The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-09
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Standard Oil Company Made to
Appear as an Artful Dodger.
ALL SORTS OF SCHEMES
Eight Grades OF Oil Sold Out of Two
Tanks-Driving Out Competition.
Remarkable Testimony OF
Discharged Employee.

Washington, June S.--The industrial
commission resumed its investigation
of trusts, the Standard Oil company re-
ceiving especial attention. w. H. Clark
of Ohio. who until last February was
employed by the Standard Oil company
in various towns in that state but was
then suspended, testified that while en-
ousted other companies from the bust
ness by competition and then put up
the price of oil. He said that eight
nominal grades of oil We're sold out of
only two tanks, the faucet being turned
in different directions for different
grades. This was done, he said, under
instructions from the managers 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 or seven gallons of gasoline in
each barrel of turpentine.
At Columbus Mr.. Clark was the CASH
Ter of the Standard company. AT that
point he said much of it's was adulter-
ated. For instance, miners oil was
made by mixing in a little cotton seed
oil. Here the Standard Oil company
started with what is called the Shoe
maker Oil company. This was purely
a Standard scheme, its men being paid
by the Standard company. 1t was
made to appear to be an independent
concern and was used as blind.
At Springfield Mr.. Clark said he was
a wagon salesman and the instructions
there were to get trade regardless of
the price. Some refined oil was sold
as low as cents. and here also as
many as four nominal grades of oil
were taken from one tank. Rebates
were made when necessary. When he
had spoken to the management of the
dishonesty of these practices, he had
been told it was not for him to say
about such matters, but to do what he
was told.
At Urbana he said he was manager
for the Standard company Here a
competitor was driven out by threat
to force the price down to l cent a gal
lon. The competitor afterwards went
to the poor house. Witness for a time
was manager in Newark. Here the
work was very hard, because of the
great range of prices. There were %
different figures used there. One man
will get oil for cents, while the next
door neighbor would pay 91a cents. Re-
bates were also given to especially IA
vored patrons. These were made I'M
Ger the VI "A. Mdllue"S,
as were all the changes in prices Of
| terms.
| The witness testified that at Newark
| the company bought a building from
! over leaser's head, who was doing a
| competitive business. and Mr.. Clark
with other men, went into the building
in the absence of the competitor, loaded
the building on carts and carried it
away. For this he (Mr. Clark was
| complimented and was to have been
rewarded with two weeks vacation,
while the competitor was so frightened
that he went out of the business. This
was not accomplished, however until
all his customers had been located by
boy hired to follow his wagon on a
| bicycle. At Newark customer wanted
| oil from Cleveland. He was satisfied
by supplying him out of barrel paint
ed red and marked as if from Cleve-
and He received the same oil, how
ever that other people got.
The witness said that laborers for the
Standard company were generally paid
| rs cents day and that they worked on
an average of u hours day. There
was, he said, often a difference of
cents a gallon In the price of oil In
places where there was competition and
| places where there was none.