Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-06-09

WASHINGTON, June S.-The Indus
trial Commission to-day resumed its
investigation of trusts, the Standard
Oil Company receiving especial atten,
ton. Mr.. 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 sus-
pended, testihed 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 on, of only two
tanks, the faucet being turned in differ
ent directions for different grades. This
was done, he said, under instructions
from the managers for the Standard
Company, Messrs. Matthews and Hol-
hngsworth. Mr.. Clark also said that
the company bought and sold turpen-
tine, but before selling it would put six
or seven gallons of gasoline in eaeh
barrel of turpentine
At Columous, Mr. Clark was the oush-
Ter OF the Standard Company. AT that
point, ne said, much oil was aduiterat-
ed- For instance, miners oil was
made by mixing In little cottonseed
Oh. Here the Standard Company start
cd what was called the Shoemaker Oil
company. This was a purely Standard
establishment, he testified, It's men oe-
ing paid by the Standard Company, but
IL was made To appear to be an inde-
pendent concern and Was used as a
blind.
At Springfield, Mr.. Clark said he was
a wagon salesman, and the Instructions
there We're TO get trade regardless OF
the price. Some refined oil was solo
as low as four cents, and here also as
many as four nominal grades OF oil
were taken from one tank. Rebates
were made when necessary. When he
mad spoken to the management OF the
ulshonesty OF these practices he had
been told that it was not for him 20 saw
ABOUT such matters, but to do what he
Was told.
AZ urbana he said he was manager
for the Standard COMPANY Here a
competitor was driven out by a threat
TO force the price down To cent a gal-
ION. The competitor afterward went 10
the poor house. Witness tor a time
was manager at Newark. Here tine
work was very hard because OF the
great range OF prices. There were %
Inherent ngures used there. One man
would get oil for Z cents. while his
next door neignbor would nav az
cents. Rebates also were given TO es-
peclally fayore patrons. These wers
made under the instruction of Mr.. II. a
Matthews, as were all changes in price
or terms.
The witness testified that at Newark
the company bought a building from
over a 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 il
away. For tAis he (Mr. Clark was
compiimented and was to nave been
rewarded with a two weeks vacation
while the competitor was SO frightened
that he went out OF the business This
was not accomplished, however. until
all MS customers had been located by
a boy employed to follow his wagon
on a bicycle. At Newark a Customer
wanted oil from Cleveland. He was
satisfied by supplying him out Of bar
rel painted red and marked as If from
Cleveland. He received the same oil.
however, that other people got.
The witness said that Iaborers for
the Standard company were generally
paid 20 cents a day and that they
worked on an average OF twelve hours
a day.
There was. he said. often a differ
erence OF TWO cents a gallon in the
prices Of oil between places where there
was competition and places where
there was none.