The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-13
FOR TOPEKA MEETING.
Chautauqua County Oil Producers
VIII Attend to a Man.

Peru. Kan, Jan 13.-The cuts in
the price of oil made by the Standard
within the past two weeks have stir
red the operators in this part of the
field to action. They do not believe
Ehat the situation warrants the reduc-
tons in price and they say that the
TACT that the Standard failed to reduce
the price of refined oil one cent is
proof conclusive that there is no
necessity for the drastic action OF the
Standard people.
The excuse for the reduction that it
was due TO the rapid increase in for
eign stocks and the fierce competition
from foreign fields is believed by the
operators in this part of the field to
be a subterfuge on the part of the
Standard. In this district the opera
tors are of opinion that the only re-
lief they can get is by building a pipe
line to the gulf and a state refinery
and regulation of railroad rates and
the sentiment Of the operators in this
regard is unanimous.
1here was q meeting held here at
tended by 100 of the producers of
ChautauQua county. 1t was the unan-
3UOus determination that the legisla-
ture be appealed to to prevent the in
jury of the oil industry through con-
Linued reductions in price till the pro-
ducuOn of oil is penaliZed to the ex-
tent that oil cannot be produced at a
profit in Kansas. The meeting issued
a call for the representatives of all
the producing districts in Kansas to
be held at Topeka, January IS, at the
Throop hotel at IL o'clock. ITO dis
cuss the present conditions and future
prospects of the petroleum industry in
this state, and to take such action as
may then and there be believed to be
proper and necessary.
The meeting elected H. Z. West, one
of the largest producers in Kansas as
president and William B. Sutton sec
Fetary, and instructed the secretary to
Issue several thousand invitations to
TarnHnNraG all the state f.
tend the Topeka meeting. The call
for the meeting recites: kansas has
surprised the world by its marvellous
growth Of agricultural products and
now bids fair to become the greatest
producer OF petroleum in America.
This being true, It is but just that the
people of Kansas should enjoy the re-
suit and profit of this valuable re-
source"
Secretary Sutton has begun the issu-
ance of the invitation to the meeting. |
Though the name of the Standard Oil
company was not mentioned in the
meeting there was but one sentiment, /
and that was that the Standard is us /
ing it's control of all the means of the (
transportation, storing and marketing /
OF oil to Cypress the producer, and that
the only hope of immediate relief IS I
1n the legislature.
Among the laws to be urged before |
the legislature is that making the pipe |
lines of the Standard a common carrier, !
a state refinery, the regulations of rail- |
road rates and pipelines. This includes |
the practical abolition of the present |
erence Of all matters affecting rates TO |
the state council. of which the COVER |
nor IS a member
It was the opinion of those present |
that the present board of railroad COM |
missioners is not giving the people the |
protection from the tyranny of the cor |
porationS which the people have a right
to expect and that change is neces- /
Sary. The oil producers want a board /
that is directly responsible to the PEG |
pie Of the state
There were some representatives of
tho Pennsylvania people at the meet |
ing and they assured the Chautauqua
county producers that the pipeline to
the gulf can be built and be built soon
IL the producers decide that they will |
stand back Of it, and give it their pro-
duction. Some of the largest stock |
Pennsylvania have been going through
the field this winter and they have been
impressed with its possibilities.
But aside from this, one of the opera
tors in the Chautauqua county field
said there was money enough in this
county alone to build the Port Arthur
pipe line If nobody else would build it.
So far as the oil men of Chautauqua
county are concerned, they are not a
bit worried over the situation. They
bought stock in the oil companies and
they are not going to see their stocks
deprecated and their value destroyed
BY the arbitrary action Of the Stand
ard They would prefer, they say, to
sacrifice it at once rather than by piece
meal. It is expected that the meeting
at Topeka the 18th viii be the largest
attended meeting of oil men ever held
IN Kansas