The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-08-18
THE RICHEST MAN IN AMERICA

came into being as a commercial enter
prise, n of its originators q book
keeper hardly more than q boy, the
other q porter in q commission house.
The bookkeeper Is now president of
the company, while the porter lives in
u $500, 900 residence.
AT the time Clark withdrew from
the little refinery the entire property
could not have been worth much more
than sc, 1000. 1t was not much OF q nest
egg, yet from this humble begipn ing
has grown the great Standard Oil
company, with it's hundreds Of oifshoots
and its $40, 600, 900 OF capital. So the
little refinery kept pegging away,
with an ever increasing business and
an ever ambitious management In
the meantime, young William Rookie
Teller, who had been working at u
salaried position in Cleveland, came to
ST. Louis and took a position in the
little Oil refinery of Rockefeller 81 An
drews. The investment continued to
pay q handsome profit, and q year or
two after beginning business the firm
had a snug sum in the bank.
A year or two after Rockefeller and
Andrews had joined fortunes they, in
{ conjunction with William Rockefeller,
established a second refinery, and the
money making business was greatly
increased. The two establishments
were finally consolidated, and the
younger brother, William, was made a
fullhedged member of the firm. A
warehouse for the sale of refined petro-
leum was opened in New York, and
charge of it. John d. was the business
head of the consolidated concern,
while Andrews looked after the machid-
cry and men.
There were no disagreements or fric-
tion. The members of the firm were
very little more than boys, but they
we're enthusiastic and ambitious to u
degree. In their lexicon, as they then
regarded it, there was no such word as
fail. They were confronted with
failure, however, shortly after the con-
solidation. They had built and pur-
chased and planned without regard to
their financial abilities, until finally
they found themselves in very deep
water. They had spent a great deal
of their little hoard in extending their
business, n were threatened with
ruin before they could get returns from
their investments.
Creditors harrassed them, their
funds were exhausted and their bust
ness was apparently ruined. "It's no
use," said Andrews. Il guess we are
in for it. l do not see how we can tide
things over."
William Rockefeller was gloomily
Respondent. One morning Jonp d. APP
peared at the office of the refinery,
carrying a valise.
"Whcre are you going ?" asked An
drews.
81 am going to get help" was the
reply.
Where, he could not tell. He had
no definite plan. But help must be
had, and, just as he had long before
set out to win q fortune, young John ID.
Rockefeller took his grip and went
forth to obtain assistance in retaining
the little he had already accumulated,
BY luck, instinct, good Judgment, o.
what you will, he met Mr.. S. V. Hank
ness, u rich whisky distiller, whose
s%on-in-law, Henry NJ. Flagler, was then
doing badly in the salt and lumber
business near Saginaw. Hardness in.
v~estigated Rockefeller anu the re.
tinery business and made up his mind
that he would take an interest in it for
his son-in-law.
About IL month after he had started
out on his still hunt for money Rookie
Teller returned with Hardness Michi-
gan son.in-law and 500, 600 with which
to continue the business name OF
Rockefeller, Andrews g. Flagler.
This was the pivotal point in the
fortunes of John D. Rockefeller, as
we'll as of Henry Nj. Flagler. The
money of Hardness and the methods
OF ,Flagler were just what the petro.
leum refinery needed. Previous to
the advent of Flagler the company
had been conducted in a semi-seuti.
mental way. John d. Rockefeller's
heart had not yet hardened into
granite in his business dealings, al
though he was the principal schemer
in the firm.
1t was different with Flagler. AL
though he had been far from success
full as u maker of salt and IL sawyer OF
logs, he developed remarkable talents
when IL came ITO petroleum. In deal
ing with opposing reiiners he went as
far as the Law would permit. He argued
that there was neither friendship nor
feeling in traffic. Consequently, when
he got his business enemy in a hole he
squeezed him.
Under these tactics, the firm of
Rockefeller, Andrews u Flagler thriv-
ed apace. Their business was extend
ed amazingly, and in a sort Of geome-
trical progression. In 1870 the firm
had become so imposing and their bust
ness so immense hat it was thought
best to incorporate under the style OF
The Standard Oil Company" with a
capital of 81, 200, COO. More consolida-
tions followed. They resembled the
consolidation Of the bird aud the worm
but they Wel o within the limits of bust
ness ethics.
During the days when he was a com
mission merchant John D.. Il )ckefeller
had married a Cleveland school teach
err, Miss Lucy Speiiman. The union
proved q very happy one, aud at tho
time of the incorporation Of the Stan
dard Oil company he had two little
daughters, Bessie and Alta, who have
since become lovely young women.
Altogether the Standard Oil magnate
has had four children. The Oldest
daughter, Bessie, is the wife of Pro-
lessor Charles Strong, who occupies
the chair Of preseason OF psychology in
the Chicago university. The youngest
Of the four is John d., Jr., who is now
"a years OF age. a year or two ago
Edith became the wife OF one of the
Mccormick boys, Of Chicago.
Mrs. Rockefeller is q slight little
woman, with grayish hair that vas
once iot black. Her life has been de-
voted almost exclusively to hor hus-
band, her children. and her household.
She has never figured In the society
columns OF the newspapers or in great
social cvents. She has been giving
money away in charity continually
since her marriage. The idca of one
great concern that should control all
| the nptrpIpOIn in thia pnuntry nrin;not