The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-01-30
PROPOSED TEST
MEETS DEFEAT
Fire Committee Refuses
to Change the Oh
Ordinance.
Protest Against Altering Ex-
listing Status Is Sus-
tanned.

The Fire Committee of the Board Of Su-
pervisors decided yesterday not to rec
commend any changes in the existing or
dinsnce relating to the flash test for fuel
oil. As a consequence the test of 10 de-
grees Fahrenheit is left undisturbed.
The committee met yesterday morning
at the City Hall to hear those who pro-
tested against the change of the fire test
for fuel oil TO 40 degrees. No one ap-
peared in support of the proposed change.
Some strong testimony was introduced
In favor of the present standard of test.
John Baker Jr. of the Union Oil Company
Informed the committee that he had been
in communication with Eastern cities for
the purpose of ascertaining what restric-
tions they have thrown about the use of
fuel OIL He sent out dispatches OF in
quiry in which the question was asked,
What flash test does your ordinance pro-
vide for governing fuel oil burned under
boilers for steam making purposes?"
BY telegraph he received answers from
Chicago that that city has 10 ordinance
governing fuel oil. An answer to the
same intent was returned from Philadel-
rhia and also from Galveston. The New
York ordinance, it was reported to Mr..
Baker, is at 100 degrees.
that he represented the Spreckels inter
ests and protested against the proposed
raise in the petroleum flash test. He said
that the Spreckels enterprises had used
crude oil for fuel in many ways and no
accident had taken place in years and I'M
der the no degree test the city was pro-
tected. He contradicted a statement to
the effect that there had been three fires
due to fuel oil in the Independent Electric
jph nd r1a IL al -a1
that there was absolute safety under the
1l0 degrees flash test so far as the prop
erty interests of San Francisco were con-
cerned.
Attorney Gaillard Stoney asked some
questions to which Mr.. Hunt responded,
making the additional statement that in
his opinion the present ordinance secures
the public safety
NJ. j. Fontana, formerly Supervisor, told
the committee that the canneries combine,
in which he is interested. uses oil in at
least twenty large canneries in California
these being spread throughout all parts
of the State. No accident of any sort has
ever taken place in one of these twenty
plants through the agency of fuel OIL All
the plants have been using the fuel oil
constantly for several years. He did not
think that present conditions should be
disturbed. If the ordinance that was pro-
Eosed should pass, raising the flash test
on fuel oil, contracts that had been made
for oil might be vitiated. 1t appeared to
him that the proposed ordinance had been
proposed in the interest of some particu-
lar company. The State has lacked cheap
coal and cheap fuel oil had come to help
the industries of California He consd-
cred 1t to be the duty of every citizen to
help foster the use of oil.
A. NJ. Beach of the Tubbs Cordage Com
pany said that the entire ground was COW
cred by the existing ordinance relating to
the fash test. 1t was the duty of the au-
thorities, If there We're violations of the
law, to look after the matter If, he said,
the existing law were violated, so would
be any law that fixed a higher flash test
After considerable discussion Supervisor
Lynch moved that 1t be considered the
sense of the committee that the present
OF dinance, with its flash test at no de-
grees be considered satisfactory Super
visor Loughery seconded the motion and
this was adopted as the sense Of the COM
mittee.