The San Francisco call., 1897-09-18
The Standard Company
a Relentless Foe of
Los Angeles.
Attempting to Strangie One
of California'S Infant
Industries.
Owners of Wells VIII Continue to
Struggle Against the Big
Monopoly.

LOS ANGELES, CAL, Sent. 17.-That
archmonopoly, The Standard OIL Com
pany, is pursuing a steady and relentless
war against one of the most promising in
oustries of this section Of the State.
Month after month since the beginning of
the current year it has continued to cut
the prices of refined oil products, in the
hope of driving the local prod ucers out of
the field, or of being able to purct tase the
plant and property of the lattsr at its own
figure.
Fifteen years ago the Puente o / Com
pany, which has its own wells and plant
in the Chino Valley and It's offices in this
city, began the production OF crude oil.
About the first of this year, after repeated
and long continued experiments, IL sue
ceeded in producing Illuminating oil of a
quality certainly equal if not superior TO
The i'm ported article. For year previous
the company had been producing gaso-
line and disIiIate the latter being a
product peculiarly adapted fOr gas en-
gines.
AS long as the operations of the local
enterprise were confined to the produc-
tion and marketing OF fuel oils, the Stan
that could be viewed as an attack. About
January l OF this year the Puente Oh
Company entered the field it'll it's ilum-
mating oil. At that time gasoline was
selling for 141@ cents a gallon, and illum-
mating oil at ii cents. The former is now
bringing only 10 cents and the latter 81.
In each instance, The reduction was maue
by the oil monopoly, but was promptly
met by its local competitor
Here ofore, the members of the Puente
Oil Company have steadfastly refused to
discuss the matter with newspaper men
or to talk for pub ication. To-day, how
ever, J. B. Graves, vice-president of the
company, was prevailed upon 10 give his
views 10 The CALL correspondent. This
Is what he SAID:
I'VE have been producing crude oil for
fuel for fifteen years, and hegan refining
our product about January, 1895 During
1896 we turned ou: gasoline and distillate.
The first of January, 1897, we began to
market Illuminating OIL, gasoline. distil-
late and painters benzine. At that time
gasoline was worth 14% cents in 90 gallon
drums, and Illuminating oil was worth IL
cents. The Standard Oh Company has
since steadily cut prices, until gasoline is
now selling for 10 cents and illuminating
oil for So cents. We have met all red dc-
tions, anu will continue 10 do so as long
as there is any money in refining. When
there is none We will hang up our teie-
phone anG let our opponents do The busi-
ness We can live from Our crude prod
ucts.
I'VE feel much encouraged by the loca
support we are receiving, and we have no
fears for the future. This matter is one,
however, where more than the interests
of any one company are at stake. In my
opinion the oil fields ofSouthern Calitor-
MIA have not yet oeeu scratched. Our
pumps have been gong steadily for twelve
years. and we have been working only the
upper layer of OIL"
Should the Standard Oil Company sue.
ceed in driving the Illuminating oil OF the
local producers from the market, 1t i:
believed the industry will be strangled
almost at its birth. though it now prom Use:
to be one OF the most valuable of Southern
California.