The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-24

Before Long, Thinks the New York
World, He Will Dominate the
Metropolis of America.

"ohAo he VIII II
Metropolis of America.
Day by day, year by year, the infiu-
ence of John D. Rockefeller, with the
millions of dollars of capital that he
controls, is gradually but surely in
creasing. 1t is easily discernible that
before long he Will absolutely dominate
not alone the lighting situation of New
York city, for he does that already,
but also the rapid-transit interests and
many of the largest banking and fl
nancial institutions OF Greater New
York.
AS his wealth increases n his vast
Rockefeller surely but firmly reaches
out in new directions, acquires inter-
estS in new enterprises entirely for
eign to Standard Oil or Illuminating
gas, and still further intrenches him
self in q position of power, so far as
the affairs of the metropolis are on
cerned, uneQualed by any other man
in the community.
AS an instance of the vast power
welded by Mr.. Rockefeller in New
York it is only necessary to point to a
list of the corporations in which he
holds a controlling interest. In the
matter of illuminants alone Mr..
Rockefeller exacts tribute from every
inhabitants of the city on every gallor
of kerosene oil consumed, every cubic
foot of gas and every volt of electricity
| used.
Standard Oil is, of course, the great
est source of the Rockefeller wealth
and the greatest contributor to his es-
timated income of more than 81, DOC, 900
a month. But he also controls the
Consolidated Gas Company. the Brook
Ign Union Gas Company, the Standard
Gas Company, the Mutual Gas Com
pany, the Mount Morris Electric Light
Company, the Kings County Electric
Light and Power Company, the Edison
Illuminating Company, the New Ans
terdam Gas Company, the Richmond
| Light and Power Company and the
New York Gas and Electric Light,
| Power and Heat Company
| Mr.. Rockefeller is also the c%ontroll-
| ing factor in the Union Pipe Lin n
| the Union Tank Line. the New York
| Transit Company and the lighterage
| business in connection with it at the
| port of New York, n which in turn
furnishes employment for a vast num-
| Der of men in this city.
/ Incidentally Mr.. Rockefeller has
| enormous interests and big refineries
| at Constable Hook and Long Island
| City, including a line of tank, steamers.
| This by 10 means is the limit of Mr..
l RoCkefeller'S influence n industry in
| New York. His interests in local trac-
ton systems are far greater than are
| popularity supposed, and there are few
| nickels handed to the conductors of the
| surface or elevated roads that do not
furnish a moiety to his princely in
| come.
| His holding in III Manhattan Ele-
| waited. in marlborough Rapid Transit,
Il tho PD1Tnnnf ITnr0DnnX- tho nJlnr0
| River and Port Chester Railroad. and
in the Staten Island system of trolleys
| are extensive, and there are good
| reasons for believing that he has been
| gradually securing a comfortable in
| terest in Brooklyn Rapid Transit. At
| any rate, he is credited with having
dictated the elections Of both Jacob L.
| Greatsinger and Edwin w. Winter, the
| two most recent presidents of that SyS-
| tenn
OF steam railroads entering New
| York the only one in which Mr..
Rockefeller has any great interest is
| the New York, New Have and Hart
ford. His holdings in roads that do
| not reach New York-St. Paul: Mis-
| souri, Pacific; the Missouri, Kansas and
| Texas; Iron Mountain and many of the
| roads classed as Gould properties-re
| large.
| He is also one of the largest indi-
Iuodl LIZ IN A4lSSN
| states Steel Corporation, but these lat
| ter corporations, of course. cannot be
| classified as local institutions. or as
| having any direct bearing on the we'll
| being of the New York community.
In local banking institutions and
trust companies John D. Rockefeller
| is a conspicuous figue. Several of the
| best known banks in the city have
| come t. be known as Standard Oil
| banks, chief of them being the Nation
| al CITY Bank. The others include the
! Second National. the Hanover Nation
al. the Lincoln Bank, the Leather
Manufacturers National Bank, the
United States Trust Company and the
Farmers Loan and Trust Company.
While not controlling it Mr.. ROckefel-
Ter has a considerable interest in the
Mutual Life Insurance Company.
This. in brief. outlines Mr.. Rookie
feller's local interests and it can readi-
ly be seen hat he is an enormously
important factor in the success and
we'll being of the greater city. Ami
mated by n desire to dominate the
financial and business interests of the
city. with his oil lines, his steamship
lines and his railroad lines. Mr.. Rookie
Teller stands pre-eminent among the
captains of industry whose interests
| affect New YOrk.-New York World.
TH