The San Francisco call., 1903-01-28
LAWMAKERS AND PRODUCERS OF OIL
UNITE IN SCORING RALSTONS BILL
FOR RIDICULOUS TEST REQUIREMENTS
Figures Set Forth
the Folly of a
Scheme.
COMPREHENSIVE investiga.

now pending before the Legis-
lature has absolutely no ground for justi-
| fcation as a measure Of public policy.
\ FUrpOrting TO insure the safety OF the
/ public. it is confronted with the fact, Of
/ fcially stated. that since the use Of crude
oil has become common for fuel in the
largest city in California. the fire losses
/ have been very much less in this city
| than they were when coal was the only
fuel.
/ Being in reality a measure that would
throttle the great and growing manufac-
/ turing and producing interests of Cali
| fornia. il is unable TO justify itself by
/ facts or even tenable theories. Millions
upon millions Of dollars OF California cap
ital have been invested in the petroleum
producing industry Of this State. Count
less millions Of money embarked in man
Cfacturing enterprises in California look
ing to cheap fuel as an insurance OF the
maintenance OF permanent competitive
local conditions have to face the posi-
bility of loss rather than profit If the in
famous bill now at Sacramento IS en-
acted into law.
Thousands Of mechanics and scores OF
growing enterprises. concerning the fu-
ture of which bright dreams OF prosperity
have reasonably been entertained, have
their prospects unjustiiably placed in
/ Jeopardy. These assertions are all easily
susceptible OF proof and The Call this
morning supplies evidence to sustain It's
( position that cannot be gainsaid.
FIGURES PROVE CASE
Five years ago there were no large
manufacturing establishments in San
\ Francisco that were using crude oil for
/ fuel There are now 200 extensive con
! Germs in this city burning fuel oil, list
! o. which is given herewith NcNsa. per-
mits to use crude oil for fuel in San Fran
cisco have been practically all issued
since May 1, 1899. so that a period OF
nearly four years of actual oil consump-
tion is the basis of estimating the relative
safety of crude oil, under the existing
fash test and coal used as fuel. In the
year 1898. or during the twelve months
Immediately preceding the first substl-
tuition of oil burners for coal heated fur
naces in this city the losses by fire. ac-
cording to the figures compiled and pub
lished officially by the Underwriters Fire
Patrol of San Francisco, amounted TO
81, ,4O0O61 81. In no subsequent year, ac-
have the fire losses in San Francisco
amounted to much more than one-half the
total of 1898. when coal was king
The installation of oil-burning appara-
tus proceeded very slowly at first, for it
was evident that there was much to be
| learned and the conservative manufac-
turers waited to avail themselves OF the
experience Of their neighbors before un-
dertaking to substitute oil fuel for coal.
Ir the year following 1895 when the first
decided forward movement toward the
adoption of the cheaper agency for pro-
ducing power was made, the fire losses
fell off from s1.4OO.O61 81 for 1898 to s754.-
esS a reduction in the city's total fire
damages of $685. 373 81. The showing for
the next year was even more striking.
More fuel oil burners had been installed
in manufacturing and power plants in the
city and a corresponding number of coal
consumers had been displaced. The Of
hcial figures do nothing TO prove that the
reduction in fire losses was not the natur-
al result of the change Of fuel
MAKE STRONG SHOWING.
The losses by fire in San Francisco in
the year 1900 sank to S521412 q. a bene-
fetal falling off from the loss figures OF
1898 of sS7S $40 80. That the decrease in
loss may be fairly attributed to the sub
stitution Of oil for coal fuel may be
shown in two ways. The first and direct
way is TO compare the total loss for the
four years succeeding 1898 with the four
years preceding and including 1898. These
are the two periods in which absolutely
fair comparison may be made
In the first period coal was practically
the only fuel. In the second the fuel was
crude California petroleum to large ex-
tent especially in manufacturing uses.
Another consideration should not DC lost
sight Of. which is Of significance. This
is that the manufacturing plants and the
big lumber yards Of San Francisco are
il the same general neighborhood, nearest
to wharfage facilities attracting both
lines OF investment Therefore, it will
be seen that the oil burners are in the
most infammable part of the city. speak
ing generally.
The second way to demonstrate that
greater safety from fire has been en-
joyed by San Francisco since the whole
sale Introduction of crude oil fuel is by
the showing that while the number OF
oil burners has increased the building
operations of San Francisco have been
on a vast scale. Never before In a cor
responding period in the history OF the
city have as many millions of dollars
been invested in erecting buildings as in
the past four years. Not less than SO
OO0.OOO as estimated by competent OBJ
servers. has been put into building
operations in San Francisco since 1898.
Therefore. II oil fuel had been equally
/ as dangerous as coal. the fire losses. to
maintain the average previous percentage
OF loss to values, would have made totals
in excess of those of 1895. The following
official figures, taken from the annual