El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-23
The Company Winding Up
Its Affairs In
Texas
and READY TO MARCH
Out Of The State If Some
Way Is Not Discovered To
Continue In Business
Legally

| An Austin special to the Dallas News
says:
Attorney General Smith has receiv-
ed a telegram from John D. johnson OF
st. Louis, attorney for the Waters-
Pierce Oh Company, stating that no
further time will be asked within
which to wind up their affairs In Texas,
and that they will have completed all
arrangements by May 81, the day set
by Mr.. Smith, as the final date for
them to get out Of the state, and On
that day the mandate Of the United
States supreme court will be executed,
psrpetually eoj ,ining them from do
ing business in Texas.
Att1rney General Smith Is also In
receips OF large number of letters and
kilograms from merchants and other
parties over the state, fnquiring
whether or not they could with safety
60 into the oil business without the
fear of being frozen out by the Waters
Pierce OIL company, as they we're in
times past.
Mr.. Smith uuhesitatinRly advised al
parties to go into the business, and told
them at the Waters Pierce Oil com
psny or any other corporation Or per
con attempting to control prices and
Designating what brands of oil shall be-
used, will be promptly prosecuted and
the interests of the ssate protected to
the extent OF the law.
The telegram from the Waters
Pierce Company does not state what
they propose to do, only that they
would have everything in first class
shape by the ~31st instant.
What course the company will pur-
sue in Texas Is entirely problemaslcaI.
OF course 1t has the right to do sn
Interstate business, which mears that
oil can be shipped from point out of
the state direct to the consumer in
T,xss, but the company is net permit
ted to have agents within the state.
Tn.s would have the effect OF de5t-oy-
ing.its immense local busines IS, which Is
ha ID to ibelieve would be done, and
80 nething of an evasion is expected by
which the. local business can be retain
ed without violating the Texas laws or
subjecting distributors of the oil to
preston going the rounds that the
company will cell its local tanks.
wagons and other property
to the present resident agents
at E-price that may not be
made public, but will be suitable
both parties, or, in other words. q
dummy" sale. L. this should be the
plan, the oil would be shipped from
ST. Louis or any other outside point
direct to the agents, and could be retail
ed to the local dealers, as it is at pres.
ent, without any serious inconvenience.
ana thus business could continue.
There is one point in connection with
the arrangement justdescrlbed. and that
is, under its operation 1t is not believ-
ed that it will be possible for the
Waters Pierce company to control sae
prices and refuse to sell to these who
buy other oils.
Another plan suggested is that .he
ompiny reorganizs in Texas. secure
, charter under another name and
du1 ob VIC Oiu Sb6uu ul5 Wou
answer the requirements OF the occa-
sion.
One other significant fact in con-
nection with the present condition Is
'he possibility Of msndamus proceed
ing to com gel the secretary of state to
issue permit to do business In Texas
TO the Waters-Pierce Oil company.
Tnis has been talked of though
aothing definite is known, or Iy that the
said company has the necessary papers
a formal application for
permission to do business In Texas In
The hands of the secretary o! state, nc.
died, however, but left in his care sub
ect to their order. A telegram re-
luesting the papers to be considered
"ouli be formal application for
permit, aud would likely be refused, as