Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-07-21
BEGINS TO SQUEEZE.
Oil Trust Tightening Down on Kan
sas Fields.

sas Fields.
Many Abilene citizens are inter
ested in the oil fields OF southeaster
Kansas and have been expecting BIZ
returns on their Investments, bu
they failed to take into account tn
Standard oil trust which has beel
buying their crude oil. Besides &c
creasing the price Of crude oil mor'
than 40 cents a barrel within the past
three months, it is now waging re-
lentless war upon the Webster indie
pendent refinery at Humboldt, its
only competitor in the Kansas field.
For the purpose Of stimulating de-
velopment, the trust last year put the
price of crude oil up in the South
Neodesba district to $l.36 a barrel and
in the North Neodesha district to
$l.l6 This had the desired effect.
People began to flock to the Kansas
oil fields by tho thousands and de-
velopment was carried on rapidly.
1t was ouly short time until the
production was more than the Stand
ard could handle at its Neodesha re-
inery, but still development kept on.
The Standard decided to build another
refinery at Kansas City. This further
stimulated development. Oil wells
were brought in so fast that the pro-
duction now is 80 per cent more than
the capacity Of both the Kansas City
and Nesdesha refneries when they
get in full operation. Having worked
the production up to its liking the
Standard began to turn the screws.
Without any change whatever in the
price Of refined petroleum the trust
began to lower the price on crude oil.
II. first Topped off a cent. Later on it
dropped 2 cents. Then it dropped 5
cents. The 5-cent decreases came so
frequently that they grew monoto.
nous, so the trust made it s cents the
last time.
The big decline in the price of crude
oil and the recent foods in the oil
belt have had a bad effect on oil de-
velopment. Oil operators are some
what discouraged. There has been
let up in Development and trading in
oil lands and leases is slack. Charles
Short, Of Chanute, one of the big oper-
ators, says that the outlook for the
oil business is exceedingly dark and
that business is almost at a standstill,
The belief is growing among the
operators that the Standard is get
ting ready to repeat its Pennsylvania
trick. After oil development reached
is height In the Keystone state the
,pust put the price Of oil down
md forced most Of the operators to
'ell out to it. At one time Pennsyl-
7anis crude oil got down below 80
tents barrel. Reduced oil, however,
ldvanced as crude dropped. The
rust felt its way slowly in the Kan.
as field. 1t was afraid OF the inde-
,eudence Of the western people at
irst. 1t feared that they would es'
ablish independent refneries. One
vas started by G. d. Webster at Hum
'oldt. But that Is all. There was
ak Of more, but 1t ended in wind.
Realizing that there is not much
anger Of any more independent re-
nerieS being established, the trust
las now started to wipe out the only
ne now doing business-the Webster
efnery at Humboldt. The fight is
ow on. C. D. Webster, owner Of
be independent refinery, has issued
n appeal to the citizens Of Humboldt
skiing them to stand by him. The
tandard has threatened the grocers
nth other stores and cut prices IL
hey aid the independent refinery.
10 one In Kansas should buy the
tandard goods il they can get any
ther.