The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-02-09

its hundreds of ofshoots and its one hun.
dred millions capital. A year or two
after Rockefeller, and Andrews joined
fortunes, they, in conjunction with VIII.
liam Rockefeller. brother of John D.,
established second refinery and en-.
larged the old one. Then the two were
consolidated, and a warehouse for the
sale Of the oil was opened in New York.
William Rockefeller had charge Of the
warehouse, Jake Andrews bossed the men
and the machinery, but.the business head
and brains of the concern, as hehas been
from that day 10 this, was John D.
Rockefeller.
S. V. Harkness, rich whiskey distill-
or, soon after the consolidation, advanced
100000 to Rockefeller and put his SON.
in.law, John M. Flagler into the firm.
Flagler was then doing fairly in the salt
business, but be afterwsrd showed tai
ent for the petroleum trade, especially in
dealing with refractory re6uers who
didn't want to be bulldozed. Flagler
was always one of those who helped to
devise and successfully carry out the
schemes for crushing out rivals. He
says that there is no sentiment
about business; that he knows no friend
ship in trade, and that if be gets his
business rival in hole he means to keep
him there. He is a cold blooded man of
business every time.
In 1870 the business of the firm of
Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler had be.
come so big that it was Incorporated
under the name of the Standard Oil
Company, with capital of 81, 100000.
Then began the policy of gradually tax.
ing in other concerns. 1t was John D.
Rockefeller's idea-tbe scheme of one
great concern that should control all the
petroleum Of the country. The first
requisite for success was obtaining better
rates of freight than any other refners
could procure. This was "6xed" with
the trunk lines. Then re6neries iu New
York and oil lands in Pennsylvania were
purchased. The capital Of the corpora
tion was increased to S2,500000, and
yearly business of s25,OOO,OOO was done.
Great warehouses were built, pipe lines
were laid, hundreds of iron cars went
laundering over the railroads, aud o
cooper shop was built to turn out 5000
barrels day. The capital stock of the
company was increased to S70,000,0OO.
This phenomenal success was altogeth-
er owing to the ability of the Standard
to crush out competition by the aid of q
conspiracy with the railroad trunk lines.
No other shippers could get the same
favorable terms as the Standard. When
they wanted to crush out refinery and
drive its owners into bankruptcy the
Standard invaded the territory, sold oil
at loss until the rival was driven out of
business, and then the monopoly, having
the field to itself. advanced prices to a
higher figure than ever before. There is
no doubt whatever that the Standard in
this Infamous policy had the sympathy
and assistance of the railroads.
A gentleman, who ought to know
whereof he speaks, says:
"Inside of aeven years the Standard
Oil Trust spend S325,OoO in Harrisburg.
In five years it spent over 100000 in
Columbus. In the same length of time,
but covering different years, it laid out
$4,000 in Albany, 1t never had very
much use for the New York Legislature,
bat it had many favors to ask Of the Leg
islature of Pennsylvania, hence the diff
ference between S325,0OO and $4,000.
"Here are nearly half a million dollars
apent--for what? Bribery? Oh, no
"No one who is willing to tell knows
what the money was used for, but it is
very easy to guess.
"The Standard people knew in general
results just what legislation, direct and
indirect, was had for their benefit and can
form some idea of what further legisla-
ton or investigation that they did not
desire was prevented. But no one sup
poses for moment that ANY of these
gentlemen-even John D. Rockefeller
himself-could name the persons to
whose pockets the money might be
traced"
The Herald gives whole page to the
subject of trusts, and shows fully and
clearly the iniquitous workings of the
whole system. The coal barons came in
for their STARE, and it is shown how
eight men decide annually how much
coal may be dug out of the earth. Mr.
Fink, whom Jay Gould characterizes as
the shrewdest railroad men in the world,
has trunk line pool which the Herald
shows to be nothing short of trust.
There is the Sugar Producers Trust,
with refineries valued at $4,000, 900, and
with capital of s6O,oOO,O00. The Rub
ber Goods Trust represents an investment
of S5O,O0O,OOO, and an annual trade of
s1OO,OO0,O00. The Bell Telephone
Company, with a nominal capital of
100000, virtually comes under the
head of a trust. The big bonded storage
warehouses of New York and Brooklyn,
representing capital of $1O,00O,OOO, are
soon to be organized as trust. The
Herald calls for some legal remedy
against this growing evil.
He Prepared Himself.
A large, stout man, who looked as ifbe
might be pretty tough customer in a