The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-02-24
THE STORAGE or OIL
Councils Ordinance Committee Considered
The Subject at Its Last Meeting,
OIL DEALERS SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT
IN" committees Hears Their Sfdo or
the Question nclore Hcci,Iinp p,n.
ON "n oriinnnce, NequcsIs CITY ~.
'"rhry 10 Trepnre ono scstrictius
nc storage Of Infinn,inasblcy.

,,iI c councils Ordinance Committee
10 con.,.,t 49,, ,i,,itefcstlns meeting last evening
~ ~ coiSluer The subject OF the storing, !,
~ ~. ihnammable oils within the civ
InniitS. there We're present NIessrS
fhraht. Seneca ana Williams. or thn
g1"3,n.1iltieG: and Mr. f. S. Philhower. MI.
a,,'' '.,'S u,' Necilns. OF the Southern OH
~ az :, supply company; Alr. H. a. Savage.
Oh Inc Paragon Oil company: Mr1J n
Audlns ton, Mr.. j. o. Rcid. =,
ordihanccs or other cities having
s stliliar hearing 10 the one proposed for
NorIolll were read by the clerk
Mr.. j. ID. AGldingt0p yns ,rrnn+o1 +ho
privilege or the floor. He said TINT as n
prokcr ne was interested in the sale Of !
on. Oh iic had tried to get several Of his
;,,,,.c G,itiatS 10 ne present, but engagements
letter from AIR. NJ. l.. II. Davis. which was
fchu. Ten barrels. they thought. little
enough to be allowed stored on the side-
walks. They also protested against the
restriction OF tho privilege Of storing
stock on wharvcs. 80 {
MIR. NDDINGTON'S VIEWS.
Mr.. AddinGton thought the estimate
OF ten barrels u fair one. ana also en-,
phasized the hardship which would bi
worked by the restriction or wharf stor
age l5ecausc Of the restrictions imposed,
III Richmond, he said. that, although his
prlce was cent per gallon lower thar
lhe Itchmond price. he could not sell
there. =
Mr.. Farant desired to know the magni-
tudo OF the oil business in this CITY, and
was Informed that 1t was nearly 100 bar
relS per day.
~ IIRl2NrAN'S OPINION.
Assistant Chief. OF The Fire Depart
mcnt Wcbbcr was sent for and asked his
opinion on the subject He was radi-
cnlly: opposed to the storage OF oil in any
quantity within the city limits. The
department, he said. could not enter Il
1it1,r 1, ta1. ~ =,
lire. He cited instances where explo-
sions Of oil have wrecked burning build
tngs in this city.
Mr. Savage said that since 1872 no fire
had been caused by oil which Is not
subject 10 spontaneous combustion.
Chief Webber thought there was small
danger from the oil ITSELF except in the
event of the building In which it Is
stored taking fire.
The concensus Of opinion among the
strictions arc imposed on the practice OF
wharf storage, 1t will play into the hand
or the concern which wishes to raise the
price. A2
y QUESTION OF COMPETITION.
Mr.. ]. o. Reid does not deal in OIL
he said that competition could only be
maintained by storage In transportation
companies warehouses. He thought the
same carelessness that would start All
oil fire would ignite hay or lime.
Mr.. Williams desired to know how
much oil Mr.. Reid considered safe to
store on docks.
Eight or ten days storage would be
enough time, thought Mr.. Reid, and
about sixty barrels to each merchant
Car service charges, he thought, would
operate toward early removal.
Mr. keeling thought ten days or
week q proper length OF time for the oil
to be stored
Mr. Savage said that with q twelve
hour limit the amount OF oil on the docks
would not materially lessen the amount
carried.
Mr.. Add!ngton was Of the opinion that
restrictions as to dock storage would
hurt both the consumer and the open
market.
THE ORDINANCE.
After these hearings the committee
went into a secret executive session, as
n result OF which the City Attorney was
instructed TO prepare an ordinance to be
submitted to the committee, providing
that no person or firm other than 8
transportation company shall keep in
any.buidinS or lot within the city at any
one time more than 100 gallons Of kero-
scne oil or fifteen gallons OF naptha,
gasoline or other highly inflammable
fluids, and no transportation company
shall keep on storage any one consign-
ment OF kerosene oil, naptha, gasoline or
other highly inflarnmable fluids for q
greater length OF time than seventy-tWo
hours after its receipt.
Any person, finn or transportation
company violating this ordinance shall
be subject to q fine Of not less than 500