The herald., 1898-09-23
The Oil Blight

The Oil Blight
To the Editor of the Los Angeles Herald
In your valuable paper of today Is q state
ment that Is calculated to mislead the resi-
dents and owners Of property upon Knot
H!ll or the Westlake park region. The In
ference is that the oil blight men won a
great victory In DE Groot's being granted
a permit to bore for oil on lot IA. block b.
Knob Hill tract.
We have never made any fight to pre-
vent oil men from developing outside the
1eo0-foot limit, and were quite sure the fire
department would grant Mr.. De Groot all
he asked for, SO long as no did not tree
pass inside the ordinance limit.
| The Westlake Protective and Improve
| ment association, recently organized, has
a membership Of close to 900, and Is grow
ing every day. It's object Is to prevent the
encroachment of oil wells upon Westlake
park. We are not fighting De Groot, but are
| fighting for the city Of Los Angeles. Either
the oil business must be absolutely under
control by the municipality. or the oil wells
will control the municipality. As for the
sarcastic letter by Ira w. Phelps, in con-
nection with your article:
| First, l fail to find his name in the last
city directory, and presume he is simply
an oil man recently imported. Indifferent
to anything save his own interests. He
says: 1T is absurd 10 think that he can
not plant his own land to beans and use
bean poles, because they are unsightly."
Such rot is not argument.
The two standard books upon municipal
government are by Albert Shaw. 1t wcMld
be we'll for citizens Of Los Angeles to read
them. l quote from one:
The pretense that private ownership
Of land carries with 1t any absolute
right to disregard general interests Is
baneful heresy. that is not to be toler-
ated where it asserts Its impudent
claims.
The municipal control of European cities
is perfect. In Paris, since 1875, private in
dividuals have been obliged TO conform
strictly to the plans and regulations Of the
municipality, not only in strict observance
of the general ordinances, but In the char
acter of the building. Indeed, unre-
strained license to build what you please.
because you happen to own a building lot
or block, is not dreamed of in Paris nor In
any other great city of Europe. for that
matter.
In the city Of Berlin the authorities pre-
scribe exactly the character of the houses
that property owners may erect. Thus, in
one neighborhood there shall be detached
villas. and no one may spoil the character
of the district by erecting high apartment
houses. Such regulations OF course. seem
irksome to many persons, yet all cities
must come to the inevitable conclusion
that the rights OF the majority In COM
cenary motives of individuals.
Los Angeles should become great city.
In fact. it might become the greatest resi-
dence city in America. but, to become great,
it is of first Importance that the oil blight
be removed.
A visitor comes to Southern California
He makes his hotel home with Hotel
Green in Pasadena; he visits Los Angeles
and goes out to Westlake region via the
Seventh-street line; is delighted with the
situation, and upon his return to Pasadena
states his intention to build a home in West
lake region. The Pasadena broker hears
of it and courteously invites Mr.. Eastern
man to drive to Los Angeles with him, as
he is very familiar with the Westlake re-
gion. They go via First street and Bonnie
Brae. The oil wells, the Oil smoke and the
oil stink is very noticeable in the morn
ing. and. as they drive past that exquisite
slump hole on Bonnie Brae street, the
broker remarks that ITS wonderful how
fast the oil wells are going west" over the
hills and far away. Inquiry develops the
fact that In three years the oil blight has
ruined homes without number, Cancelled
insurance and made property unsala BILE,
except to oil men at their own prices.
Cant this thing be stopped by the city
authorities?' says Mr.. Fisherman.
mo, unfortunately, 1t cannot be stopped
The city council has not dared to stop the
boring OF oil wells. The councilmen adj
nit that 1t Is running the most beautiful
section of the city: but they are politicians
and apparently have little interest in all
that makes city beautiful and attractive
Come back to Pasadena and 1 will show
you lot where the oil blight will never
trouble you"
This is not IN overdrawn illustration.
1 believe the city will yet awake to the
situation and resolutey take the matter
in hand. 1t would be far the wisest course
TO condemn all oil wells within the city
limits as nuisance and cause their re-
moval, condemn the property and pay n
fair valuation for it.
The people of Westlake region are terri