The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-10
A FIGHT IN OIL TRADE.
A Savannah Firm Enters the Southern
Field.

Field.
Savannah and several other neigh
boring cities will shortly ave COMPETE
ton in the oil business. The Dixie Oil
Company has been organized, and will
shortly begin business. The oil COM
pany is a branch of the S. P. Shooter
Company, of this city, and will be con-
Quoted as such.
Since the Tidewater Oil Company
went of business the Standard Oil
Company has had the field all to itself
in this territory, and the natural sup
position, when it was announced that
the Dixie Oil Company would enter
the field, that it was for the purpose of
bucking the Standard. Mr.. S. P. Shot
ter, who was seen yesterday in regard
to the matter, said that such was not
the case.
$50 far as any direct opposition to
the Standard Oil Company or any 9TH
er Individual oil interest is concerned"
said Mr.. Shotter, "such a umO is alb
sOlutely without foundation. There are
hundreds of large dealers in petroleum
in this country who AVE no connec-
ton with the Standard Oil Company.
It is true that in this particular mar
ket and in some other sections of the
south, they a w a very large proper
ton of the trade. Dur ideas are ex-
ceedingly modest and moderate and
very little of this business will satisfy
us. We certainly do not intend to
place ourselves in a position of what is
called 'bucking the Standard In fact,
so far as I know their specially is re-
fined oils, whereas we propose to turn
~,-- - 49, %s0- al
of the very highest type. We believe
that there is a good demand for first
class goods without regard to cheap
ness of price, and it is e pods Of that
character that we propose to place on
the market. We have Deen led into
this business through the fact that we
have in the south Atlantic and gulf
states seven offices already established
in our regular naval stores business
and we car do a moderate oil business
at these points without any addition to
our fixed charges, and at the same
time employ a certain amount of idle
capital which the existing dizziness of
trade does not employ in any more ia
vorable direction"
The Shooter company has offices in
Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah,
Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans
and an office will probably be estab-
III at dChooIIN LIZ Ii O1 III
pany will similarly have establish
ments at each of these places, but the
business of the company will be con-
Quoted by the forces of the Shooter
company. While giving attention
chiefly to lubricating oils, the illumi-
mating business will not be neglected,
and the local trade in each Of h cities
named will be looked after in the same
manner as it is at present supplied by
49, CA~~lo-J on vi h. 1xo~ ~ ~
and supplied to the trade by tank
wagons.
w already hav the largest rOsin
oil plant in the world at our works
here,'' said Mr.. ShOtter. "Our tanks
there will be used for the storage Of
petroleum and other oils and other
tanks will be added as needed. Ware
houses have also been secured for
storage purposes. Petroleum will be
brought down by schooner. While the
Standard company controls about 80
per cent of the wells in the Pennsylva-
MIA oil region, the other 20 per cent.
includes a very large oil production,
which must be disposed Of through
other channels, consequently we antic-
ipate no difficulty in securing all the
Oil needed for u business. The trans
portations companies in this section
| use a very large amount Of lubricating
OIL, anu IL we Call supply OIlly d pOI
of this trade we shall be more than
satisfied. AS we do a large business
with most of the railroads leading to
the west from this section, it is only
natural that we should expect some
consideration from them when it comes
to the purchase of oils"
Savannah will be the headquarters
Of the Dixie Oil Company, with
branches at the other cities named.
| The capital of the company is 800, 900.
Mr.. Shotter has another enterprise
which will shortly be in operation,
which, however, does not directly inter-
est Savannah. This is an axle grease
factory, which is to be established at
| New Orleans. Rosin oil and petroleum
being the chief components Of axle
| grease and the Shotter company being
J engaged in the manufacture n sup
| ply of both, an axle grease factory is
a natural addition to the enterprise of
| the company. The factory is to be To-
| Gated at New Orleans, because of the
much larger territory for this article
that can be commanded from that
| point.-Savannah News, August 1st.