Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-09
General Congressional News


General Congressional News
The investigation of the oil trust was re sum-
ed Saturday morning by the House committee
ON manufactures. David Kirk of Bradford,
A, said he was member Of the Producers
Protective Association Of Pennsylvania and
New York. Ii was made up of about 1900
members, and had SO local assemblies.
Witness was one of the promoters of the AS
sociatlon, to which were eligible petroleum
producers and others interested in the busi-
ness, including individual retiners. 1t had
no connection whatever with the Standard
OH Co. 1t was organized as y protection
against the Standard After its formation
1t was found that great deal of capital
would be required TO build a new system of
ppe lines, 50 Committee waited on the
STANDARD Oil Company, and finally came to
an agreement with it. This Was III oepten-
ber ut which time there was a stock of 3D.
700 900 barrels on hand, held by the Nation
al Transit Company. The Stan lard agreed
to give the Producers Association the profits
ON 5000, 900 barrels if the association would
agree to cut down its reproduction II 800 bar
rels per day, and refrain from opening new
wells. The first act of the Producers AssO-
citation was to set aside the profits of l,000,-
shut down. They went back to the Standard
and squeezed another million barrels from
it for the same purpose. The stock on
hand on April | was about 26,OOO,0 900.
There had been daily average reduction
of 25 900 barrels since the contract had been
in force with the Standard.
James X. Goldsborough of Bradford sec
retary of the Producers Protective Associa-
ton, testified that the association had paid
the well drllers' unions Ss5, 900 since the
agreement was formed. Out of a gross pro-
duction of about Al 900 barrels per day., the
production for the past four months had
been curtailed about Is 800 barrels.
Mr.. Kirk was recalled and asked if there
had been any differences between the Pro-
ducers and the Standard regarding the agree
ment. Witness replied: Not officially.
We understood we were to have their aid
and assistance in advancing prices, but we
don't seem to have got it. After the drop in
oil last week called on Mr.. Brewster and
had a conference. Mr. Brewster is a vice
president, but | don't know whether it is of
the big thing, the little thing, or one of the
other things. Refined was selling at 3-4
cents per gallon. On that basis we under
stood we were to get 96 cents, and it had
gone down to 1S. Mr.. Brewster said there
world that he could hold up the price of re-
fined, but could not hold up the price of
crude, and would not try to-"
Mr. Kirk said the trar sportaton charges
were a heavy burden ON the producers. BY
combination the charge for piping oil from
the wells, from one-half to 10 miles to
central point, had been forced up from less
than 10 cents per barrel in 1876 to 20 cents.
at which it had remained ever since. He
thought the provisions of the interstate COM
mcrce law should be applied to it.
In conclusion. witness made statement
to the effect that they understood that they
could not be compelled to testify. but that
they had nothing to be ashamed of, and had
come down here voluntarily to tell every
thing they knew.
Ezra +. Howell of Olean. n. Y, a dealer
in oil well supplies, testified that his busi-
ness had decreased two-thirds during the
last four months.
Adjourne d subject to call.
Notes.
The Lafayette monument committee met
at the war department Saturday, and decided
that the figures of DeGrasse. ID Estaing,
Rochambeau and Deportail, shall go upon
the monument There will be two groups.
one representing the army and the other the
navy. Rochambeau and Deportaill will con-
stitute the army group, and DeGrasse and
D'Estaing the navy group. The question of
site was discussed, and it was decided TO
make all effort to secure Lafayette square,
where the equestrian statue of Andrew Jack
son now stands.
| Captain George F. Bushnell, T. S. A.,
assistant surgeon, has been relieved from
duty at Fort Preble, Me-, and ordered to
Camp Pilot, Butte, A. T.
! A ladies' bicycle club has been formed in
I this city. Their Costume will be tight fit
ting bodice or Norfolk jacket. full skirt,
walking length, and riding hat and gloves.
! The club will be kept strictly private and
first class. Ladies will be elected to men,
bership only when proposed by members,
I and then by unanimous vote. Gentlemen
will be admitted only as honorary members.
The ehbrary-<ommission today opened bids
4 for furnishing stone for the cellar or sub
basement of the new library building The
proposals were based upon three different
plans for the same work. These three plans
of construction are still pending, the commits
sion not having determined which shall be
! adop,ed. Hence bidders we're ordered to
make their estimates and submit proposals
embracing the three different methods. Plan
No. l called for bids in gross sum; piar
No. 2 is somewhat more expensive, and Also
called for gross bids, while plan No 3 called
for bids per cubic foot for dimension stone
and for asher Cor faced stone, and per cubic
ward for rubble (rough) stone. The bid
were as follows: :,
Dover Marble Company of Dover, n H.
for plan No. l. S4sl.000; for plan No
S5s2 600; for plan No. 3, 2.60 and ~ pc
cubic foot, and S67 so per cubic yard.
Mt. Waldo Granite Works Of Frankfort
Me-, for plan No. l, ss6i, i,a3. for plan No
2, S3O7 500; for plan No. 5, 81 sS per cuoi
foot and Sl5.s5 per cubic yard
Hslloweu Granite Works of Hsllowell
Ne. for plan No /, 1884 BIG; No. 2. 1928,
$40; No. 8, Sl.sl and sl.s7 per cubic foe
and $50 per cubic yard.
Stout, Hall : Bangs Of Washington, D