Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-31
OUR LETTER SOx.
concerning Cos ranks.

The Bee. There has been considerable
controversy Of late, brought about by the
enormous gas tank which the gas com
pahy intends TO erect at the corner Of
twentieth and Center streets A word
from the property holders in the vicinity
may not be amiss.. These property hold
ers were here. fo< years before the tanks
and factory were erected and would never
have permitted the erection Of the same
had they realized what sort Of menace to
life and health and property such
plant is. We object to these tanks prin-
cipally for the following reasons:
Flrst-They constitute a menace to life
and health.
SeCond-They cause a depreciation OF
the value Of our property.
Third--They are a general nuisance.
That such gas plant and gas holders
are a menace to life and health is amply
attested by the fact that such tanks have
frequently exploded before-fn New York,
| in Chicago and in other places, where con-
+ siderable loss of life and property oc-
Cured; also here In Omaha, where sew
eral such explosions have taken place.
/ once in particular. January 20. 1904, one
of the tanks exploded, bursting a large
hole lin it's side. from which issued such
volumes Of gas that the gas company inn
4 mediately ordered the people in the vicin-
! ity to put out their fires and leave their
homes without offering them any shelter
or assistance whatever not even aiding
/ in any way a lady in delicate circum-
stances. whom they ordered from her
home. simply leaving all to the tender
mercies of the mid-winter breezes and the
snow clad streets. These explosions can
and will occur again. What If fire
I ahp1t1d aif ~ In a gtandfnR
not twenty feet from one of tanks?
What II one of them should be struck
by lightning? Only lately an automobile
exploded on West Farnam street and
pieces were hurled for three blocks and
| windows broken one block away. What IL
a gas holder, $50 feet in diameter and
fifty feet higher than the New York Life
building, should explode? A school at
tended by over 400 pupils stands within
the 1000 feet radius of the gas holder.
also a church, often visited by over 900
people at one time. What II such an
explosion should occur during church
services or school hours? The panic alone,
which would almost surely result, might
cost many lives.
The gas tanks depreciate our property.
Real estate men refuse to make loans on
our property for the sole reason of its
hNehi " hiho eos pldhNs IthlS VI
our houses have decreased; insurance
rates have been raised.
The gas company Says It has invested
many thousands of dollars. Have the
homes of all of US no value7 Have eur
lives no value. Is our good health of no
value? ...... -, .-. ..-....
These tanks must not necessarily be here:
they need not be within the city limits
anywhere, only the gas company does not
wish to be put to the expense OF moving
its plant or of building a new tank else
where, because 1t considers its dollars OF
greater value than the lives and health
4 and property of the residents OF the vi
cinity.
The tanks are a nuisance. Let any
one who wishes to inform himself on this
question pay visit to the corner Of Twen-
tieth and Center streets and smell the ever
present odor Of gas which can frequently
, be smelled for several blocks around; lei
, him see the clouds of smoke and the sheets
of name which issue every few minutes
. day and night from the works; let him hear
/ the thunder which reverberates as otter
through the air. loud enough to make the
uninitiated look about for an approaching
storm; let him live here a while in constant
! dread of an ever likely explosion which
1 may sweep himself and all he loves anc
. owns into eternity-then he will appreciate
8 why 1t is that we are fighting the erection
9 of more gas holders, and why we want tn,
: whole works removed outside the city
: limits Then he will see why It is tina
r the gas company has been driven from
or has been prohibited from, lOcating IL
other locations throughout the city.
Every one expects that South Omaha will
8 soon be part Of our city; in that event tn,
. gas works villa, be in the very heart of GU
= metropolis; certainly no ornament but
Disagreement calculated TO make life ant
, property unsafe for blocks around TIL
: water works plant Is located at F1orenc
:, and pumps water all through the city
: Now. water requires much power to b
. moved over great distance; gas travel
3 anywhere in the direction of least re
/ sistance, and therefore could be distrIb
l., uted as cheaply from outside the cit
A limits as from the present location.
: The above facts were very well presented
a and the legality of the city ordinance nov
II in force prohibiting the erection OF a nev
l. gas holder without the consent OF tn
propertyholders within a radius OF 600 fee
most ably defended by the city legal de
partment against the gas company recently
"a Although Mr.. Pritchett, for the gas com
l. pany. argued that any one who could nc
ar see how unreasonable and absurd the pres
" ent ordinance is must have no more brain
n than a monkey. nevertheless Judge Da
e. decided In all justice against him Where
r. upon the gas company is again trying
le overthrow the ordinance upon a techn
j. cality.
Sc This matter concerns not only the peopl
T. near the present gas plant but ever
citizen Of Omaha. For If the present Oh
dinAnce falls the gas company. has a riEf
to erect holder or plant anywhere In tn
city. For this reason all improvement
clubs are supporting our cause. and we al
sure OF victory. (Signed)
THE NEW SOUTH SIDE IMPROVE
MENT CLUB.
HERMANN. sCHUNKE,
]. NJ. LIES. President
Secretary. ...