The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-01-28
A SLIPPERY FIGHT.

formed in regard to the condition OF the
petroleum trade in this country know
that there are two factions or parties in
the oil regions that have been trying to
checkmate each other for q long time by
"sliek" combinations and oily "moves."
Oae OF these parties Is called the Stand.
ard Oil Company and the other the OIL
Producers Union; the aforementioned
working in the interest of the refnera,
principally, while the latter, as their
name indicates, are looking out for the
interests of the producers or well-c wners.
Heretofore, the Standard Company has
been allowed, or rather has been able, to
have matters arranged somewhat as they
wanted them. The great corner in oil'
which few months ago forced the price
up 10 twice its usual rate, was brought
about and maintained by the grasping
greediness and powerful maneuvers OF
this mammoth oil corporation. Not
until quite recently has any lnrosd been
made upon the territory supposed to be
occupied by their exclusive privileges.
But after years Of endurance, the pro.
ducers joined hands against the refners,
beat them at their extortionste game aud
broke up the monopoly; since which
time the two rival companies, by watch
ing each other, have kept the price of
petroleum down where it naturally be-
longs.
1t has been favorlte project of the
Standard Company for many months to
establish a pipe line from the oil regions
to the nearest point on the seaboard,
which happens to be the city and port of
Baltimore. Some time last summer the
preliminary steps were taken to make
such project an sctuslity, but for some
reason the business at that time was
not completed. or the right of way Sc
cured. In fact, the Standard Company
hoped, by purchase or intimidation, TO
be able to control the oil market and |
the lines of transportation in the future,
as they had done in the past; but the
Producers Union, ever on the alert |
against the wiles and Vaccinations of
their old-time and powerful enemy, saw
the weak point in their adverSarys tao.
tics, and have now fairly succeeded in
stealing q march on them. Quickly they
sent out surveying parties for pipe
line to Baltimore, and while the sntsg-
onizing elements thought they had
blocked their enterprise, they were
quietly buying up land and the rail.
rosds, until the refners woke up one
TO find that the producers had
purchased q terminus at Baltimore, and
had secured the right of way for every
foot OF land from Butler county. At the
same time, their lobby was busily at work
in Harrisburg to secure the passage OF a
Tree pipe law with what success may be
imagined from the fact that they have
already got the bill fsvorsbly reported to
the House.
As an outside party, strictly, we can
not but hope that each of these oily fac.
tions will 90 far succeed in their respec-
tive efforts to outwit the combinations o.
their opponent, as to keep the price of
petroleum about where it should be and
afford fair profit to those who invest
capital in its production and preparation
for domestic use. The establishment,
however, of this proposed pipe line to
Baltimore, by means OF which continu-
Gus stream of oil shall be kept running |
from the mines IN Pennsylvania to the
tanks OF the vessels which carry it away
to foreign market, will be in every res
pect highly important as well Is an ex-
tremely oleaginous achievement.