The herald., 1897-02-27


them from the city for two or three DAYS
week. In the daytime the people are
compelled to keep their windows closed,
much to their irfnconvenience.
Mr.. Burdett Said that the inspector
had failed to do his duty, but this did
not help out the people. Mr. Burdette
also referred to the nuisance created
by the 'sludge holes" which, he said,
were in some cases almost intolerable
Then, too, there was another feature OF
this case. The insurance company which
carried his insurance had notified him
that when the oil wells reached within
100 feet of his house, they would cancel
his policy, and had stated that they had
already Cancelled forty policies on houses
in that section, leaving the property alb
solutely without protection. He refer
reu to the operations of the fire ordin-
ance In relation to the storage of kerr
osene, and asked that the people of the
oil district be afforded the same protec-
tion as the people in other portions of
the city. In the matter of stringing
wires across the streets, he had no per-
sonal objection to this. as 1t kept down
the number of engines and boilers, which
he regarded as good thing. These, in
prief, We're the principal grievances of
the people, and they must have relief,
or they will be unable to longer live in
that section. Mr. Burdette instanced
the case of one of his neighbors Mr.
Campbell. who. he said, was surround
! ed by wells, and whose position had
been rendered almost intolerable, hav-
ing been kept awake for nights by the
noise. He said he was willing to make
! any reasonable concession in order to
get the oil out, even to the depre citation
OF his property for residence purposes
| for a few years but when it came to
forcing him fn q a bic
| he drew the line. He held that the or
| dinances on the books did not cover the
| case. There had been an oil inspector
| but he had never seen him. nor did he
know where he kept himself, but he did
know that the people had been annoyed
| and they wanted relief This could be
given, and no one would be injured
Mr.. Grider asked Mr.. Burdette as to
his opinion about the necessity for run
ming the wells at night
Mr.. Burdette said that in his opinion
this was not necessary. More could be
| made out of the wells by running at
night, but he did not think that it was
apolutely necessary. But this really
cut no figure. He was entitled to pro-
lection. and if man made a million DOL
lars out of it, that made no difference.
Councilman Toll asked Mr.. Burdette
| II he thought one man could do the
| work. This Mr.. Burdette declined to
| answer positively, but he thought one
man in the day and one at night could
| do it.
Mr.. Crutcher suggested that If an ar
rest was made occasionally it might help
matters, and Mr. Burdette agreed with
MIN. There had never been but one ar
! rest that he knew Of, and that had come
to naught.
Cal Foy said he wished to call the at
tention of the committee to the puddle
OF Oil at Sixth street, between Burling-
ton and Union avenues. This would
nave to be seen to be appreciated He
also complained about the noise at
night
Fred Eaton said he thought the boring
OF wells should be prohibited at night
he was not opposed to the oil industry;
ne realized that it was necessary, but he
wanted 1t conducted with the least pos
slDle annoyance and inconvenience.
Many of the nuisances could be done
away with, and if this was done he was
Wliilng TO pocket his losses. He thought
that, while the 1900 foot ordinance was
defective, the matter could be reached
py making the ordinance cover the West
lake watershed. Mr.. Eaton also thought
that. well-owners should be compelled
TO put down cesspools, which was an
inexpensive matter, and it would re-
lieve the people to certain extent.
Mr.. Keller, well-borer. said that it
was better to run the wells night and
day than to shut down at night, fo1 the
reason that If they were shut down it
would require three slush-pits where
one is now needed. and that in the morn
ing the smoke nuisance would be great
ly increased. Mr.. Keller said that
much of the noise at night was unnec-
essary The ordinance, as read, was
satisfactory, and if it's provisions are
enforced the annoyance complained of
VIII be greatly reduced.
N. r. Conrey. member of the board of
education, appeared on behalf of thc1
BODY to protest against the inccnven-
1ence caused at the Union avenue school.
He said that the smoke was almost in
tolerable. and that if the windows were
left open the SCOT poured in in such
quantities as to blacken the books of the
children. He thought that the children
should be protected. 1t had been sug-
gested that the schoolhouse be moved
but this was not practicable, and IL the
INDUSTRY was as profitable as has been
stated. the men engaged in it shuu! con
duct it in proper manner.
DR.. Book, who Is largely interested
In the wells, thought that most of the
annoyances complained of would dis
appear within ninety days, as by that
time boring would cease on the brow of
the hill and they would get down into
the valley on the other side. The WELD
was constantly decreasing, and in six
months we would need more oil than Is
produced in the local field. DR.. Book
thought that much of the noise at night
could be avoided il well-borers would
only be careful.
Mr.. Burdette again entered vigorous
protest against the noise, ard thought
that the Smoke-stackS should also be
raised as it was certainly wrong to have
them opening right into a mans win
dow.
Councilman Grider thought that with
some amendments the existing ordi-
nances would be sufficient to regulate
the matter
Councilman Ashman Thought there
was no reasonable excuse for the smoke.
If an engineer knew his business he
could keep his boiler from smoking, AMI
1T was either from ignorance or careless
ness II there was any excessive smoke
Mr.. Foy again called attention to the
necessity for providing cesspools, and
if this is done much IF the trouble COM
planned of will be obviated. Mr. Eaton
agreed with Mr.. Foy. He said that to
save q few dollars the oil men, instead
OF digging a proper cesspool, simply
threw up a little ridge of dirt and al
lowed the oil to run into any natural
depression in the ground that was
handy. A provision should be put in
the ordinance compelling we'll owners to
dig proper cesspools to take care of the
refuse.
A citizen asked whether it would not
be a good thing for these oil barons TO
q mr. in miv, v>.,,,