Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-01-26
Made Against Those Who Dare
Stand Up for Their Rights.
intimidation Doesn't Go With the
Buchers' and GrOcers' Association Of
Springfield.

ard Oil company will be made here,
this time by the Butchers and
Grocers association, comprising all
the prominent local dealers in those
lines, which has held a meeting to
complete plan for the struggle.
The complaint against the Stand
ard Oil company is the old story OF
high price and poor oil. So num-
erous have been the complaints OF
customers during the last few
months that the men who handle
oil decided to break loose from the
Standard and buy oil of independ-
ent refneries, of which they knew
by experience better oil could be
got at lower prices.
Several conferences were held
and over 100 signatures were OBJ
tanned of dealers who promised to
support the movement. Then ar
rangements were made to get yard
room and siding to unload the oil.
Tank wagons were procured and a
mutual stock company was formed
to handle the oil. A manager was
secured in w. H. Wells, who was
for over five years agent of the
Standard Oil company in western
Massachusetts,.
This present movement obtained
when, not long.ago, men in this
city who were handling Standard
oil were notified that the price was
to be again advanced.
Arrangements have already been
made with the several independent
refining companies in Pennsylvania
to supply high grade of oil at reas,
enable rates.
The Butchers and grocers' asso-
citation, which has taken up the
fight, is one of the most influential
trade organizations in western Mas
sachusetts, comprising, as it does,
practically all the firms in Spring
field and vicinity. Its president is
Joseph F. Callahan, who is vice
president of the national associa-
ton and whose prominence in
Democratic politics in Hampden
county gives him much influence.
Its members include such firms as
Sturtevant, Merrick & Co.: West,
Stone & Co.; Downing, Taylor &
Co.,; J. F. Marsh & Son, E. 0.
Clark, Thomas F. King, w. w.
Warren & Son and practically all
the other dealers.
The agents of the Standard Oil
company have already appeared in
the field and are doing their best to
frighten the men who are interest
edin the scheme. One prominent To-
cal dealer says that a Standard
agent approached him and said:
"See here! 1t you try to fight the
Standard we will put the price
down so low that you can't sell any
oil. We will ruin you, and then
when any of you want to buy any
more oil from us you'll have to pay
for it."
The dealer told him that if such
scheme was tried the men max
ing the fight would stir up public
sentiment against the Standard Oil
company that would stop it. And
the members of the Butchers and
Grocers' association are in posi-
ton to do it.
This is by no means the first fight
that has been made in Springfield
against the Standard Oil company.
In 1895 D. w. Warren & Son, dis
gusted with the grade of oil fur
nished by the Standard people and
their prices, opened negotiations
with the New England OIL compa-
ny, of Somerville, which then rep
resented the Cornplanters' Refining
company of Warren, Pa. Oil then
in Springfield was eA cents. Mr..
Warren, after much trouble in get
ting a siding where he could have
his oil delivered, finally succeeded
in delivering barrelled oil to dealers
at 8 cents, though it is well known
that the weight and carriage on bar
relied oil are nearly three times as
great as on tank oil, in which man.
ner the Standard Oil company got
theirs.
Then he began to have tank cars
come, and the Standard people be-
gan to fight him bitterly. They re-
duced the price of their oil and i'm