The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-25
SAYS OIL TRUST
Was JUST THIEF
Leaders of Competing Company
Tell of Standards Dark
Methods.
MADE COMBINE WITH
THE RAILROAD COMPANIES
Strong Light Is Thrown Alleged
Determinations in Freight
Rates.

CLEVELAND, May 24-In two pro-
trncted sessions today the Interstate
commerce Commission. Members
Prouty and Clements in attendance,
heard evidence bearing upon the busi-
ness methods of the Standard Oil COM
pany.
The sessions were a continuation Of
the investigation of the session ad-
tourned In Chicago two weeks ago.
Four Witnesses Heard.
Only four witnesses were examined
today. Those who testified were F. P.
Westgage of Titusville, Pa. treasurer
and general manager OF the American
OIL Works; State Senator Louis Emery
of Bradford, Pa; State Senator j. w
Lee. of Pittsburg, and Frank b Fret
terla, secretary of the National Refln-
ing company of Cleveland and presi-
dent of the National Pipe Line, having
several small pipe lines in the Ohio oil
fields.
Driving Out Rivals.
No decidedly sensational testimony
was produced, but most OF It related
to methods which the so-called trust
took to prevent competition and drive
It's rivals out of business. Much evil
dence was offered showing that rail-
road companies took considerable part
in aiding the Standard OIL company to
fight its rivals.
Rates Jump Up.
F, B. Westgate, the first witness, and
an independent oil man for nineteen
years, testified that since 1886 rates had
nearly doubled without apparent rea-
son.
State Senator Louis Emery Of Brad
ford, Pa, was asked concerning the
conditions in Pennsylvania when the
oil pipe lines were constructed in that
State.
Says the Trust Stole.
THE first pipe lines in Pennsylvania
were not invented by the Standard OIL
point in his testimony The Standard
never invented anything. 1t has always
stolen what somebody else created"
The further testimony of the witness
was principally devoted to relating the
trials and hardships of his company,
the United States Pipe Line company,
In building pipe lines across Pennsyl-
vania from oil City to the seaboard In
competition with the Standard oil COM
pany.
Was Like an Grafton.
grew quite eloquent and his words re-
sounded through the chamber like the
delivery OF an impa ASSIGNED address. He
was allowed to proceed without inter-
ruption and he related the many strug-
giles Of q ten years fight to get two
pipe lines TO the seaboard, one by the
way of Philadelphia and the other
through West Virginia. In one con-
test he said the company spent be-
tween 500 900 and $500, 900
Has Railroads Tied Up.
1--WE are today" he sold. The only
competitor of the Standard to the sea-
board and that is the only way We can
transport our oil, for the railroads are
controlled completely by the Standard.
We have been bounded TO death by the
Standard They even tried to buy up
our s., ,00o 600 issue of stock and we
were compelled to put our stock IN
trust so that It would not be possible
to sell to this devilfish except by the
unanimous consent OF all OF US"
The morning session adjourned at
noon with Senator Emery still on the
stand.
Tells Of Long Battle.
Senator Emery took the stand again
when the afternoon session began. He
related further history concerning his
fight against the Standard, giving one
instance Of how a refinery at Phila-
delphia was compelled to go out of bus
mess because the railroads raised the
rates to an eXorbitant figure and also
scattered their tank cars TO the distant
corners of the country. Another In
stance was when a new field of oil was
discovered in the Bradford field and
his company took charge OF IT.
a railroad rate of 10 cents a barrel
was obtained, but the Pennsylvania
Railroad company compelled the con-
meeting line. under threats, to raise the
rate TO % cents. Then, he said, the
oil company constructed n pipe line
whereupon a Standard concern came In
and ofTered 10 cents more a barrel for
the oil and compelled his company TO
abandon the field,