Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-28
NICOLAI BANKRUPTCY
STATEMENT BY PETITIONER AS
TO STANDARD OIL.
Alleged Methods Of "the Trust" Elk
plained-Efforts to Annihilate
Competition.

In connection with the petition in volun-
tary bankruptcy filed by Mr.. Lawrence s.
Nicolai, and the proceedings incidental
thereto before Referee McCalmont. Mr..
Nicoiai today made the following state
ment:
About twenty years ago / came here
from Baltimore, Md, and was the first In
dlvidual to establish local jobbing oil
business against the Standard Oil trust,
which at that time had everything its own
way. and. as is customary. it used and
abused the people who were compelled to
support it, but 1t was not long before my
opposition in the business brought the trade
very great relief. both in the way of civil
treatment and large reduction In the
price of the material sold by either or both
of us, and 1t Is very great pleasure to
say that in very short period of time i
was compelled to solicit the services of my
brother as partner In the business and
also to enlarge my oil plant owing TO the
support which l received from the whole
sale and fancy grocers and also the paint
and oil dealers of this city, in addition to
doing an extensive business with the mer-
chants through Virginia. mostly those To-
Gated at Alexandria and Fredericksburg.
1T Is very gratifying to me to be able
to state that when first located here 1t
was in the rear of 324 B street southwest,
where had my stables and the first con-
received by me in tank cars over the
Pennsylvania railroad and barreled by
me either in the freight yard of the COM
Lany or hauled in tank wagon to my
stables and there barreled from the end
of the wagons and afterward sold and de-
livered to the trade. the first sale being
made and the first goods delivered by
myself personally. 1t was only a short
time. owing to the large increase in my
business, when / was compelled to make
other arrangements for the proper care
oil plant of Nicolai Brothers became very
much more prominent and by far more
extensive than that of the Standard Oil
octopus. which was determined to do US
up If it could, at any cost
Firm Was Successful.
But much to the surprise Of that con-
Germ and the people generally the Nicola!
Brothers were successful against all the
trust could do to run US out, notwith-
standing its management had been chang
ed completely five different times within
ten years. and had offered to sell it's
products far below the regular price. 1t
finally concluded to approach the vtctors,
Nlcolai Brothers. with a business propo-
sition to lease the property, which was
at that time located at the corner of
Canal and X streets southwest, and %
pay several thousands of dollars annually
to either or both of US. with view OF
monopolizing the business which 1t once
controlled and get rid of our competi-
ton.
After a long elaboration on my part on
account of my health at the time. besides
obtaining the appreciation of the largest
part of my trade. l finally consented and
accepted the proposition TO retire actively
from the wholesale oil business. l received
at the time both an annual salary and one
half of the rental which the Nicolai Broth
ers were receiving for the of the oil
plant with the view of running an APP
parent competition. This arrangement con-
tinued for several years when the Stand
ard Oil Company concluded to purchase
the property. which was finally ACCOMPLISH
ed al a very considerable cost. after which
the company paid the NicolaI Brothers an
annuity to remain out of the business for
a total of ten years. l was paid by the
Standard Oil Company.
View to Reducing Expense.
with view OF reducing It's annual ex-
pense at this point and believing that 1t
would be safe in the disseminating of the
agreement with Nicolai Brothers we were
sidetracked January l. 1905. by the trust a $
an experiment. When I concluded to re-
sumo business again upon my own account
which was during March. 1905, by loca ting
an oil plant at lexington, d. c.. away on
to myself. | was refused similar privileges
to those enjoyed at the present time by the
Standard Oil Company, and | had to locate
over in Rosslyn. Va. which operated very
much against me in the conduct of my busi-
ness"