The herald., 1898-01-13
SAYS THE FIRE COMMISSION
CITY COUNCIL MUST SETTLE THE
BOILER INSPECTION
Important Report as to Sewers to Be
Constructed East of the River.
Street Inspection

Sisters hospital was a question which
the board of fire commissioners tried te
settle at their regular session yesterday
there was quite contest in which rep
resentatives of the petitioners and prot
estants took part. A number of oil
men applied for permission to drill in
the vicinity of the hospital at a meet
ing of the board some time ago. The
application caused the filing of protest
from the Los Angeles infirmary. The
matter was, at the request of the com
mission, passed upon by the board of
health and when the matter was taken
up yesterday there was on file COM
munication from the latter body in
which it was stated that in the opinion
of the physicians composing the board,
no permits should be issued for oil wells
within 600 feet of the hospital, as the
presence of wells there would have the
effect of disturbing the patients. On the
other hand, attorneys for the oil men as
serted that the 600 foot limit was merely
arbitrary, and that the noise of operat-
ing a well would be so deadened by the
ADVERSE WlIluS anu tlcco DIS ~ iiihC ~
impossible for 1t to be heard in the hos
pital. They stated that no complaint
had ever been received from persons re-
siding within 800 feet of the wells; that
the drilling of a new well made the only
noise that was ever heard and that the
pumping could not be heard 100 feet.
Health Officer Powers stated that
there were noises which might not be
noticed at all by a well person, but which
might greatly disturb sick person. The
600 foot limit had been established from
the standpoint of the invalids, and In
fixing this limit the board had consid-
cred the condition of the inmates of the
hospital as being abnormal The sisters
who had filed the protest gave specific
instances wherein they and their pa
tients had been disturbed by the drilling
and operation of wells near the hospital
They appealed for the sake of their pa
tients not only on account of the noise
but because of the odors of oil.
In answer to this one of the oil men
stated that instead of being injurious
the oil odor was really beneficial. He
had come to this city an invalid three
years ago and had been cured by the
OQOTS HOI Only VI Ills llllltSS Dul VI DdlQ-
ness.
Attorney Schultz, who appeared for
the oil men, addressed the commission
as he would have addressed a jury, and
in the course of a somewhat impassoned
speech made assertions to which the
took exception. Before he had
finished Commissioner Sinsabaugh in
terrupted him with the remark: II OBJ
ject to the language used by the attor-
ney impugning the actions of this COM
His statements are not only
uncalled for but baseless, and 1 am op
posed to any such Statements
Commissioners Wells and Sabichi
also objected and the attorney conclud-
ed in a milder vein. A general discus
sion followed and the commission voted
to refuse the permit petitioned for, but
it was decided to refer the
matter to the city attorney for an opin-
ion as to the authority of the commits
sion to grant permit within the 800
foot limit and prevent boring on the
same block without the 600 foot limit.
GOES TO THE COUNCIL
The city council will have to decide
the boiler inspector shall in
spect the boilers of the engines Of the
fire department, and whatever responsi-
bility there may be for possible damage
on account of such an inspection will
have to be shouldered by that body. In
regard to the effect of such an inspec-
ton, Chief Moore reported to the fire
yesterday as follows:
This office has no desire to evade any
ordinance, rule or regulation governing
this municipality. The city attorney has
declared the boiler inspection ordinance
valid so far as relates to the inspection
of boilers of fire engines
"To properly inspect, according to the
the boilers of the engines of
the department will take for each one
about one weeks time in dismantling
and refitting them, at an expense of not
less than $500 each; and in case of con-
demnation of boilers, and this is possi-
BILE with at least two of them, the ex-
pense would be about $1,000 each
There is no money in the fund for
relief engines and no money for the ex-
pense of inspection and it's possible re-
suits.
"I therefore ask for more instructions
in the matter"
In explaining mis- report the chief
stated that if either engine No. 1 or No.
2 was taken out of service if might be
necessary to replace them with a new
engine after the inspection was made
as both machines We're so old that thev
might be seriously damaged nv bain~
dismantled.
The report was referred to the citv
council with the request that some relief
be given the fire department in the mat
ter, either by calling off the boiler in
spector or providing funds with which
to pay for the inspection and what dam
age might result from it, In thisicon-
nection Commissioner Sabichi secured
the adoption of motion calling the at
tention of the council to the necessity
for giving certain portions of the citv
better fire protection and urging the
purchase of new fire engines and other
apparatus as soon as possible,
The petition for the contraction of tha
boundaries of fire district No. 1 so thai
the petitioners might erect frame build.
ings upon a portion of the city now in
cluded in that district was, upon recon-
of the chief, denied.
The application of Homer Shaw for
as driver in the depart-
ment and c. Samuels as a callman wera
received and filed. Five fires were re-
r""ted by the chiee since the last meet