Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1905-09-02
Standard Starts After Independent
Kansas RefineFIes.
REDUCTION IN OIL AND GAS.
Fields of independent Refineries
Swarm With Agents of Trust,
Working to Keep Business Away
Treapm Local Concerns.

Topeka. Kan. Aug. 29.-The Stan
dard Oil Company has started out to
crush the Independent oil refineries
now beginning operations in Kansas.
An army of special agents has been
placed in the field with authority to
make all sorts Of cuts in prices in
order to secure a monopoly of the
trade. The agents are working in the
territory where the Independents ex-
pect to develop their trade
Already one cut has been made and
others are threatened. Within the
past week the Standard has dropped
cents a gallon on oil and cents
on gasoline. 1t was getting II IL
cents for oil and Is 1-2 for gasoline
Now it is asking S1-2 for oil and
II 1-2 for gasoline. No recent drop
in the crude justifes the drop in re-
fined
Asked why it happened, one of the
special agents said: at is due to
saving in freight rates. You see,
we used to base our prices here on
the price of oil at Cleveland, plus the
freight rate. Now we ship from Kan
sas City and can, therefore save the
freight from Cleveland to Kansas
City"
But you made a reduction once
before, when the Kansas City rein
cry opened up, and gave the same rea-
SON.
rs that 500" said the agent with
a smile. We'll, that is the reason
was told to give, anyhow, and if
you work for the Standard you must
do and say what it tells you to-"
These special agents are swarming
in all the towns in Eastern Kansas
where the Independents are preparing
IS put in supply stations. They are
pleading with the merchants to pat
rOniZe the Standard exclusively. Low
or prices for oil and a better grade
Of oil are the inducements they offer.
They challenge a test of oils and even
offer to furnish Standard Oil lamp
for the purpose.
Local merchants have noticed an
Improvement in the grade of oil which
the Standard has furnished recent
ly. The advent of special agents with
q challenge for test explains it, they
say. The trust laid it's ropes well be-
fore opening it's fight on the independ
entS.
The National Oil Company has al
ways been able to hold a portion of
the oil trade in Kansas, although the
Standard has been underselling it
quite frequently Merchants say Ma
tional oil has given better satisfac-
ton, being of a better grade. Not
withstanding the fact that the Stand
ard has now put its best grade in at
s 1-2 cents. the National is still sell
ing its oil at II IL cents. The new
crusade by the Standard is not di-
rected at the National so much as at
the Kansas independent refineries. 1t
is the home industry feature, with
maximum freight rates on oil, which
the Standard wants to stife. If the
Kansas refineries thrive from the be-
ginning they are liable to expand into
wider fields and to encourage the
erection of independent refineries
in other oil fields. This is what the
Standard fears, and it will nip the
independent movement in the bud if
low prices for oil will do it. Prices
in other sections of the country will
be advanced to Offset any loss the
Standard sustains in driving Kansas
refineries to the wall.