The herald., 1898-10-01
sMfl4{ TO the SKY
aRIEvANc Is AGAINST THE SOAP
FAC loRY zzmTzD
OockwE'LER DEPENDS It
Merchants and Manufacturers Pulled
into the Controversy-May Get
Into the Courts

| Soap was given great airing yesterday
before the board Of public works meet
.ns. Not as great an airing, however al
the residents Of East Banning, Nortl
yignes, East First and North Alameda
streets d, slre the product Of the Los An
geles Soap company's factory to have. The,
seek to have the institution ban.shed tc
the vicinity occupied by similar enter
rises, among which they name the bone
Yards. the tanneries, the glue factories
end the dead animal crematories, The
friends OF the factory contend that 1t was
in It's present location before any of the
professionals were, and II the residents dc
! not like it they can move out. The board
htook the matter under adv.sement, and
win probably make report on it to ths
council on Monday.
[ The question as to whether this factor y
is a nuisance or not, and If so, what si,al
be required from It's owners, In order thai
| the Objectionable features may he abated
is becoming rather broad one. On the CD
position side are arrayed over a hundred
and fifty Of the residents Of the district al
| legged to be affected by the malodorous
fumes of the factory, their property. some
of 1t, being as much as six blocks distan n.
from the cause Of the trouble. In order to
offset thi: showing the factory p" ,rle
several days ago secured a petitioL from
two thirds Of the property holders in the
block wherein the enterprise is located.
and on the strength of this petition have
obtained permit to rebuild those portions
of Their buildings which were recently de-
stroyed by fire. 1t was shown yesterday,
however. that three out of the thirty y-seven
signatures to this petition were those of
members in the soap company and six
others were not residents in the district
nor the property owners but merely their
agents.
To strengthen this support Of their cause
another petition was filed yesterday by At
torney Dockwe.ler of the soap company.
In this last document the merchants and
manufacturers Of the city have been
dragged into the controversy, about fifty
Of the most prominent firms being repre-
sented by the signatures appended. The
petition follows:
The undersigned respectfully repre-
sent that We are merchants and manu-
facturers Of Los Angeles city. doing
business in the same, and that we, from
time to time, do business with the Los
Angeles Soap company, which has had
its factory and place Of business in that
certain block in Los Angeles city
bounded to the north by Banning street.
to the east by V.gnes street, to the
south by First street and to the west
by Alameda street; that in the course
Of our business with said company We
have had occasion to visit said fac
tory. works and place of business there
| Of and to inspect the same, and are ac-
\Qualnted with its method of conducting
hd opefatsne Its plant Upon our own
knowledge ardaexper.ence we respect
ully submit hat there can be no legit-
mate criticism as to the conduct and
Management cf the soap company's es-
Enlistment, and in no sense can the
s me be considered or deemed nui-
s. nee or Objectionable.
For years past Los Angeles has hoped
FIR the establishment and operation
manufactures in its midst. 1t was
therefore with considerable surprise
that we learned through the public
press Of the city and from an inspection
OF the records Of your honorable body
that a petition has been presented to
your consideration, praying for the dis
establishment and suppression Of the
soap factory In the aforesaid locality.
In the opinion Of the undersigned It is
unwise and improvident and against
the material interest Of the city to op-
pose or prevent said Los Angeles Soap
company from operating It's factory in
the aforesaid block in said city.
The company and IT'S predecessors in
interest have conducted a soap factory
on it's premises in the aforesaid block
continuously during twenty-five years
last past, and we respectfully submit
that 1t would be unfair and unjust to
interfere with the company in its
present plans Of rebuilding its factory,
destroyed by fire Aug. 10Th, more es-
pecially in view Of the fact that said
company contemplates erecting its new
factory buildings according to the most
approved and latest ideas in regard to
the same, and intends to install in such
new buildings machinery Of the latest
pattern.
About a dozen Of the parties interested
n the matter were present at
he meeting in the city councils commit
zee room yesterday, the company being
represented by Attorney Isadore Dock
Jdell.
Mr.. Dockwesler contended that the COM
claimants petition dM not represent any
sreat number Of the property holders |
and that as legal question |
he matter was ended by the company
complying with the law in securing the |
onsent Of two-thirds of the property |
holders In the block where the factory is |
ocated. He stated that If the factory Is |
'uiIt and the residents of the vicinity find |
annoying and unsan.tary, they have "a
emedy In the law which provides for the |
Of such institutions as nui- |
ances.
Mr.. Udell desired 1t understood that the |
ebuild.ng Of the factory was not the point |
It issue. He stated, however, that the |
omplainants felt aggneved at the treat
nent they had received in not being al |
owed hearing before the fire commits |
ion and the health officer, the latter hav- |
ng promised such a hearing. Mr.. Udell |
ontended, further. that the nuisance ex-
SITS today, the present cause Of complaint |
'eng pile Of stinkng. hides
"In regard to the petition from the rner-
hants and manufacturers" he continued |
they say they go down there frequently. !
undertake to say they do not, although |
hey may send their agents. And yet they
AXE direct issue with the health officer |
nd the people who live there, some of |
vhom have even been made to vomit by the |
air."