Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-08
THE PETROLEUM KINGS.
How a Poor Accountant and an English
Porter ~ sds Their Fortunes.
Globe Democrat.

Globe Democrat.
kke Standard OIL Company, as a com
AeRoial enterprise, started in Cleveland.
Ono OF she OriginatOrs was a small sala-
Fied bOOkkeeper. The other was a porter
N W alter street commission house. The
5oOkkeeper Is now President OF the COM
PaaE, while the porter lives in 100000
palace.
Sd. Rockefeller, President of the Stand
ard, has two elegant houses in Cleveland
and One in New York, where he resides
ea0h winter. The Rockefeller family
eama from some little town in central
New 1O-k, where the father pTactIced
medicine. They took up their residence
in Cleveland in 1858. JDnn ID. was then a
little shaver OF Ii. He went 10 school for
two or three Years and Oiterward became
A besk keeper for One-hOrse commission
aEm In Water street. When be WAS 10,
sr IN 1867, be and a man named NJ. Is.
ClarS. VINO is now a member OF the elevator
aTfa 81 Gardner, Clark Il York, went into
the produce business on their own ac-
pOHpf THIS partnership continued until
1868 WREN Rockefeller sold his Interest
and went into oil refining. Three years
l,efeFe, however, he, win Clark, his part
uer. and one or two others, had buiit a
httis petroleum refinery up the river.
Rockefeller and Ciark's investment in this
enterprise was $1,000. 1t gave promise
gf doing u biz business and Rockefeller
deter mined, therefore, 10 devote his entire
atteptpOn TO it. Clark bought his Interest
& the commission house, and Rockefeller
and samuel Andrews became sole owners
81 lie refinery. When Rockefeller was
bOOk keeper Andrews was porter in an
other produce store fCTth~r down the
slreet. They became acquainted and, as
AnareWs had accumulated a few hundred
dollars and was a Practical fellow, Rock
efellsr invited him 70 become partner 10
the refinery. At this time Rockefeller
was q AID Andre ~ a year or TWO young
"r. Their property could not have been
WOFfh much more than 5000 and was
probably not all paid for. From this
humble D. ginning has grown the Standard
OF Company, with its hundreds OF Off
shoots and its so. 900 900 Of capital. A
wear or twOafter ROCkefelleTiahd Andrews
hse Joined forum 5 they, in conjunction
WIts william Rockefeller, brother of
JobH D., established another refinery.
The two este blIshments We're finally
consolidated and a warehouse for the sale
Of the product was opened in New York.
William Rockefeller took charge of the
warehouse; John ID. was the business
head Of the consolidated concern; An
dFeWs looked after the machinery and
neH. Andrews had come over from Eng
land 20 better his fortune and, as he had
lad some mechanical experience at home,
vas we'll qualified 10 superintend the
practical part OF tue business
a short time after tile consolidation the
yOuns refHers found themselves in very
deep water. They had spent considerable
aOHey in extending their business and
we're threatened with ruin before they
could get returns from the investment.
John d. Rockefeller started out on hunt
fOr financial relief and found 5. '. Hark-
es~rm Il -
In-law. Henry NJ. Flaglcr, was then doing
badly IN the salt and lumber business near
Saginaw, Mich. darkness advanced
$50, 60 70 Rockefeller, called his sOn-in-
law in from the pine woods and had the sat
.sfaeIion Of seeing q new firm created
under the name OF Rockefeller, Andrews
& FIagler. The money of Hardness and
the business tact OF Flagler strengthen d
the concern greatly. Flagler, although
fsr from being successful as maker OF
sai5 and a SAWYER Cf logs, developed re-
variable talents when il came 70 petro-
ieum. In dealing with opposing rehners
be went as far as the law would permit.
he argued that there was neither friend
ship nor feeling in traffic; consequently
when he got his business enemyin hole he
squeezed him. Mr.. Elagser continued to
live in Cleveland until within two or
ghree years, when lie removed TO New
York.
n 1870 the firm OF Rockefeller, Andrews
3 F1Rgler rad become so imposing and
the business they were doing so immense
that it Was thought best to incorporate
undeT the style of the Standard Oil Com
ANY. with a capital Of $l,Oy0,O10. More
eorsoIidations followed. John d. Rookie
seller originated the idea Of one great
. concern that should control all the petrO-
cum in the country. Refneries in New
York and oil lands IN Pennsylvania were
purchased. The capital OF the corporation
was increased TO $2.500,0CO, and yearly
business aggregating 81, OOO,OOO transact
Cd Immediately thereafter. Great ware
houses We're constructed, hundreds OF iron
carsWere built in the metropolis, pipe lines
went laundering over the railroads and a
cooper shop was erected with capacity
Of $3.50 barrels 2 day. TIE stock was in
creased 10 S70,000. 600, and on this i'm
Yuense capital handsome dividend was
declared yearly.
vas formulated by John d. Rockefeller.
he went into Pennsylvania and dug up
az old charter that had been granted some
one. and under il he proposed TO operate
concern called the South improvement
Company. The purpose Of the improve
Rent company was TO cooperate Win the
railroads and prevent every refinery not
controlled by the Standard from shipping
ite product 10 market.
The scheme was killed in its infancy
and the standard, being determined to
govern things, began buying up rehneries
in every direction. Owners thereof were
offered fair prices for their property either
10 cash or Standard stock. Nearly every
one took money. but few had faith in the
outcome and accepted stock.
Col. .. II. Payne, son OF senator-elect
II. B. PAYNE. took stock. He is now Vice
President and Treasurer Of the Standard,
and is worth $4,000, 600 at low estimate.
He and a man named Clark-not the one
mentioned preyiously-and John Hunt
iugtOn owned a refinery in Cleveland.
Toe STANDARD, in accordance with us
poIioy. bought them out. Clark accepted
money, while Payne and Huntington were
satisfied with stock. Huntington, like
, Andrews, had been an English peasant.
he worked here at day labor, built fences,
Jrcva horses, wheeled sand and mixed
mortar, Finally he put on tar roof for
sorce one and made good wages. lie fol
lowed that occupation for several years,
Lila. sh.ll ~ l.s... ..sS.-- .-.ss.- $4,000 ~