St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1906-12-22
NAY, NAY, PAULINE,
FOR Us NO GASOLINE
The Board Of Aldermen Don't Want Anything
Loaded for Bars
In GREATER OPELOUSAS' BACKYARD.
The Present Anti Explosive Ordinance too
If0n.CIad, and Will be Re-Enacted
and RigidIy Enforced.
In GREATER OPELOUsAs' BACKYARD.

< l. ~ Il
!, The special meeting of the Boart
of Aldermen, held Tuesday night, hae
for its main consideration the subjec1
of the storage of oils, gasoline ant
other explosives within the corporate
limits of the city of OpeIousas.
A complaint had been lodged with
the city authorities that the Waters
Pierce Oil Co. was erecting a tank
near the Southern Pacific track, il
close proximity to the compress, cot
ton warehouse, and private residences,
which the complainants averred was
a danger and menace to themselves
and the other inhabitants of that por-
tion Of the city.
4 The first meeting for the considera-
tion of this question was called for
| last Friday night, but a quorum OF
the Board failed to appear, and an
adjournment was necessary. satur-
day night the Board was again called
to meet, with the same result: no
quorum. Tuesday night the Board
met, but the gentlemen, including
Mr.. &. M. Boagni, Mr.. F. CharleSille,
and others, who had come to the Fri
day night meeting to personally re-
present the compliments, were not
present, but the members Of the Board
had in the meantime acquainted them
selves with the situation, and took up
the matter intelligentlY. Mr.. satter-
| lice, representing the oil people, was
present, and explained to the Board
! that there was absolutely no danger
from the twin tanks now being erect
ed near the depot; that they would
be used exclusively for the storage Of
coal oil and insurance oil, and prom
ised positively that no gasoline oil
would be handled there at all. He
said that under the laws of this State
coal oil was not dangerous; that it
was not Of sufficient proof to be in
fammable under ordinary circum-
stances. He said that it was never
contemplated by his people to distri-
butte gasoline oil in any quantity from
this city, and not at all to store it
here; that it was shipped from Lafa-
lyette and Alexandria here in small
drums, containing about barrel. It
was decided to appoint a committee
of councilmen to investigate the mat
ter: the distance from the tanks to
the nearest house; the requirements
of the insurance companies in the
matter, etc.
The matter brought on a general
discussion of gassoline, it's uses, dan
gers, etc. On this opinions varied,
and outsiders present "piked" in and
for a while it looked like anything in
any way kin with gasoline would be
ostracised from the limits Of the
corporation Of Opelousas, and gaso-
line engines and such things put out
of commission. 1t was discovered
that there was an ordinance touching
this subject, under whose provisions
no more than five pounds Of gasoline
could be kept in any one place at one
time. The ordinance was passed in
1901, and, in short, said that it shall
be unlawful for any person or per-
sons to keep in any store or ware
house or other building more than so
pounds Of gunpoWder, and more than
five pounds Of dynamite, nitroglyce-
rine, or amy other explosive COM
pound It was held that gasoline
came under the explosive compound
clause, and that all this time a good
portion of the community had been
innocently violating this statute of
the city Of Opelousas.
It was, however, concluded TO re-
cast the ordinance, and notice of an
ordinance covering gasoline was given,
and will be introduced at the next
meeting Of the Board.
The new ordinance will permit the
storage of gasoline only in isolated
and secure buildings, and in quanti-
ties not exceeding a couple barrels;
it will not permit but FIVE gallons to
/ be kept in any place ready for use;
lit will especially forbid its being kept
by stores in any large quantity in the
center of the city.
In the meantime the old ordinance,
/ construed to include gasoline, is in
force, but the Mayor, we understand,
will not enforce it to the letter, and
will use his own discretion as to
whether the quantity and the manner
of its keeping is dangerous, and will
apply the law IN such-cases only where
it is considered dangerous.