The Topeka state journal., 1905-04-29
HAS A new GAME
More Kansas Oil Is Being Taken
by the Standard.
Laying Up a Supply for the
Fight Soon to Come.
INCREASE DOUBLED.
In Chautauqua County 1900
Barrels More Daily.
Oil Which the Standard Recent
" Refused Now Used.
INCREASE DOUBLED.

Chanute, Kas., April 29.-The Stand
ara Oil company is taking oil of less
gravity than 80 degrees in spite of the
order to the contrary. A correspond
ent was shown a ticket issued by the
Prairie Oil and Gas company where
oil of the gravity of 2915 degrees was
accepted and paid for at the rate of
80 cents barrel. The statement was
issued from independence under date
of April 25, and bore the signature of
z. T. Patterson, cashier of the Prairie
Oil and Gas company. and the check
accompanied the receipt of the pipe
line tickets.
Standard to Take More.
Not only is the Standard Oil COM
pany taking oil of less than 80 degrees
gravity but it has begun doubling its
oil take in Chautauqua county. Up
TO this time the daily receipts by the
STANDARD company IN Chautauqua
county have been 1900 barrels. Now
& is said the daily run through the
pipe line will amount to 2,4O0 barrels.
An operator at Bartlesville, I. T.,
has received a letter, which he sends
to a correspondent, that the pipe line
facilities from Whiting, Ind, to the
east viii be doubled when the line
from the Kansas-Territory field is
completed The letter also said that
the Standard company is purpOsely
delaying the completion of the pipe
line to Whiting, as it desires to run
the market price of Kansas Territory
Oil down to the point where it can
make a big profit. When it has ac-
cumulated a big surplus of this oil 1t
viii complete the line. The position
Of the Standard company is that it is
now in complete control of the Kan
sas-TerritOry market. 1t controls the
prices 1t can buy oil of the value of
a barrel for 5 cents and can buy
oil of the Ohio value of 85 cents d
barrel for 81 cents a barrel.
Good Oil at Cheap Prices.
According to producers, who think
they know something, the plan of the
Standard company is to get in a sup
ply of high grade oil at starvation
prices before the fuel oil pipe line is
completed and before the independent
rehneries get to work. When the fuel
oil pipe line and the Independent re
hner1es are in operation the Standard
company can reduce the price of fuel
oil and the price of refined oil below
a legitimate margin of profit and still
make money, because the Standard is
now buying oil at just about the figure
1t takes to get the oil on top of the
ground If. by reason of the building
of the pipe lines and, the refneries, 1
there should be any competition, the
standard can shove in any quantity of
oil of the same grade at a price the
Independent rehneries cannot compete
with
The bearing of the present situation
on the investigation conducted by Mr.. (
Garneld the commissioner of corpora
tions, is considered significant The
very same oil which the Standard
company refused a month ago now is
being surrepttiOusly taken and trans
ported through the pipe lines where
the producer has sufficient political in
huence. but where the producer must
depend upon his own resources he is /
between the devil and the briny
deep"
Generally the Standard company is
cutting down the average of the oil
taken out of this field each week. The
general average has been one tank a
week for each of the properties, but
statements made today by the man
ayers of five of the largest properties |
are to the effect that the gaugers are |
either sick or the average of the field
is being reduced This is said to be /
due to the determination of the people /
of Independence to double up the daily /
runs from Chautauqua county It is /
also said to be due to the increased /
tankage facilities being provided by /
the Standard company in Indian Ter /
ritory and the doubling up of the daily /
runs there.
Producers Independent.
Kansas producers have reached the |
point where they do not care whether /
the Standard company takes their oil /
or not. The price is at such a point (
that many of the properties which
have been selling oil to the Standard /
all the time are preparing to shut /
down They do not care to operate al
a loss and as long as they cannot
make money they would rather the 1
oil stayed in the ground than that the /
Standard company should buy it and /
use it as a club over the heads of the /
independent rehneries and the inde- |
pendent pipe line.
The effect of the recent reductions |
has been to make the mail of the fuel /
oil pipe line company double what it /
was before. Every cut by the Stand !
ard company has helped the fuel oil /
pipe line scheme and has helped the |
Independent refinery schemes.
Decided Land to the County
Emporia, April 29.-Less than a /
year ago, C. II. Curtis of Americus, |