Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1906-05-31
standard OIL COT
FAVORABLE RATES.
WITNESS TELLS OF ADVANTAGE
GIVEN TRUST IN FIGURING
MILEAGE,
SAME BASIS REFUSED
INDEPENDENT CONCERNS
Interesting Testimony Heard at In
terstate Commerce Commission
Probe at Cleve4and-Emplsyes Of
Rivals Bribed.

Cleveland, O., May zS.-W e. Mac
even, former chief clerk i'm the car
department of the Lake Shore & Mich
igan Southern railroad general Of
fees in Cleveland, was the first wit
ness Saturday in the Standard Oil
investigation by the interstate COM
merce commission. He testified that
he had charge of the compiling of the
mileage of the cars of the Union
Tank line. He said that the reports
were forwarded each day at noon to
the Cleveland Office of the Standard
Oil company. The Lake Shore COM
pany, he declared, gave the Standard
big advantage in tabulating records
of tank cars, in that the mileage Of
Standard tank cars were figured on
a different basis than the cars Of com
peting companies. The advantage
amounted all the way from to
81 cents per car, according to the
distances between different points on
the road
When he left the employ of the
Lake Shore several years ago he be-
gan work for the Peerless Transit
company, an independent tank line.
He asked the Lake Shore officials for
the same basis Of figuring mileage as
was given to the Union Tank line.
He was ridiCuled, he said, and was
told that he did not know what he
vas talking about, and every effort
vas made to belibt1e him in the eyes
Of his new employers. Finally, how
ever. having obtained copies of the
Union Tank line reports and taking
them to the proper officials, the road
reluctantly granted his request Some
two weeks ago, however, he said, he
had ascertained that the older order
OF things had been resumed and he
went to investigate. The Lake Shore
officials he said, acted surprised ana
offered the explanation that the Peer
less Transit company, being the only
concern which was allowed the same
rates as the Union Tank line, the mat
ter had been quite forgotten. The
Union Tank line rate was at once re-
stored. MaceWen also testified that
the Lake Shore and Pennsylvania
companies had recently been rejecting
Peerless Transit co.npany's tank cars
built two or three years ago in accord
arce with Specifications furnished by
the railroad companies. At the same
time, the witness said, he knew of
his own personal knowledge that
Union Tank cars, not complying with
specifications, were accepted by the
railroads.
Figured on Different Basis.
MaceWen testified that the mileage
for Standard tank ears between Cleve
land and Chicago was figured on the
basis of 357 miles, while the mileag~
for independent cars was figured on
the basis of 329 miles. The same rule.
he claimed, prevailed between all
other points on the Lake Shore road.
The witness made the further
charge that certain freight employees
of the Lake Shore road received
monthly salaries from the Union Tank
Line company, Standard concern,
and in return for such compensation
the freight officials made special Ell
Standard Oil shipments. This, he
pointed out. gave the Standard an ad,
ditional advantage over the independ-
ents. !! .,-, 49,. 4
/ w: J. Brickell, for 20 years editor
Of the Columbus CO., Evening Dis
patch, was called to tell what, if any
thing, he knew about that paper az
cepting articles alleged to have been
furnished by the Standard Oil COM
pany, and paid for at SO much per
line These articles, it was declared.
by Special Counsel Monnett, went to
1926 subsidized papers in Ohio, and the
general purport of them was to mis-
real character to readers. leading
them to believe that the findings of
courts and the various publications
against the Standard, were unjust1fea
and unwarranted. Mr.. Brickell de-
MED that he had any positive knowl-
edge on the subjact and said that if
any such contract existed it was
known only to the business manager
of the paper Mr. Brickell deni i
the assertion made by Mr.. Monnett
that he (BrickelD had recently said
to him in a Pullman car that the
Standard company paid so cents per
line for certain articles.
Employees of Rivals Bribed,
2. D. Ellis, an independent oil deal
er of Cincinnati, gave evidence show
ing that the names of his customers
were Systematically obtained by the
Standard by bribing employees. He
said he caught one in the act, and
compelled him to swear to an affidavit
that he was paid $3.50 per week by
the Standard for forwarding informa
ton concerning shipments. Having
obtained the names Of customers, the
witness said, the Standard agents went
4 to them and in many nefarious ways
induced some Of them to take Stand
ard Oil goods.
President Elected.