The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-09-29
CITY IS UNABLE TO HELP
Might Pass Ordinance Against Tanks
But This Would Be Handicap To
Many Industrial Plants Now Operat-
ing in the City.

Property owners in the city who have
been interested in the effort that is
being made to have, the tanks of the
Standard Oil company removed from
the city are planning to take the case
into the courts with view of having
the tanks of the company declared a
nuisance and by this method force the
common council to remove them from
the city. The property owners declare
that the members of the city council
have been lukewarm in taking up the
fight for the removal of the tanks and
it is declared that if any action is to
be taken it must be by the private
property owners.
In answer to the charge made by the
property owners City Attorney Calvin
Stewart when seen this morning de-
clared that there was no way for the
city to act in the matter. 'EThere is
absolutely no state law" said Mr..
Stewart, 'by which | could advise the
council to proceed against the Standard
Oil company to have these tanks re-
moved. 1t is possible that with the aid
of the state marshal the city council
could demand the erection of con
crete building for the storing of oils.
We can have no Standard Oil COM
pany declared public nuisance on ac-
count of the location of the tanks for
the company would come right back and
declare that if the tanks are moved
out of the city it will be necessary
to increase the price of the product
and this would be harmful action
toward the general public. I have
written letters to many cities seeking
to find how such cases have been hand
led and I have not received a salts
factory reply from any of these Of
fcials. The city could of course pass
an ordinance making it impossible to
locate oil tanks within 300 feet of any
dwelling house but such an ordnance
would work hardship to nearly every
great industry in Kenosha. Most of
these industries have oil tanks and
while they are properly protected they
are within 300 feet of dwelling houses
and they would come under any ordi-
nance that the city would pass. If the
property owners would go into court
and have the oil tanks declared a. men
ace to their property and therefore a
private nuisance 1T is probable that
the police regulations of the city
would make possible the removal of
the tanks. The state fire marshal has
promised to come to Kenosha and take
up the matter but it is difficult to See
what remedy he will suggest. Of
course it is possible that we will be
able to force the company to safe
guard the tanks and to provide proper
buildings for the storing Of oils but it
looks as if it would be harder matter
to force the removal of the tanks with
out working a hardship to many fac
tories which are contributing to the
city's prosperity
The property owners declare that the
continuance of the tanks in the pres
'ent location will result in property
values being greatly reduced and that
it is now impossible to sell property
within several hundred feet of the
tanks on account of the agitation
Fifty of the property owners have
signed the petition for the removal of
the tanks and it is expected that all
of these people will unite in the effort
to get the matter before the courts in
some way or other.