The herald., 1897-03-04
had authority to compel owners to clean

| had authority to compel owners to clean
| up private property.
Councilman Grider said that the COM
mittee had visited the oil fields and
| found numerous unsightly sump holes,
| which should be taken care of and some
thing should be done at once.
Fred Eaton said that they should be
stopped. They could be done away
with II proper cesspools are dug. The
| cost would be nominal But the oil men
are careless and do not pay proper at
| tention to the rights of the property
owners. AS it is now, the oil men are
building dams across Bonnie Brae and
Alvarado streets, where there is a nat
ural depression, in which to run the
refuse from all the wells and Mr.. Rom
nell was getting a revenue for creating
a nuisance. People are compelled 10
pump out water when 1t stands on their
land, and there was no reason why these
men should not be compelled to take
| care of this oil. He was not complain
ing for himself, but for the people down
on Washington and Figueroa streets,
who were greatly damaged by oil being
washed down over their property but
who did not come forward and protest
for themselves.
| Several indignant property owners en-
tered their protests, going over substan-
tally the same ground covered at the
| llTSl meeting, MHtH lHC NoS
again read, and, as far as ii went, 1t was
agreed that it was satisfactory.
The bull wheel ordinance was next
read, and Mr.. Burdette said that while
he did not propose to oppose the opera
ton of the wells at night If they were
run without noises, he did want 1t
SO that he and the other people could
sleep. The ordinance already provides
against spudding in with loose cables
eh tools The Ordi-
nance was amended so as to prohibit
the acts complained of between the
hours of 8 p. m, and a. m,, instead or
10 a. M, as heretofore.
AS to the district in which oil wells
can be operated, this matter was passed
for the time being. it being understood
that Mr. Burdette, on the part of the
property owners, and Assistant District
Attorney Crutcher should agree on the
lines.
As to the abandonment of wells, the
present provision that abandonment for
the purposes of the ordinance shall be
the cessation of drilling or pumping for
thirty days shall constitute such aban-
donment, was retained, the Oil men De-
ing solidly against 1t.
In reference to noises, etc., the ordi-
nance was amended so as to prohibit the
blowing of whistles, blowing off of
steam, and making other unnecessary
noises, especially between the hours OF
o. m and 9. n.
The section regarding the oil we'll in
spector was amended so as to provide
for an inspector at S100 and deputy at
S75 per month each, to be appointed by
the council and to be amenable to the
council for their actions.
In the matter of sump holes. Council
man Mathuss moved that all such sump
holes be pumped out at once, proper cess
pools sunk and enclosed with four-foot
close fence, which motion prevailed after
a lengthy and somewhat heated discus
sion.
Mr. Eaton vigorously objected to what
he called the oil lake that the well-own-
ers were preparing to maks Bonnie Brae
and Alvarado streets, and insisted on
some provision being made to prevent it.
Mr.. Garbutt. on behalf of the oil men.
protested against the manner in which
their protests had been received, and
claimed that they had not been properly
treated.
The other members of the committee
disclaimed any intention to not treat
the oil men with due consideration, and
the discussion was continued.
The sump hole question was again
brought up, after the room had been
cleared Of all but members of the COM
mfttee, and another long discussion fol-
lowed. the result of which was that. on
motion of Mr.. Mathuss, it was decided
that each we'll should have its own
sump hole Of sufficient capacity to hold
the debris from said we'll, not exceeding
900 feet surface capacity.
Mr.. Burdette called attention to the
necessity Of precautions against fire,
and suggested that when a we'll ap-
proaches within a certain distance of a
dwelling, the storing of oil should be pro-
htbited. except underground, only in
such quantity as is necessary to run
their engines. This was the most serious
phase of the whole subject. He would
concede anything that the insurance
men would.
The hour Of II o'clock having arrived,
an adjournment was taken until Friday
evening at 7:30 o'clock