The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-26
AN AMERICAN ROMANCE.



~ oiessls Captive Of the Almighty Dollar
by the 4oekefeilers.
The Sun makes the startling stats
ment that the pinnacle of earthly
wealth is thought TO have been reached
by John ID. Rockefeller-who must
therefore have displaced the Wander
bilt boys and the Duke of Westminster
from their post as rival claimants for
the honor of being accounted the rich
est man on earth. Rockefeller wea tn
has increased until il is said that he is
now in receipt of an income of SIC, 0OO.-
900 year. John ID. Rockefeller's life
story made him one of the marvels of
the new world long before it was
dreamed that he would ever reach the
greatest height as millionaire A
certain DIR. Rockefeller removed from
the central part of this State less than
forty years ago to establish himself and
family in Cleveland. John ID. and
William were his sons. John d. fin
ished his boyhood in the Ohio city and
got his schooling there. Then he came
to New Yor@ and was proud to become
book-keeper in little store for the
sale of farm produce on commission in
Water street in this city. At nineteen
years of age he and M. b. Clark went
into that business on their own account
That was at the close of the war; While
book-keeper Mr. Rockefeller had in
vested little money in small oil re-
finery up the river. The porter in the
same store had put his small savings
into the refinery also.
La time Rockefeller thought he saw
fortune in oil and sold out his interest
in his store to Clark He and the for
mer porter. now the millionaire Samuel
Andrews, then devoted all their time
10 oil-refining Rockefeller was twenty
six and Andrews was under twenty-five
Their refinery was not worth S. 900
and was not pad Cor. They prospered
and Johns brother William became his
partner in another refinery. The two
refineries We're presently joined and
store was opened in this city for the
sale of the oil they refined. They
needed money to swing their plans
with and set out to find it. AWAY of
in Saginaw, Mich. was Henry NJ Flag
Ter, sent there by a rich father-in-law
to make his fortune in lumber and salt.
He was not succeeding. The father in
law heard of the Rockefellers and call
ing Flagler to New York put him and
500. 900 into the new oil Arm From
begins the unexampled career of the
Standard Oil Com any. Taking that
name and a capital of a million. John
ID. Rockefeller rapidly consummated his
plan to control the oil product of the
nation. The business grew so enor-
nous that it was able to obtain the
lowest freight rates from the railroads.
and these were often such that Com
modOre Vanderbilt remarked that
only one man in the world could
dictate to him and that was Rocke-
Teller. Refineries were bought right
and left for stock Or cash. All who,
like Colonel o. H. Payne. took stock
became rich; the others got fair price
and that was all The corporation was
a monopoly until 1880. After that the
railroads rebel. ed and then the Stand
ard built its pipe lines and defied the
roads.
The company is incorporated in many
States and managed by the Standard
Trust Company in his city, with John
ID. and VIM. Rockefeller still at the
head. William owns and lives at the
beautiful Aspinwall estate at larry
town. just above the limits OF this city,
on the Hudson John ID. lives near
Greenwich, on the sound, with coterie
of business associates who come to
town every day in private car that is
fitted up like clubhouse on wheels
Henry NJ. Flagler. whose income is now
about $1,000. 900 a year, has grand
house in town. These and the lesser
magnates of the great oil trust are all
quiet. plain. democratic citizens, not
one of whom puts on the airs of the
average hotel clerk. IN. Y Cor. Provi-
denoe Or L. Journal