The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-18

100000 a year, which most men would
deem sufficient to keep the wolf from the
door.
In line with reports of the ultima te
failure Of the oil wells. it is said that the
visible supply of petroleum in the Unit ed
States has not been so small in twenty
years as II is at the present time and
that the trust holds a complete corner
on the market 1t is in position to put
the screws on the consumer if it de-
sires. The production of kerosene has
increased so, 900 barrels day in the past
fifteen years. Recently the stock in hand
was only 100000 barrels. Fifteen years
ago it was 200. 600 barrels.
Here are some facts showing what the
failure of the petroleum fields would
mean to John d. Rockefeller.
He controls 10000 miles of pipe lines
and owns 300 big steamers and 0,000 OF;
tanks
Every year he handles 4,Oo0. 900 barrels
and for foreign trade 4000,O 600 cans hold
ing five gallons each. He has 1000 del;v-
cry wagons.
Andrew Carnegie, confessedly wocth
$500, 900 600, says that John D. Rockefeller
is the ''wealthest man in the world"
He is therefore, worth about $4,000 go.
Ten millions. more or less, is a significant
item.
At the present rate Of increase in his
fortune. by the end of the next decade
John D. Rockefeller will present a spec
tacle absolutely unique in human his
tory-that of a Millionaire.
But he is not merely the richest man
in the world. Every dollar of his wealth
spells power. There are other fortunes
comparable even with his though they
fall far short in the aggregate of it. But
there is no other fortune that confcrs
upon its owner such vast influence.
There is no other millionaire who so
completely controls the welfare of thou
sands of his fellows, who has such power
to block the wheels of traffic. who can
at an instant's notice call such a mighty
force Of organized wealth to back any
scheme he may have on hand. In short.
Rockefeller is the money car OF the
age.
From his youth he would have no part
in any undertaking unless he was the
absolute master. The heaped UP millions
of the Standard Oil are in the control of
nine men. The other eight men are con
trolled by Rockefeller in making the
plans Of the corporations.
1t practically rests with him to say
what the producer OF oil shall receive
for his product and what the user shall
pay for it. He can hold up the supply
altogether or he can food the market
and put the price down to nothing. He
can procure the discharge OF the hum
blest workman in the employ Of the COM
power and affluence. But this is not all.
Seventy-five thousand people depend
upon him for a living. His weekly pay
ings in wages amount TO 1856. 600.
The tragedy of a collapse in the oil in
dustry would not fan upon Rockefeller.
buk upon these employees. II would be
a national calamity. not a Rockefeller
failure.
With the millions he has gained from
Standard Oil John ID. Rockefeller has Oh
tanned absolute control of the gas AMI
electric lighting of New York lie controls
the production OF glucose. He has in
vested millions in boiler-making. RAPID
transit and the Salt Trust
He has a voice in thes control OF ths
following roads: New York Central.
Northern Pacific. Delaware Lackawanna
and Western. New York. New Haven and
Hartford. St Paul. Missouri Pacific. Iron
Mountain. Teas Pacific. Atchison Topeka
and Santa Fe. Southern Pacific. Rock
Island.
Through the Standard oil Company H.
has ACCOMPLISHED this In four decades