The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-26
ROCKEFELLER IS GENEROUS
Former Employe says He Is Not Harsh
to Hirelings-Far Kinder Than
Rogers-Always Ready To Help His
Clerks and Quick to Reward Them
Merit.

New York. January Ism the iudg-
ment Of old employees who knew him
intimately. John L. Rockefeller is not
the hardhearted. harsh. m~oney-grab-
bing old skin-fiint that he has been
represented TO be. but O kindly. good
ratured. fatherly old soul. liberal and
;ust 10 those who worked under him.
This appreciation of the head Of the
Standard oil Company is given By John
J. Corkiil. who was formerly John u.
Eockefeller's office boy
CorkiIl rose by promotion until ne
was chie. secretary TO W. T.. Bemts.
head OF the Standard oil Companys
confidential department in Room isiO
At IS Broadway. which Is the clearing
house OF all the Oil Trust : secrets and
| one of the most important props To The
power OF that corporation.
After Rockefeller relinquished active
control OF the Standards AFFAIRS in 1900
Corkill asked for an increase OF salary.
This was refused by H III. Rogers. and
he left the company. Corktil brought
with him the memory OF many vatua-
BILE Standard oil secrets concerning
competition and subsidiary companies
and because Of his knowledge OF these
things. Corkill has been su~bpoenaed oy
Attorney General Hadiey. OF Missouri.
to appear before Commissioners san
born in the investigation which the
state OF Missouri Is making into the
| Standard OIL Company's connection
| of that state.
Mr.. CorkiH's Eulogy.
"John D. Rockefeller Is one OF the
fnest men in the world. He was the
kindest of employers. While he WAS ac-
tive at the head of the Standard Oil
every one working for the trust ~as
we'll cared for. But when ne dropped
out. as he did about 1890. and Walter
Jennings and Rogers became the exec
utive heads. a decided change was
made In the attitude OF the
ment toward the employees.
I'm the old days there was a Salary
Committee. consisting OF John ID.
Rockefeller. John d. Archbold. Henry
NJ. Flagler and H. II. Rogers. Employees
who believed they were entitled TO
higher wages could go before this COM
mittee and give their reasons therefore.
once every year. These appeals inva-
riablv brought the desired Increase.
John d. seemed unable to resist an
application of this sort from a faith
full employe. Rogers would snarl and
brutally reject the application. telling
the petitioner. Get out; you're getting
enough already"
John d.. Raised Wages.
"'Now hush. hush. Mr.. Rogers.
! Rockefeller would saw. holding vi his
hand Then he would turn 10 the COM
mittee n say: Tom or Jack or
whoever it was-he called every one IN
the Offices at 90 Broadway by his
Christian name-'has been working
hard and faithfully. and 1 think he's
entitled to a little more pay.
Then he would dismiss the applt-
cant with assurance that he would hear
something from the interview. such u
rromise was invariably fulfilled by an
! increase in the a envelope. All mat
has been changed now. | near, since
! Rockefeller is out OF the active man
:, / have heard that employees
are dealt with in a machine-like n
heartless a
; ct was a badsday for Standard OIL
employees when John D. elinquishsd
, active control. He remembered the
days of his early struggles in CLEVELAND
l and this made him kind-hearted and
sympathetic toward others. IL he saw
an mploye whom he thought lnsufh-
GENTLY clad he would go and u MN
; an overcoat. If n man In the ONCE
/ had sickness in his family, or was
{ himself i'll, Rockefeller was his friend
{ in need. and he was we'll taken care or
THE old man always had a CHEEKY
i word for every employe he met. and ne
loved to hear little stories of theil
home lives. He was a most humane
man.
This kindness of Mr.. Rockefelle'
made all his employees faithful and be
y yond the reach of orruption money
from outside. and is part of the reason
for the remarkable success of tn
n standard Oil Company. From Its me
the corporation got not only hard worl
but f~aithfulness n devotion."-Ex
, change.