The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-11-16
IN, standard OIL Company Monopoly.


IN, standard OH Company Monopoly.
s4aatli Republican,
The great issue in Pennsylvania, now
a,.tlectiOn is over, is the conflict between
4. Standard oil company and the. well
ruers or producers of the oil region for
as control OF the petroleum trade, and a
,,oter whom the New York Sun has had
-uork for n month studying up the case
ss six columns with an interesting and
SENSITIVE account Of the rise and progress
d The hostility. Near the close OF the
Grl var, when everybody was investing
hihe petroleum lottery, ayoung English
nm named Samuel Andrews feame to
(tvtIand 80 poor that his wife took in
srinrand his family lived on n shilling q
dy. Andrews had been a day laborcr in
ninerics, and, believing that he could
size the hitherto vOxing problem OF
Av to get the best and most kerosene
tou crude petroleum, he set up q little
hl snd in six months had accomplished
n purpose and cleared $500. Andrews
s,esd out at once and set up more stills,
tet aecding additional capital, he applied
sJOhn D. Rockefeller, O pl9dding. rather
JILL Young man Of 30, who had saved
cough money at bookkeeping 10 start q
Salifour store in Cleveland. Rockefeller;
he .hrewd, sharp business manager, and
Ininws, the practical mechanic, "pooled
Aeirt.sues," aud to-day the rmeris pres.
&at Of the Standard oil cOmpanyiand
Wrh his millions, while few weeks ago
andrews sold his interest in the Standard
kSl,OOO,OOO and invested $500, 600 OF his
pnyious profits in per cent bonds:
The young partners managed well in the
Cfce and in the refinery; and ina year or
NO the Standard was able to swallow up
is Cleveland competitors and TO absorb
he leading house at Pittsburgh. In 1871
he Ompany was recognized with cap
Md$NO6OO, aAd Peter Fl. Watson, once
lsisiAnt secretary Of the treasury and for
ltiMe president Of the Erie road, showed
President. Rockefeller, ,howshe' might get
the oil business OF the country under his
thumb. This was not to he done by buy
issup the wells of the oil region, but By
WutDlling tho great rail arteries leading
to The sca.board. The Standard, grown
strong by the wreck Of reilneries It
hl bought or crushed out, formed the
South Improvement company, which
contacted with tho Pennsylvania line
ad other trunk lincs to carry
Nlndarl oil at 81 n barrel below the reGu-
h' rates, and pay over to them the same
mount on oil shipped by other parties.
IhsmonopOly ofthe carrying trade alone
ntant profit Of s., ,00n, 900 n year. ltalso
meant the final ruin OF the oil producers,
hLthe monopoly was strong enough 10
hllCOmpetitiOn, and the producers, who
htf been making and spending lavishly,
tery man for himself, formed I'd union,
Eth million dollars capital. The union
M1iree.pipe bill through the PcnnsyiSa'
na legislature, and, by procuring q con-
aSioual investigation of the:Sputh im'
EOyemCnt company's contract, showed Its
iaegHlity aud procured, other contracts Of
ysovn with the railroad irianasers. . >
In 1.-The tirst great fight Of 1872 the pro.
tafen were the apparent victors, but the
Aldard Company, now representingSt0l,
1000 and paying 81 600, 900 a month In
EottS, was rs determined as ever to cstab'
Isa its monopoly, and again tie producers
AZ anerily fighting for their rights. After
G .ieteat, President R)cSeiellerkept cool,
ssSdsOon had made contracts more shrew.dr
GS1pro6table rs ever, with the railroads
He reached out TO Baltimore and the ship
PngPolnts on the Atlantic coast, buying
G'niRing the reiineries there, as he had
llthe interior. The united pipe line, Oh
Which the producers arc dependent TO ge'
heir oil from the wells to tho cars, wa;
men thrOttle,l, and finally the Standard
company took practical control OF tho
SSOle trade By building aud running
~ the tank cGrs on which crude oil u
aPpel to the sea.board cities. This la
IlOusCd the producers to q frenzy, for !
ee competition prevails, they must acrep
" Terms or lose their all, and they have
Instituted proceedings in the courts to plI
N snd to the discrimination OF tho rail
NUS and take away the charter ot tn
United pipe line. The fierce earnestres
1hwIich thCproducers hung and burnc'
SScfetaty Of Internal Affairs McCandies
eifgy, during the recent campaign, be
assc he reported that their charges wer
s@ @Vorthy Of attention, gives color 70 til
.SPoFt that the most desperate .aInon
tIae@ art ready to seize tho railroads ,
s. ..iSe and attempt running them In del
SaSe ,a Of competition, II the courts do no
''ifcss their wrongs.