs In
the ground:
THAT said oil wells are constructed and
operated by means of boilers with engines
attached, which said boilers emit large
quantities of smoke. noxious vapors, SCOT.
by blowing off steam, by whistling and
other noises in the movement of machinery
in connection herewith
THAT by reason of the large number of
Sucn steam DOltTS anu tlSluts, tue mus
phere is saturated and contaminated for
great distance around such wells from
such smoke, noXious vapors and SCOT, IN
which ever direction the wind happens to
blow from;
THAT such smoke and noXious vapors
and SCOT pollute the air within and around
such residences of the inhabitants OF said
city not only in the immediate vicinity of
said oil wells, but for distance OF more
than a half mile therefrom. and in which
ever direction the wind happens to blow
,t,, otn.1I He
agreeable to the injury and annoyance of a
great number of inhabitants of said city,
and over the same area such inhabitants
are greatly injured and annoyed by the
noises from said engines and boilers, and
their rest and comfort is greatly disturbed.
especially during the hours of night;
''rhat such oil tanks containing crude
petroleum and open reservoirs of oil as
aforesaid. are located near to occupied
residences in said city and thereby i'm
peril the lives and homes of many people
and threatens their destruction by hre:
THAT each of said boilers. engines,
pumps, drills, oil tanks and sludge holes
contributes to the injury, annoyance and
nuisance heretofore mentioned:
THAT each oil boiler, engine, pump
and drill contributes to the noise afore-
said.'
MEDICAL REASONS.
Not few of those who have signed
and sworn to the above have added
other specific clauses setting forth
special nuisanceS not covered by the
general paper Among the number are
five physicians each of whom has been
called upon to treat diseases caused by
the gases. smoke and other nuisances
originating in the oil district. The
names. occupation and residences of all
these individuals can be given should
the occasion arise.
PROPERTY RUINED.
Mr.. Burdett, attorney, Wilcox build
ing, when questioned about his personal
experience, SAID:
..Weu, my property is ruined, and
what the outcome is to be do not know.
1t would cost me five, six or seven hun
dred dollars to move my house. and even
If moved it would sustain damage from
racking, cracking. My house Is
relatively large one and cannot be shift
ed without much difficulty. 1t is not
like many others in the neighborhood
which you can almost pick up and tuck
under your arm. Besides l have no lot
to put the house on even if it could be
moved. Then few people have money
to spare in such times as these"
rs there no redress?" queried the re-
porter.
"Oh, yes, of course, but then even
that would be difficult and troublesome,
and that isn't what we want, either. To
abate the nuisance is our object
SOME SAMPLES
'sBesides / have a great many neigh
bors who are dependent, or think they
are, upon the oil industry, and while
they all suffer from the abuses of the
oil gatherers, they seem to be willing to
remain silent rather than risk losing
bread and butter. Not a few have mort
cages upon their property and think they
see an opportunity of clearing the land
and improvements from incumbrance.
If 1 propose to take action they say I
will prevent them from clearing them
selves, but say no. No one would be.
better pleased to see them all succeed,
but tell them they are trying to wipe
out their debt at my expense.
REGULATION OF THE INDUSTRY
They all admit the oil industry is a
nuisance, but they are afraid to act.