People's voice., 1899-06-15
Standard OIL Company Tricks.

G1e StanQdIu VII COMPANY IL various
towns in that state, but was then
suspended, testified that while em-
ployed at Marietta, the Standard had
Ousted other concerns from the bust.
ness By competition and then rut up
the price Of oil. He said that eight
nominal grades Of oil were sold, out Of
only two tanks, the faucet being
turned In different directions for diff.
ferent grades. This was done, he
said, under instructions from the
mauagers Of the Standard company
Messrs. Matthews and Hollingsworth.
Mr.. Clark also said that the company
bought and sold turpentine, but
before selling it would put six OF
seyen gallons Of gasoline 10 each
barrel Of turpentine.
At Columbus Mr.. Clark was the
cashier Of the Standard company. A,
that point, he said, much oil was
adulterated. For instance, miners
oil was made by mixing In a little
cOttonseed oil. The Standard com,
pany started what Was known as the
Shoemaker Oil company. This was q
purely Standard establishment, be
testified, the men being paid by the
Standard company, but it was made
TO appear to be an independent com.
pany and was used as q blind.
At Springfield, Mr.. Clark, was q
wagon salesman, and the instructions
there were to get trade regardless oil
price. Some refined oil was sold al
low as 4 cents, and here also as many
as four nominal grades Of oil wer,
taken from one tank. Rebates were
also made when necessary. When ht
had spoken to the management of th,
dishonesty Of these practices he hac
been told that it was not for him tt
say about such matters but to d.
what he was told.
At Urbana, he said, he was manage
for the Standard company. Here ,
competitor was driven out by a threa
to force the price down to / cent
gallon. The competitor afterwarC
went to the poorhouse. Witness fo
a time was manager at Newark. Her,
the work was very hard because o
the great range Of prices. Their
were twenty-five different figures use,
there. One man would buy oil 70
cents while his next door neighbo
would pay 9! cents. Rebates ais
were given to especially favorel
patrons. These were made under tn
instructions Of Mr.. B. A. Matthews
as were all changes Of price or terms
| The witness testified that at Newar
the COMPANY bOucaJa a building fror
over leaser's head who was doing
competitive business and MIR. Clar
With other men went into the build
lng in the absence Of the competition
loaded the building on carts and car
| rled it away. For this he (Mr. Clark
vas c0mptlmented and was TO hav
beer rewarded with a two weeks
vacation, while the competitor wa
so iii:h'rrpd that he went out of tn
business. This was not accemplishe,
however, until all his customers hal
been located by boy hired to follow
his wagon on a bicycle. At Newark
customer wanted oil from Cleveland
He was satisfied by supplying hin
out Of barrel painted red and markst
as II from Cleveland. He received
the same oil, however, that othe
people got,
The witness said that laborers 70
the Standard company were paid yen
orally 75 cents a day and that the,
worked on an average twelve hours
day. There was, he said, often a diff
terence Of 2 cents a gallon in th,
price Of oil in places where there wa
competition and places where thar,
was none.