The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-20
CHARGES AGAINST SANTA FE

son. Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad COM
pany with being in conspiracy to con
troll the transportation and purchase u
oil in Kansas. This complaint is signed
by VIM E. Connelley and R. G. Raw
hngss member of the advisory commit
tee Of the Kansas Oil Producers asso-
citation. and was filed by Representative
Campbell of the Third Kansas district
In all, six. allegations of violations OF
the interstate commerce act and con-
spiracy are made in the complaint.
VIII Go to Kansas.
Chairman Hemenway of the house
committee on appropriations, states
that the report of Secretary Metcalf of
the department of commerce and labor
for an appropriation would be complied
with This sum is the unexpended bal
ance of appropriations heretofore set
apart for other Investigations by the
department. 1t represents only a small
part of the fund available for the
Standard Oil inquiry, but the request to
divert it to the Standard Oil inquiry
was submitted in order to make it GER
tain there would be no scarcity of gov
Smssi6nef 6ne1S Gareid Ri@seIf tnnf Mi
go to Kansas. He has declined to
discuss the methods the government
proposes to follow, but it is known that
several of the agents now in the west
who have been engaged in the beef
trust investigation will at once enter the
Kansas oil field.
The first article in the complaint filed
with the commissioner of corporations
charges that the Standard Oil COM
pany has endeavored to secure a mo-
nopoly OF the oil business of Kansas
from the beginning of its development
and has prevented other companies
from entering this field to compete for
the Kansas oil trade; that there exists
a conspiracy between the Standard OIL
company and the Atchison, Topeka q
Santa Fe Railroad company to prevent
other parties from handling oil or pur-
chasing oil in Kansas"
In support of their allegations the
rate charged I. q. Knapp of Chanute
when he began the production of oil in
Chanute is cited. The rate from Cha
mute to Kansas City was at that time
$4S per car, or ten cents per 100 pounds.
This rate, it is claimed, was outrage
OuSly excessive, as the rate on a car or
stock was $3.50 and on a car of straw
berries a very periShable product, $50
In June, 1904, notice was given that the
rate on crude oil would be raised in
August to II cents per 100 pounds, an
advance of 70 per cent. It is added that
the Standards pipe line was compile
ted in August It is alleged THE rates
on carload mentioned were increased by
the Santa Fe IN counting the weight of
a gallon OF oil seven and four-tenthS
pounds, thereby raising the $48 rate to
$3.50 and the $3.50 to $94.35."
Charges BlaclzIisting.
The second article charges that the
STANDARD Oll company naQ
Kansas oil for the purpose of coercing
the Legislature.
The third article alleges conspiracy
on the part of the railroad company
with the Standard company and alleges
that the proof will be placed at the
disposal Of the department by the ex-
ecdtfve committee Of the Kansas Oh
Producers association.
santa Fe Owns Kansas City journal
The following paragraph from the
complaint is cited as corroborative proof
of the Santa Fe's connection with
Standard Oil:
The tone Of the news columns and
editorial utterances of the Kansas City
Daily Journal which is owned by the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad;
that said newspaper is owned by said
railroad company can be established by
the evidence of William E. Connelley,
Charles S. Gleed, the books and man
agement of said paper and of said rail-
road company
The fifth article charges that undue
influence was used with the secretary
of the interior to secure leases in the
Indian Territory and an effort on the
part of the Standard to destroy the in
dependent reflneries at Humboldt. The
sixth and seventh articles are general
Allegations .