Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-06-09
STANDARD OIL TRICKS
Ex.EmpIoye of the Big Trust Ex.
plains How II Smashed
All Competition.
EXPERT MANIPULATION A FEATURE
By Which Any Sort of Oil Was Drawn
from One Tank-Man Who Wanted tho
CIe1eland Article Given What He De-
sired-BuiIding Bought Over a Com
petitors Head and Carted Away-Oil
Sold at Any Old Price.

Washington, June 9.-The industrial
commission resumed its investigation of
trusts yesterday, the Standard Oil COM
pany receiving especial attention. w.
II. Clark, of Ohio, who until last Feb
ruary was employed by the Standard
Oil company in various towns in that
state. but was then suspended, testified
that while employed at Marietta the
Standard had ousted other companies
from the business by competition and
then put up the price of oil. He said
that eight nominal grades of oil were
sold out only two tanks. the faucet
being turned in different directions for
different grades. This was done, he
said, under instructions from the man
ayers for the Standard company, Aiessrs.
Matthews and Hollingsworth. Clark
also said that the company bought and
sold turpentine. but before selling it
would put six or seven gallons of gaso-
line in each barrel of turpentine.
Ordered to Obtain Trade, Regardless.
AT Columbus Clark was the cashier
of the Standard company. At that point,
he said, much oil was adulterated. Here
the Standard company started what
was called the Shoemaker Oil company.
1t was made to appear to be an inde-
pendent concern and was used as a
blind. At Springfield, Clark said, he was
a wagon salesman, and the instructions
there were to get trade, regardless OF
the price. Here as many as four nominal
grades of oil were taken from one tank.
When he had spoken to the manage
ment of the dishonesty of these prac-
tices he had been told that it was not
for him to say about such matters, but
to do what he was told.
How One Competitor Was Driven Out.
At Urbana, he said, he was manager
for the Standard company. Here COM
petitor was driven out by threat to
force the price down to 1 cent gallon.
The competitor afterward went to the
poor house. Witness for a time was
manager at Newark. Here the work
was very hard because of the great
range of prices. There were twenty
five different figures used there. One
man would get oil for cents. while his
next door neighbor would pay 91z
cents. Rebates also were given to es-
pecially favored patrons. These were
made under the instructions OF B. A.
Matthews, as were all changes in price
or terms.
Bought and Carted Off Building.
The witness testified that at Newark
the company bought a building over a
leeser's head who was doing a COM
petitive business, and Clark with other
men went into the building in the abb
sence of the competitor, loaded the
building on carts and carried it away.
For this he (Clark) was complimented
and was to have been rewarded with a
two weeks vacation. while the COM
petitor was so frightened that he went
out of the business. This was not ac-
complished. however. until all his GUS
toners had been located by boy hired
to follow his wagon on a bicycle.
Easy to Satisfy Customer.
At Newark a customer wanted oil
from Cleveland. He was satisfied by
supplying him out of a barrel painted
red and marked as if from Cleveland.
He received the same oil, however.
that other people got. The witness said
that laborers for the Standard COM
pany were generally paid rs cents a day,
and that they worked on an average
twelve hours a day. There was. he
said, often a difference of cents
gallon in the price of oil in places where
there was competition and places where
there was none.