Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-11
INVESTIGATING TRUSTS.

LIN ID lhODlC.
The Profitable Agreement Ms.de by
Members Of the Unfon-A Nu1nber or
Private tension Rms Passed by She
senate-The Honse Stli nc = Deadlock.
WASHINGTON. April 6.-The House Conn
mittee on Manufactures to-day began an
inquiry into the alleged Standard Oil trust
under authority conferred upon the COM
mittee by the House to investigate all
trusts or combinations. Henry Webster
of Bradford, a contractor for drilling oil
wells and a member Of the Oil Well Drillers
Union, testified at length going into details
OF the contract between the Union and the
Standard Oil Company and Producers As
ISOLATION. He said two million barrels OF
oil had been set apart for the benefit OF
laboring men thrown ont Of employment.
Since the union was formed all drilling has
practically ceased.
THIS CONTRACT PROVIDES,
among other things, that the Producers
Association shall pay to the Well Drillers'
Union the profits on one million barrels Of
oil, and the residue of the profit on an
other million barrels that may remain
after adjusting and paying the other
classes of labor injured by the shut down
movement. The cost price of the oil was
go cents per barrel on November I, 1887,
and subject to indirect storage and fire
loss, charges from hat date. profits to be
dist ributed among members OF the Well
Drillers' Union. This oil shall be held by
the Producers Association and sold by
them when they think proper. but not
faster than o~ne-fourth every three months.
All persons entitled to benefits shall
DEVOTE THEIR TIME
and attention to the ~stoppage of drills dur
ing the continuance of the agreement, and
shall report weekly to a designated officer.
Question: Do you know whether this or
ganization was formed at the suggestion oil
the Standard Oil Company for the purpose
OF making it more convenient for them to
transfer to the workmen their share of
the oil?
Answer: do not. The purpose of the
shutdown was to diminish production and
OF oil. The object, I understand, was to |
have a more uniform and graded price.
In. Bennett. OF Bradford, Pa, contrac-
tor, also q member of the union, testified he |
had done no work since the agreement had |
been entered into, but had received SIS up |
to March 10 from the union.
The Senate.
WASHINGTON, April Elm the Senate a
message from the President with the draft
Of a bill for the revocation of the with.
drawal of lands for the benefit of certain
railroads was presented and referred to the
on Public Lands.
On motion OF Stewart the Senate bill to
authorize the sale to aliens of certain min.
oral lands was taken up from the calendar
read.
Platt asked what would be left OF the
law prohibiting the acquisition OF
estate by aliens) il the bill passed.
Stewart said the whole body of the orig.
nal law would beleft; that the law has been
designed to prevent the monopoly OF agri-
lands by foreigners, and was not
Intended to apply to mines or mining. There
Vas no reason why a different rule IN that
aspect should have been forced against the
han existed in the States where 4
oreign capital was largely invested in mines.
After further discussion the bill was post
,oned until Monday.
On motion of Teller the House bill grant- ,
ng the right of way to the Denver & Rio /;
srande railroad through Fort Crawford /,
Military reservation a taken up and !
,assed. The Senate proceeded to the con- |
Iteration Of private pension bills on the s
alendar. Among the pension bills passed r
Tas one giving a pension of $25 a month +
o DR.. Mary e. Walker as late assistant =
urgeon of the United States army; 5000 a q
ear to the widow of General Charles P. c
tone; one to increase the pension OF the a
ldest Revolutionary pensioner on the =
oils, Nancy Raines, 96 years of age, :
'om So q month to an amount not y
xed, but left to the Secretary a
I the Interior; $50 a month to the widow G
I Rear Admiral Nicholson; 500 a month .
2 ttbbe ggid9E Of Gen. g9gdson Kilpatrick o
nderson; one pensioning a soldiers foster e
lother; $50 a month to the widow of O
General Tyler; $50 per month to a
% widow OF Commander Vim. Gibson and q
so per month to the widow of Medical !,
DENLY OF the navy. Altogether n
lere were 1877 bills passed, sixty-five being a.
ouse bills. +,
The Senate then resumed consideration of ii
10 pleuro-pneumonia bill. Committee f.
were agreed to and Frye moved ri
amend by mentioning the diseases tuber. q,
losis and CHAMBERS. Agreed to and the bill
10 made q special order for Thursday
'xt.
bill providing for the admission Of the
ate OF Dakota into the Union and for the hi
OF the Territory of Lincoln M
as taken up and took its place as unfin- "a
led business. Adjourned till Monday. =,