The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-01
THE ST. PAUL GLOBE. SATURDAY. APRIL 1. 1905
WANT GRAVITY TEST
FOR OIL INSPECTION
House Committee Spends Aft.
e.nOon Hearing Supporters
of Gandrud Bill

Henry Feig gave his reasons for sup
porting the Gandrud bill, providing a
gravity test for kerosene sold in Min
nesota, to the house committee inves-
ugating the question yesterday. Mr..
F'eig declared that only Wisconsin and
Minnesota of the states in the north
west have not a gravity test for il
Eliminating oil. and that the result is
this state is the dumping ground for
all the poor oil that the refiners can
rot use in other states.
If legislation is to remedy this evil,''
said Mr.. Feig, there must be no de-
lay. 1 appreciate the courtesy of the
committee in hearing me-
Chairman Hickey was not to be out
done in politeness.
Il wish you to understand he said,
that you are enjoying no special priv
ilege- Ii is your duty, and the duty OF
any citizen having information on this
subject, to appear before the commit
tee and give the committee the benefit
of that Information"
Favors State inspection
In response to an inquiry from Chief
Inspector ]. A. McDermott, Mr.. Feig
said he was heartily in favor of state
inspection for gasoline, and that there
is a general demand for such inspec-
ton throughout the state. He spoke
of the Gandrud bill, saying that as it's
author he was willing to admit that it
was practical copy of the South Da-
kota law. He was not committed to
the policy of having the oil inspected
by the dairy ard food department, and
cared not who inspected il if it were
intelligently done under modern law.
Would not As degrees test throw
the oil business in this state entirely
into the hands of the Standard Oil
company Edward Tanning asked.
Il don't care if it does" the witness
replied. But there are a good many
independent dealers in this state who
could supply the article. 1 consider it
swindle on the people of the state
to be forced to take a poor quality of
oil when they are willing to pay for a
good article. Many times they cannot
get good oil in the small towns of the
state"
Tells of Different Prices
Joseph Bartles. a st. Paul dealer,
testified that, while the freight rate is
the same, Standard Oil sold at Hast
ings, saltwater and Hudson for L cent
gallon more than in St. Paul. He
also said that there was a discrimina-
ton in the quality furnished the coun-
try towns.
Mr.. Bartles was for some years dis
trict manager for the Standard. Re-
plying to the question whether, when
he was agent, he did not attempt to
stop the discrimination, he said he did
not. The oil. he testified, was shipped
direct from Whiting Ind, to the con-
sumner, and he as agent never saw it,
He admitted, in answer to a question
by George w. Thompson of Faribault
that different prices were made for
different points where the freight rate
is equal. The Standard. he said, could
get more in some towns than In o h.
ers, and ii did
Mr.. Bartles declared that the differ
ence in the cost Of manufacture of oils
of AZ and IS degrees was not more than
three-quarters of a cent He said that
the enforcement of the gravity test in
Minnesota would not put the independ-
ent dealers out of business. He be-
lieved that refirers should bring 10 the
state a quality of oil that would meet
some definite gravity test, not neces-
sarily the test named by the Gandrud
bill, but test which would be fixed
by law.
The committee will meet again Mon
day. Subpoenas have been issued for
F. G. Warner, former state inspector:
John III. Hull of the Cornplanter Oil
company, st. Paul., and w. c. Tiegel
of the Climax Oil company. St. Paul. 1t
is also expected to make a test of the
various Illuminating oils.
Do you know anything about the Gordon
contest in Mondays Globe?