Sunday morning globe., 1901-09-01
How the Billion Dollar Fortune Of
Rockefeller Commenced.
Mr.. FRANKLIN BREED TELLS IT
TIiuSV.lIe The Scene and ROOkefelers First
View Of an OIL Derrick - The Horseback
Ride 10 Petroleum Center and What Came
Of It-Rr. Breeds Proposed Visit 10 he
BIIlIOnalre,


Breed, you have gotten me into the
oil business, head and ears" said Mr..
Rockefeller as he emerged from
bayou of oil sediment and mud into
which he had fallen while attempting
to cross a narrow log in the Titusville
(Pa.) oil fields. This was in 1862,
and before the name of Rockefeller
had any significance in connection
with oil. Mr.. Breeds story is an inter
esting one in this day Of Mr.. Rookie
feller's great wealth and prominence.
The writer found Mr.. Breed on his
farm, three miles distant from his city
home, loading his wagon with stove
wood, He stopped work long enough
to relate the following bit Of enter
tanning history:
"In 1858 l was one Of the firm of
Breed g. Hancox, which was engaged
In the milling business at Titusville,
my native town. It was near this
town that oil was first discovered in
the United States, at least in paying
quantities. Though otherwise of no
particular importance, the fame OF this
section Of the country became national
on account Of its resources Of oil. At
about this time, as a milling firm, we
we're dealing with commission mer-
chansts in Cleveland, o., by the name
Of Clark & Rockefeller. The Rookie
feller Of this firm was John ID. Rookie
feller, of present day fame. We bought
considerable grain from Clark & Rock
efeller, in fact, our business ran way
up into the thousands annually, and
we were back and forth between Cleve-
land and Titusville quite often.
~ Lille on a trip to Cleveland in
December 1862, Mr. Rockefeller asked
me many questions about the oil coun-
try near my home. He had read a
great deal about the new FL Dorado,
and we had transacted our other busi-
ness he seemed much interested in
learning all he could Of the prospects
and probable future development OF the
Titusville districts. In reply to his
query regarding the chance for buy
ing oil in goodly quantities, l replied
that | would sell him all he wanted,
whereupon he agreed to visit my we'll
on the old Story farm within the next
few days. we had our conversation
on Friday
ON Monday about sundown Mr. Rock
efeller arrived at Titusville and on
Tuesday morning we started for my
weu which was I'm the heart Of the oil
felus some seven miles distant. The
wells we're situated near what was
known as Oil creek. The location was
called Petroleum Centre. 1t was not
connected with the outside world at
chat -me by passenger service, there
'1re our journey was made on horse
a1oE. When within half a mile Of
Petroleum Centre we found It advan-
lgoous to leave our horses and make
.DC rest of the trip on foot.
"Ihe weather was not particularly
favorable for a walk I'm this section Of
the country i'm December Snow had
fallen to the depth Of four or five
inches during the night and the ground
was muddy and John d. was attired in
neathtting, light-colored suit Of
clothes, and also wore a light overcoat.
His gloves were Of kid and fur-lined.
His entire outfit was an expensive one,
and one which most men would regret
very much to see soiled even by mud.
"In our path from my oil well to the
laborers shanty we were Obliged to
cross a bayou. This bayou was about
100 rods long and six feet in width
Into it the oil men threw the sediment
from the big tanks This, with the
mud, formed a tarry conglomeration
which was anything but inviting The
bayou was spanned by a log, perhaps a
half foot thick. The snow of the pre-
vious night had the effect Of making
it slippery 1 crossed ana then turned
to wait for Rockefeller He asked me
to take his hand, but jpust as I was
about to do so his foot slipped, and he
straddled the log. Both Of his legs
nearly to the hips were stuck in the
tarry contents of the bayou.
81 assisted him out as best I could,
and it was then that he declared that
/ had gotten him into the oil business
head and ears. The next proposition
was to clean Mr.. Rockefeller's clothes
sufficiently for him to be presentable
when he returned to Titusville. Il
fOHnd an old barrel stave, and with
this ! scraped him for nearly an hour.
We ate dinner at Petroleum Centre,
and after Mr.. Rockefeller had further
investigated the oil interests we re-
turned to Tltusville. Before leaving
for Cleveland Rockefeller purchased a
new suit Of clothes"
This trip Of Rockefeller to the IT.
tusville district was one on which he
placed considerable stress. He thanked
Mr. Breed for the interest he had
shown in bringing him to the oil fields
and expressed himself as greatly sat |
istied with his visit. Rockefeller had |
never before even seen an oil derrick. |
In the Titusville territory oil wells and |
derrlcks were only a year or so old. |
True, the oil in that section was found |
by the Indians long before a white |
man thought Of sinking wells and start |
ing an industry. The surface Oil was
utilized by the Indians, who called It |
British oil Ia the early days OF Amer
lea. They dug pits and walled them |
up with logs, and in these receptacles |
stored the surfac OIL The pots were |
about 8x10 feet in dimension, as a rule. |
The Indians used this oil for medicine |
AID are said to have sold It in large |
quantities. IL was taken internally and |
applied externally. 1t was applied TO |
a raw sore on n horse to make II heal. |
despite the fact that the oil would |
take OF all the hair with which It came
In contact
II was in 1860, says Mr.. Breen. that
the FIRST oil was discovered in the TT |
tusvllle districts, The FIRST man To
sink a we'll was E. l.. Drake. Large
sums OF money we're made and lost NV
speculation. Although the country was
rich in oil, It is Mr.. Breeds opinion
that more money was lost than was
made. Men during the excitement ~
that time spent thousands OF dollars in
what turned out to be dry holes" ae
thev we're then termed