Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-08
The Late Interstate Commerce De-
cisiOn Opens New Era to
Independent RefnerS.
BUCKEYE CERTIFICATES TRADE
So Far Has Failed to Benefit the Brokers
or Make Good the Magnates'
Glowing Promises.
QUIET SETTLES DOWN AT JACKS RUN.
Review Of Operations Now in Progress in Various
Petroleum Fields

The recent favorable decision Of the Inter
State Commerce Commission in the case O.
Rice, Robinson s. Witherop, refiners of pc
troleum at Titusville against the Western
New York and PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Com
pany, TOR alleged discrimination, has caused
q ajubilant feeling throughout the entire III,
dependent refining interests. This decision
plainly indicates that justice will also be
meted in behalf of joint complaint made
by the Independent Refiners' Associations
of Oil City and Titusville against all the
roads leading TO New York, Boston and
other seaport cities
Many points in the complaints being par
sllel, they were finally heard together, and
one decision practically covers both
cases. About two years ago, the
rate on 30 gallons or one barrel
of oil to New York was 50 cents per barrel,
whether carried in a wooden package or a
bulk tank car, and in former years the rate
was much lower
At the dictation of the Standard Oil Com
panv the rate was advanced on barreled oil
10 &c cents per barrel without changing the
bulk rate, thus favoring the Standard Oil
Company who were The principal owners Of
tank cars, besides controllingitnose of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, which
was the only road that pretended to provide
their patrons with such facilities
There is about 20 per cent of the refined
product of low grade quality depending on
the export market for an outlet. The prices
attalnable for this product would not bear
this extra tariff of II cents per barrel, hence
the suit. Placing their grievances in the
hands of the noted railroad attorney
Franklin B. Gowen, of Philadelphia, he in
duced the commissioners to hold their first
session at Titusville in May, 1889, where
they might better learn of the true nature
and Importance of the interests involved.
PROGRESS OF THE CASE.
In October OF the same year a second hear
ing was had at Washington, and the final
argument set for January, 1890. But ere
this time arrived their friend and champion,
Mr.. Gowen, in an evil moment committed
suicide without leaving brief or even any
notes for an argument in the case
Fortunately the refners had secured as an
assistant the services of a prominent local
attorney, Mr.. NJ. Hevwang who, by
strong argument, made the final effort in
their behalf. The case unearthed an appall-
ing list OF outrageous practices in the line
of contracts and discriminating arrange
ments in favor of the Standard Oil Com
pany, which, if they could be proven, would
aunul the charter OF every railroad con-
cerned.
However, nearly every point in the COM
plant was sustained by the decision, and it
viii do more to correct the nefarious prac-
tees of common" carriers against small
shippers than any before rendered. Atten-
uon VIII now be given to the matter OF col
lecting the damages and rebates, which will
aggregate not less than $4,000.
The same decision would equally apply
10 all Western roads, and it is probable
they will fall in line before similar legal
action is begun.
INDEPENDENTS DELIGHTED,
The DISPATCH representative yester-
day interviewed several independent re-
liners OF Oil City upon the situation, and
following is a summary of what they said:
Not since the beginning OF the great pc
troleum industry has a controversy affecting
independent interests terminated with such
salutary results, and no commissioner or
court Of justice has ever passed upon
more vital Issue between the independent
element and the absorbing monopoly
1T Is the dawning of a new era for the |
Independent refners and marks with ter
rible orre the first Waterloo of the Stand |
ard Oil Company. We have suffered from
the effects of discrimination by corporate
power until we were almost driven to the |
wall, and the gulf of bankruptcy was yawn-
inE DCIOle U.s. buti lnduh heavens, TINS ue- |
cision brings US relief and it has come none |
too soon. We are now animated with |
new hope Of the future, and begin to realize |
that we are free born American citizens and |
entitled to equal rights, one of the funda- |
mental principles OF our free institution. |
I'VE are not certain whether there is any |
appeal from the decision of the commits |
sioner or not, but there is YOU NAV rest |
assured that the Standard and the railway |
company will take advantage of everv |
means to do so. As things now stand we are |
on an equal footing with the Standard, and |
are better able TO cope with that gigantic |
Under the discrimination exer- |
cised against US it is remarkable that we |
kept our heads above water during the long |
siege"