New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-30

Utican who knows the facts gives to The
Observer this sketch of Daniel ODay. the Stand
ard Oil man. whose death was reported recently:
notice in the dispatches an account of the death
of Daniel O'Day. one OF the big men in the Stand
ard Oil Company. and 1t brings to mind the fact
that ODay had very humble beginning he was
born In ireland something over sxty-two years age
IN GIe WIEN ms dd'4 t 10 j i T+
tarausus County. near Elncottville. and he moved
family lived In a small house, away back from the
main travelled road and as the land was new 4s, and
now they had quite a hand-to-mouth and precart-
went to the district school when they had clothing
enough TO make themselves respectable. which was
not always, and as they wer Irish. keen witted
and quick 10 learn, they managed between them to
pick up pretty fair common school eduCatiOnS.
Dan was good natured, happy -go-lucky fellow
If he got job of work he performed II as best he
plain about an extra hour two OF work He was
ready and willing and whether he was moving
drains for some Of the swamplaRds in the vicinity
he nut in full DAVIS work devoted himself to the
man for whom he was working and took an inter
broke out he managed In some way to get hold Of
a team of horses and Ike many other y9qng fell
lows, lie went away to the oil country. which was
not far distant. to make his fortune at teaming.
team for a single day. and young O'Day had heard
the stories and went out from the farm home with
ness determined 10 win fortune. In his widest
dreams he never for moment imagined the Won
derful success that would come to HIM
In the late CO.'S this was, and when Dan O'Day
Sered While most Of tn young fellows who vent
there spent their time and money In the gambling
resorts, saloons and brotheIs. Dan O'Day took
OF his horses. saved his cash, bought more horses
and wagons. and soon became recognized as
power in the transportation problems which
fronted the producers whose wells were throwing
out thousands OF barrels of oil every day. He
went and before very long he attracted the at
tention of John d. Rockefeller and those who
at the head of the South Improvement Company.
He was put in charge of the first pipeline that
ever operated, and as the lines began to extend.
ana as O'DJy's responsibilities increased he would
SeIid PACK 10 CettafaGSus county lot other young
fellows who he had known and 10 whom he hoped
70 extend opportunities TO do something better
tnan I'LL the stony ana steep hills of that section.
He became In time an employer of thousands OF
men and finally became a principal factor in the
In 1879 Mr.. O'Day was indicted. along with John
Rockefeller and others, in Clarion County Penn.
monopoly of the oil business and with attempting to
control the price OF crude oil by fraudulent means
time; mob law threatened and in some places
attempted and the Standard oil men were keeping
rather shady Tor fear or the law or of private at
tack. Mr.. ODay not in the state when he
was lndlc{ed and GoVgTnor Hoyt, who was called
UPON 70 issue requlSitons Tor the eXtraditiOn OF
O'Day and several others, refused TO do so or de-
thing was lost in the events which fSIlo Ts "Sts
from that time on O'Day the kingpin ia the
transportation department OF the Standard oil and
through II all still held his great interests
some years ago ne began TO take periods of rest
nlhcent fortune AZ the expense of his health, aud
the warnings that came to him from time u time
ms inHHons, aIter all lie went back to the cid
home on frequent occasions; fixed the old farm
mother Were sleeping; had reunions at the boT me-
stead, TO which he babe old friends and new and
ally abroad All the time he kept in his hands a
considerable part Of the management OF the large
Finally he broke down simply because he cnYii
not let The habit TO work and on was a mart
He did not need 10 do it-but he did Ttan he
sought springs and resorts here and abroad In the
only sixtytWo wears Of age and with eJsrt bT was
live for!-Utica Observer. "