Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-12-17

by the firemen.
TEltRE HAUTE. Ind. Dec. 15.-In-
diana mine operators went into ses-
sion here today to discuss the attitude
they will take at the approaching in
terstatc joint conference as to wages
and labor conditions for the scale year
beginning April /. From views ex'
pressed by several of the most proml-
nent of the mine owners 1t appears
probable that no reduction In wages
Will be asked for 30 far AZ The Indiana
bituminous field is concerned.
BOSTON, Mass. Dec. 15.-Jack
Mnnroe. the Butte miner, who gained
so much hsnc fame by getting de-
cision over Champion Jeffrie5, is to
tackle Al. Limerick, the Buffalo heavy
weight. at the Criterion Athletic club
tonight. Limerick has scored 2
knockout over philadelphia" Jack
OBrien. and appears confident of his
ability TO put away the big man from
Montana.
NEW YORK, Dec. 15.-Those per-
sons fortunate enough to own Stan
iard Oil stock received a handsome
Christmas present today In the shape
of checks for their share of the $l2,-
100000, representing the fourth and
last quarterly dividend of the year.
The dividend disbursed today amounts
to $12 share, which Is an increase
of 81 over the dividend declared at
this time last year. This brings the
total dividends Tor the year to A per
cent, or s4i,O00,O00 in dividends for
the full year.
There Is no regular rate of dividend
paid on STANDARD Oil stock. The dis
tribution Is made out of the earnings
of the quarter. When the directors
meet slips Of paper are presented
showing the profits up to date tor the
quarter, and the directors thereupon
decide what amount shall be distribut-
ed in dividends to the stockholders. In
use Of oil and kindred products is
| larger, the dividends declared are pro-
portionately higher.
John ID. Rockefeller is credited with
owning 3S per cent of the stock of the
Standard Oil company, and his re-
ceipts from the earnings OF the cor
| poration during the current year ap-
pear to be approximately $4,000 900.
The four quarterly dividends of the
corporation this year are as follows;
March. 20 per cent; June, per cent;
| September, 3 per cent, November II
per cent. In the first quarter of 1902.
20 per cent was declared; second quar-
ter, 10 per cent; third quarter. . per
cent. and last quarter, 10 per cent.
| The Increase in the dividend during
the current quarter is due to larger
earnings. resulting from a sharp ad-
vance in the price of oil According
to an official OF the Standard Oil, the
corporation carries no surplus, giving
the benefit OF all earnings to the stock.
holders.
The Standard Oil company is now
dlsbursing more money to stockhold-
ers than any other corporation in the
world. The United States Steel cor.
poration held first place as a dividend
| payer previous to the reduction in the
common dividend and the conversion
| of preferred stock into bonds 1t now
ranks second to the Standard Oil com
pany. Since Jan. /, 1897, the Stand
| ard Oil company has paid to stock
holders more than $275, 100000 in div
idends. OF that amount John ID
Rockefeller has received more than
S9O,0000O0. Since 1891 the disburse
ments of the corporation run close to
1915, 900 900, or nearly four times
greater than the s1OO.000,0Oo capital
| stock.
A fair idea of the magnitude of the
dividends of the Standard Oil com
pany can be obtained from the fact
that the Pennsylvania Railroad com
pany, within the last 81 years. has
paid something like S2l5.000,0O0 to
stockholders, or s60.O0O,00o less than
the stockholders of the Rockefeller
| corporation have received in six years
In view of the TACT taht Oil has been
advancing on the strength of reports
that production is falling of very rap
idly. the present increased dividend of
the Standard Oil company has caused
considerable interest IA financial cir
cles. People in close touch with the
| situation say that it is very unlikely
| that Rockefeller interests would agree
to an increase in disbursements to
stockholders If they believed that an
| oil famine was threatened.
NORFOLK, Va, Dec. 15.-The cru
lser Olympia is coaling here today and
tomorrow will join the Caribbean
| squadron for possible action in Pan
ana. The Olympia will, be Admiral
Coghlan's flagship.
| WASHINGTON. Dec. 15.-In the
senate today Hepburn presented a
joint resolution providing that the
| President of the Un!led States acquire
by annexation or otherwise. the is
lands of San Domingo and their de-
tendencies. and San Domingo and
Hayti. 1t went to the committee on
| foreign affairs.
NEW YORK, Dec. 15.-Three of the
notably rich men of the United States
gave widely varying evidence of their
generosity the other day. Andrew Car
negie gave n check for $500 to boy
who had just been injured while trying
10 climb fence around lot owned
by Mr. Carnegie. w. X. Vanderbilt.
when approached by the ministers of