New-York tribune., 1899-06-09
INDUSTRIAL Combinations.
INVESTIGATION OF TRUSTS
THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION HEARS TEsrS
MoNY REGARDING THE STANDARD

OIL COMPANY
Washington, June s-The Industrial Commissioa
to-day resumed It's investigation Of trusts, the
Standard OIL Company receiving especial attention.
w II Clark OF Ohio who until last February
was employed ny the Standard Company in vari-
towns In that State but was then suspended.
testified that while employed at Marietta tho
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 OF only two tanks. the faucet being
turned In different directions for different grades.
This done he said under Instructions from
the managers for the Standard company, Messrs
Matthews and Hollngsworth. Mr.. Clark also said
that the company bought and sold turpentfne. but
before selling IL would put six seven gallons OK
gasolene in each barrel OF turpentne.
At Columbus Mr.. Clark the cashier OF ths
Standard company. Al that point he said. mucn
oil adulterated. For Instance. miners oil was
made by mixing In a little cottonseed ell. Here
the Standard company started what called the
Shoemaker OIL Company This was a purely
Standard establishment ne testified. IT'S men being
paid by the Standard company. but Il was made to
oprear to be an independent concern. and was
used A blind.
At Springfield. Mr. Clark said. he was a wagon
saIesmsn and the instructions there were to get
trade regardless Of the price. Some refined oil
sold as low as cents. and here also as many
as four nominal grades OF oil were taken from
one tank Rebates made when necessary
When he had spoken to the management OF the
dishonesty OF these practices he had been told that
IL was not for him TO say abou, such matters, out
10 do what he was told At Urbana. ne said. no
was manager for the Standard company. Here
competitor was driven out by threat 20 force tne
price down a cent gallon. The compettor
afterward the pooThouse. The witness
work was very hard. because OF the great range
Of prices There were twenty-five different ngures
used there one would get oil Tor cents
while his next-dOor neghbor would pay w cents;
Rebates also given &c especially favored
patrons These made under the instructons
OF r. A. Mathews. were all changes IN price of
The witness testified that al Newark the COM
pany bought A building from over the heso OF
man who had leased IT, and was doing a. com-
petitive business. and MIR. Clark with otner men.
petitor loaded the building on carts ana carried
IL away. For this Mr.. Clark was compliments,
and was TO have had two weeks, vacation Wnis
the competitor was frightened that ne vert out
OF the business. This not accompnsheoi
however until all his customers had been located
by hoy employed TO follow his wagon on
bicycle At Newark customer wanted OIL rom
Cleveland He satished by supplying nifn Guy
Of a barrel painted red and marked as II from
Cleveland He received the same OIL however
that other people got. - r., -. sa.,s
company generally received IS cents a day. ana
worked on an average twelve hours a day. Insro
was he said often a difference OF cents tanon
in the prices of oil between places where tnerc
was competition and places where tnere was