Oil Firm Provides Home For Quints

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30497, 20 July 1964, Page 2

Oil Firm Provides Home For Quints

(N .Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) MARACAIBO (Venezuela). The Prieto quintuplets are moving into a modern house especially designed for them and financed by the oil company employing their father.

Creole Petroleum Company, an affiliate of Standard Oil of New Jersey, built the home for the five boys, born on September 8, 1963, and their parents. Efren Prieto, the father, works as a driller for the company. The company will keep the title to the house but permit the Prietos to live there free of charge. According to the contract, the Creole Company will be prevented from regaining possession of the home except by agreement with Efren Prieto. Close To Work The house is at Tia Juana, an oil camp belonging to the company on the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo, close to Efren’s job. He and his family have been living in a small house near the Maracaibo-based University (of Zulia) Hospital where the quintuplets were born. The house was provided by a foundation set up to administer funds given to the boys. Months ago, Prieto and the foundation quarrelled and split By previous agreement, in the event of Prieto disowning the foundation, only half of the funds were to be given to the family, the other half going to a charity.

Although in April, a Maracaibo court ruled that all money remaining in the fund held by the foundation be given to the boys, further court actions again tied up the money. Even if the funds are awarded to the children’s family, the amount is less than 5000 dollars (about £1700), according to a lawyer interested in the case. Visitors’ Window The quintuplets’ new home has one large room with a glass window, so that visitors may admire the boys without entering their room. The bedroom is designed to permit one or more of the boys to be isolated in case of sickness. The entire house is air-conditioned. In May the smallest and thinnest of the boys uttered his first word. After incoherently gurgling for a time, Juan Jose said distinctly: “Papa.”