The herald., 1897-02-21

the property of many people and not
few have been forced to sink wells in
self defense, you might say. Now there
is Mr.. Trafton over on Bonnie Brae, who
has a fine house and beautiful grounds.
They have surrounded him with der
ricks, even right up to his front door,
so that now he has driven a well in his
back yard and contemplates putting
another in front of his house.
Then, too, there is DR.. Fletcher He
used to live up here on Welcome street,
near State street. They surrounded
him and literally drove him away. He
moved his house over on to Boru lie Brae
and now 1 understand they have him
hemmed in again"
THE ENEMY OF ART
Rev. j. F. Fletcher lives on Bonnie
Brae street His modest house, which
has once been moved to escape the dirt,
scot, noise and smoke, concomtants Of
the oil developments, is filled with rare
engravings, water colors and oil paint
ings, gems of art brought by the doctor
from Italy. Exquisite ceramics from the
site of the ancient buried cities. Hercu-
laneum and Pompeii, speak of the taste
and refinement of their proud owner.
Other bric-abr and Turkish rugs,
too, contribute to the comfort of DR..
Fletcher's home The fact that the prox-
unity of the oil wells vitiate the insur-
ancS upon THESE NdludpltS lHleHSlllSS
the doctors discomfort. But the doctor
is a philosopher as well as a scholar,
and accepts his fate as is becoming to
one who has reached the sunset of life
and realizes the vanity of all things
earthly.
No" he said resignedly. Il shall not
run away again from the oil. 1t is lit
tie more bearable here than it was on
Welcome street. Over there it seemed
that property owners had no rights that
oil men were bound to respect.
THE oil men have learned a little
something, too he added, since the
work of driving wells began. The smoke.
SCOT, and noise used to be intolerable.
Listen! now" ard he raised his index
finger. "hear that? Well, that used to
be all the time, day and night. Now
they seem to have a little more respect
for Sunday.
'The operators have at last learned to
use the natural gas. which occurs with
the oil. to drive their own engines, and
thus they reduce expenses and make
less dirt and smoke.
ION this side of me you see we'll has
just been driven, and on the other side
four lots have been leased by the Amer
lean Crude Oil company. But lessees
are learning wisdom from experience,
and when contracts are made Stipulations
of various kinds are included for pro-
lection of property and the removal OF
all debris. derricks, etc. when opera
tions cease.
PROTECTION CURTAINS
you see those curtains of burlap
there? Well. when the pumps are work
ing and the piston is drawn up the oil
scatters and spatters, and the burlap is
to catch the oil and thus prevent dam
age. My neghbors here are very con-
siderate, and the owner of the adjoining
property would not lease his lots to the
oil men until I had given my consent.
But of course l would rather the oil
should not be here.
LAS it is, however, I have fenced off
the back part of my lot, sixty feet, and
rented it to Mr. Parker, in whom I have
confidence, so I will get some revenue.
INSURANCE REFUSED
zone hardship is the vitiation of insur
ance. Most of the American companies
refuse to write policies, but l am told
that a few foreign companies are TAX
ing some insurance.
"They make a great boast that the oil
industry is worth so much to the city
a million, seven or eight hundred thou
sand. believe. But I think they over
rate it. They certainly forget the de-
probation of real estate and the check
10 development which would otherwise
naturally occur. Such losses far exceed
the amount brought in by the industry.
You see they take a sided view of the
matter,