The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-14
Standard Oil in Four Days
Jumps $19,OOO,OOO.
But How is a Mystery, for the
Trust
NEVER TELLS SECRETS
A Boom in Values That Has No
Parallel.
Stock Paid 81 Per Cent Last
Year.

New York, April 14.-Standard Oil is
supplying Wall street with the biggest
boom" of the year. Since Saturday its
certificates have jumped in value no
less than 10 points and no one knows
what the top notch quotation Will be.
OF the secrets of Standard Oil the
street knows nothing. 1t makes no re-
port. and it's profits are divided in it's
own way, and all that the public is
permitted to know is that on irregular
dates the word goes forth that Stand
ard Oil had declared a dividend of 10
or Is per cent. Wall street, with all it's
strategy, can learn no more than this.
1t asks questions only to answer them
itself Standard Oil is inaccessible.
The closing bid on the curb yester-
day-the certificates are not listed on
the exchange-was 294. On Saturday it
was 275. And 294 is the top-nOtch price
for the stock.
Standard Oil last year paid 81 per
cent in dividends on a capitalization of
$50, 600 coo. This means that the enor-
nous profit of $27, 900, 900 was distribu-
ted. How much more of profit was in
reserve2 Wall street would give much
to know, but Standard Oil books are
closed.
So far this year 10 per cent has been
paid, on March Is. Another big divi-
dend will probably come in June
cent no one knows The secret rests
with six men, headed by John d. Rookie
Teller, who occupy offices in the gray
granite tomb-like trust building at No.
26 Broadway.
The sudden appreciation in the value
of the certificates is not based alone on
a prospective increase in dividends.
There are rumOrS upon rumOrS of the
trusts extending it's territory of mar
ket by arrangement with Russian oil
kings, of the trusts doing this or ac-
cOmplishing that, but there is no in
formation to be obtained from the trust
But it takes little to encourage an adj
vance in value of Standard Oil certifi-
Gates. 1t is a tradition of the street
that the measure of trust profits dis
tributed to the public depends upon the
whim of the Rockefellers. With its rec
ord for enormous dividends a report of
an increase, no matter how circulated
or who the authority, at once causes an
advance.
The big jump in prices of the past
three days is based on runOrs and re-
ports. But Wall street capitalists are
willing to take a chance that the trust
is about to distribute an unusually
large dividend, or that it has acquired
a new outlet for its product which will
mean such a dividend in June, or with
in the next six months.
Standard OIL with all its millions, is
ruled by a committee of six. This cOun-
ell is made up of John D. Rockefeller,
president; William Rockefeller vice
president; John D. Archbold, H. H.
Rogers, Benjamin Brewster and H. M.
F1agler, treasurer.
Not a single secret of this council has
ever leaked out There is not posi-
bility of any line of policy being di-
Vulged prematurely.
The Combined fortunes of the two
Rockefellers will aggregate nearly
$500 600, 900.
In their offices in the Trust building,
No; 26 Broadway. the Rockefellers are
well nigh inaccessible-abs olutely SO
except to their intimate friends. John
D. ROckefeller's sanctum is on the
eighth floor, at the front, with a su-
from Mate
glass windows. The brothers are wide
ly separated during the day. William
Rockefeller's office being on the second
floor, far at the back.
They see each other at committee
meetings, which are frequent no day
going by without at least half a dozen
of them. They are members of all the
important bodies that manage the af-
they devote the most of their time to
the details of these. They are seldom
to be found at their desks.
John d. ROckefeller's private room
has a large mahogany roll top desk. a
ticker and a comfortable couch. It's
floor is covered with a dark moquette
carpet and it's walls are plain, una
dOrned white. His two private secre-
taries sit outside, but within easy call.
1t is almost case of Jeffersonian SIM
plicity. Nor can this room be called
his private office, even, for Mr.. Ward
well, the company's treasurer (and the
noted temperance advocate, as WELD,
has his desk but a short distance off.
William Rockefeller's sanctum is, like
wise, unadOrned. He has but one pri-
vate secretary, and this individual is
through the outer rooms of either of
the brothers. Business matters invari-
ably go to the heads of the departments
and from them filter through the ap-
prOpriate committees. The ROckefel-
lers do not touch the great public. They
are barred in and impregnable to the