West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-06-01
CUR VOLCANO LETTER.
Volcano, w. Va, May %, 1881.

ED. It REEMAN LII lAueeOio fNA
tanning to the oil trade, as between
sellers and buyers, general dead
lock has been maintained for some
weeks past and still continues. The
producers insist that their product
is worth more money than the deal
ers are offering, even for refining
purposes, not to say anything Of its
Qualities and worth as lubricator
and the demand for it to supply
this branch of the trade.
On the other hand the Parkers-
burg dealers claim that the oils Of
West Virginia are worth no more to
them, either for refining or lubrica-
ting purposes, than are the light
oils of Pennsylvania. But while
they are making this assertion pub
licly and in seeming earnestness,
they are at the same time making
private offers for West Virginia
crude, much in advance Of the price
of the light stuff of Pennsylvania.
If they cannot buy they try to Dor
row oil of our producers, agreeing
to pay for it six months hence,
whatever the market price the
may be, thus plainly demonstrating
the falsity of their claims. The
producers have only to maintain
their present attitude for time to
effect a practical solution of the
problem whether West Virginia
oils are or are not worth more to the
dealers than are the oils of Pennsyl
vania.
There is no regular market price
for the oils of this region except as
established by the Volcano Com
mission Go. This company was Or
ganized few weeks ago, for the
purpose of restoring to the produ-
GERS of this region the management
and control of their own business,
which has, since 1876, been COM
pletely within the control of the re-
filming interests of Parkersburg, To
the refining interests, substantially
and thoroughly organized, and act
ing in a systematic manner, the
producers, without organization,
fell an easy prey, and have, since
1876 up to the date of the organiza-
ton of the Commission Co., submits
sively submitted themselves to the
plucking. For so long season
have the refners enjoyed the hap
DIV privilege of taking all the meat
and throwing the husk to the sub
missive producer, that they are 10th
to recognize the Commission Co.
In fact they have made and are
making efforts to defeat its objects.
But it is quite evident drawing con-
illusions from the opinions Of lead
ing producers, that the Commission
Co. is an organization that will live
and thrive and embrace within its
folds every producer of oil in this
region. Its objects are simply and
exclusively in the interest of the
producers of oil Of West Virginia.
1t does not propose to inaugurate
any arbitrary measures or to wage
war upon any interest, but it does
propose to retain in the pockets of
the producers all those profits
which legitimately belong to the
producing interests, and which
have heretofore gone into the pock-
cts of the refner. Already the ben
efcial effect of this organization is
seen and felt throughoutth this region.
But for It's existence West Virginia
crude would not command Penn
sylvania certificate prices to-day.
The latest Oil reports from Penn
sylvania are rather of ''bearish"
nature, and are believed to be made
up in the interests of the Standard
Monopoly. On the LIST of the month
the Oil City Derrick's report Of the
operations in the Pennsylvania re-
gions for April were rather encour-
aging, as showing up falling off
of production in the Bradford field
and a scarcity of unoperated produ-
cling territory, but Stencils Monthly
reinstatement for same month,
which comes to hand later, tells a
different tale, remarkiRg editorial
ly, that sufficient new territory
has been opened up to make good
the falling off in the Bradford field,
and keep up the present volume Of
production for some time to come
III :; .+,+o,,,o,,+ of Sto,roWa De,,o,to,,