Evening journal., 1896-05-22
A NEW STANDARD DEAL
The American Oil Trust Again
Dickering With Russia.
TO CONTROL PBTRoLEUM OUTPUT.

rhe ItothachiIds In the Combination Con-
ditions OF the OIL Market Unsatisfactory
to Both the standard and Russia. Hence
the Deal.
Nav YORK, May 2e. 1T is stated upon
good authority that the Standard OH com
pany has again opened negotiations with
The Russians for division OF the petro-
leum trade Of the world Representatives
OF the Standard are now IN Europe in tire
interest OF the movement. 1t is stated
that the terms offered by the Standard
company aro fully 25 per cent more ad-
vantageous TO the Russians than any pre-
vious offer.
The Rothschilds have invested heavily
In the Russian petroleum folds and it is
asserted that the negotiations now in
progress were begun by the tssist through
the Rothschilds. The last previous effort
Of the STANDARD to come to an understand
ing with the Russians was brought to an
unsatisfactory conclusion nine months
ago. The present negotiations have been
Ia progress about six weeks.
Tho export trade in crude and refined
petroleum. WAS never In more thorough
ly donoralized condition than at present
The action OF the Standard OIL company
In refusing to sell oil to exporters unless
they make known its destination and the
uncertainty concerning the agreement
with Russin have both tended to badly
muddle the few independent shippers at
this port.
The condition Of the trade in Germany
is thorn in the side Of the trust, and
steps are looked for every day BIZ the ex-
porters to stop the war in prices waged
there. Just what step will be taken and
what its effect will be is the sourca of
worriment. Every independent producer
and ronner Is watching his fellows with
suspicious eyes, and, Ike cloud over all,
hangs the standard trust ont Of which
lightning may flash at any time. Who it
viii strife IS the question.
The three principal links in the inde
pendent oil trade in Germany are the Co
lnmbia oil company, terminal agents at
this port for the United States pipe line,
the firm OF Goopel g. Truhe, in the Corn
Exchange Bank building who purchase
oil from the Columbia company for ex-
port to Germany, and Philip Poth, tho
head OF the Mannheim Import company
of Mannheim, Germany, who receives tho
oil exported by Goepel 4 Trube
Germany Has the Best End OF 1t.
To stop the rate war now waalnR In
Germany IL Is necessary for the trust to
buy up at least two OF these three con
Germs, That the trust Is getting tired OF
selling oil in Germany at cost below It's
production is known to be fact among
tho oil exporters. 1t is believed that steps
are now being taken by the trust to carry
out this plan, and each of the three links
in the combination is watching the others
for the first sign of wagering.
Philip Poth controls through his yari-
Gus establishments vast majority of the
independent American petroleum products
sold in Germany. He maintains central
stations at Mannheim and Rotterdam,
through which he supplies burning oil to
towns and cities all through the Rhine
valley. At Hamburg Is another large
warehouse used for the trade along the
Elbe. Other Important plants are at Bre
merhaven and at Flushing, near Antwerp
The Standard oil company supplies that
immense machine known ms the Deutsche-
American Petroleum Gesellschaft. This
corporation is composed Of the prin-
cipal dehers In petroleum products
throughout Germany together with the
former oil tank shipowners who trans
ported petroleum to the European con
sulnors. lb mas caplUal OF W., OUU, UOU,
tho control OF which is owned by the
Standard OIL company. The trust has
perpetual agreement by which the com
pany is to buy all its petroleum products
from It.
Tho fight In prices between the Gesell
schaft and Philip Poth has been waged foi
three years. Prices are now so low that
both concerns are selling at less than the
cost Of production. This loss, however, is
not sustained by the German merchants,
hnt by the Standard OH company and the
Independent producers on this side.
In tho meantime the Russians have al
SO been getting an entering wedge in the
German oil trade. Tho low prices have
been more easily met by them than by the
American producers. Though the Rus
Sian product Is not as good as the Amerl
can product. It sells for only trile less
With Russia en'erlng Germany, and alsC
attempting to obtain foothold in France,
whore the Standard OIL company has q
monopoly Mt present, and with Russian
oils also finding market in South Amer
ica and the far east, the trust must take