The herald., 1897-04-10
With the l0O.F00t Limit in Which
Tanks Must Be Buried
WORKING FOR COMPROMISE
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF
PUBLIC WORKS
Board Of Health Appointees File Suit
to Collect Their Salaries-Meet-
ing of the Committee on
Water Supply

| Another oil seance was held at the
city hall yesterday afternoon, when
Messrs. Baker. Order and Toll. the spe-
cial committee Of the council. held an
other conference with a delegation OF
the oil well owners on the proposed mod
ification of the recently enacted ordi-
nance for the regulation of the oil In
dustry. Among the oil men present
were Messrs. Ed North. Parker. Magin-
mis-, strasburg and Fletcher. OIL In
spector Monlux was also an interested
spectator and listener.
The Messrs. Wiltshire were in attend
ance to urge the adoption of ar ordi-
nance for the protection of Sunset park
on the same lines as that adopted In
regard to Westlake park. prohibiting
the boring of wells within 1900 feet OF the
park. The gentlemen urged that ex-
tensive improvements were in contem-
plation about this park, and that II such
; an ordinance was adpoted number OF
new houses would go up during the COM
ing year. Judge J. A. J. Anderson, rep
resenting Mrs. G. Shatto, also urged
| that such an ordinance be adpoted. Mrs
Shatto contemplated making some val
liable improvements in that vicinity,
but was holding back until this matter
was settled
The oil men said they had no objec-
tions to such an ordinance. but insisted
that 1t was useless. as borings had
shown that there was no oil in that VI
cinity, and there was no danger OF any
one putting down wells
The committee then took the matter
under advisement. and will probably
report such an ordinance at the next
meeting of the council.
The section of the ordinance prohibit
ing the construction and maintenance
of storage tanks within 100 feet or any
| frame building was again taken up and
| argued at great length. AS stated be-
fore the council the oil men insisted
that the strict enforcement OF this reg
ulation would ruin the industry. as such
an additional expense would be I'M
posed on the oil men that the price OF
the product would be so high that no one
could afford to use it. They thought
that a fair compromise would be to at
least reduce the limit to fifty feet. and
that the word dwelling should be
inserted instead Of building" as this
would eliminate power houses, pump
ing plants, barns and outhouses.
This brought on a general discussion
of the proposition from an insurance
standpoint. The oil men insisted that
there was no set rule Of the insurance
companies as to the distance tanks
should be from buildings before they
would cancel their policies. The coun-
cilmen, on the other hand. stood firm
and insisted that. while they did not
wish to impose any unnecessary hard
ship on the oil mer the people had
rights in the premises. and they must
be protected AS a matter of fact, the
whole question virtually rested with
the insurance companies If they were
willing, or even a respectable number
of reliable companies were willing. to
have the limit reduced, the members of
the council had no objection
Mr.. North insisted that even If the
limit was put at fifty feet it would still
work a hardship in many instances to
force the we'll owners to put their tanks
under ground. He thought they should
at least nave LIE PIltltCSC VI Suil Ouh0-
ing their tanks with brick wall. or pro-
viding for some means for impoundlng
the oil in case of fire. Some people, he
said did not want protection, and this
matter should to a large extent be left
optional Mr.. Toll could not agree with
Mr. North. He thought the tanks should
go under ground, as matter of protec-
ton to the property Of the people in the
vicinity.
Mr.North again objected on the ground
of the expense to the well owners. when
Mr.. Toll interrupted him with the re-
mark, Yes, that's it. You object to an
expense, but you have no scruples about
going into new territory and destroying
the value of peoples property"
Mr.. North thought that 1t might do
to have the ordinance apply to new
wells, but he did not think 1t right that
it should affect men who had gone into
the business and built up an industry
Mr.. Strasburg frankly admitted that
the business had not been conducted
as 1t should he. LAS q matter of fact"
he said. 1--WE have just commenced to
get decent" He thought that fifty feet
might be considered as a fair compro-
mise. in which Mr.. Maginnis agreed.
although he stated that even this would
work hardship on him, but he was will
ing to stand 1t.
Councilman Grider thought that the
ordinance should be left just as it is.
but suspend the operation Of the clause
in regard to putting tanks underground
for sixty days. The oil men could then
go ahead and clean up the field and put 1t
In proper shape, and when they had done
this they could take the insurance men
out there and show them the situation.
and see what they would do. If the in
surance men agreed to fifty-foot limit
he would then be prepared to vote for 1t.
AS 1t was now, the insurance people
considered the whole field a nuisance,
with the oil scattered about over the
ground. and did not care to take risks
there under any circumstances
After some further talk. in which the
councilmen declined to recede from the
position taken by them, insisting that II
was matter which should be settled bv