The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-04
BIT Ter OIL WAR NAY
co INTO LEGISLATURE
INDEPENDENTS WANT EQUAL
CHANCE WITH THE STANDARD
Will Ask Gravity Tests, Asserting
STANDARD Can Sell Inferior Oil Under
Present Inspection Independents
Declare They Will Garry Fight Into
Other Northwest Cities Soon.

There is every indication that the
war between the Standard Oil COM
pany and the Independent oil !, com
panies in St. Paul, will be carried into
the next legislature with a demand
for a gravity instead of fire test of oil
sold in Minnesota. It has TRANSFERRED
that the independent companies were
behind the legislation in North and
South Dakota, which calls for. gravity
tests. = +y5s: ,z IA ~:
In. these states the old law called
for an inspection fee of 80 cents bar
rel, except for oil shipped in tanks,
for which the fee was only Is cents a
barrel. This latter plan of transpo,+a
tion was employed by the STANDARD Oil
company. The Independent companies
succeeded in changing this inspection
fee to but IL cents in South Dakota
and Is cents in North Dakota, whether
the oil is in barrels. or; tanks.
To combat the cut prices which the
Standard is making in st. Paul, the
Independents are starting a campaign
Of education to show the people the
difference between their oil and that. of
| the Standard They; assert that the
Standard gets its crude oil for the west
from the Ohio wells. This oil is heav-
lily loaded with sulphur, is of heavy
gravity and sells for but 80 cents a
barrel of forty-two gallons. The kero.
sene marketed in Minnesota shows a
gravity test of only 431a to a. de.
grees. ~. -.
The independents assert they are
purchasing their crude oil from the
Pennsylvania wells; at cost of. $1.5s
barrel, and that the Pennsylvania
oil is almost free from sulphur and
much better in every way. They de-
clare it will stand a gravity test of
about IS or Al degrees. Both the
Standard and the Independent oils
however, will pass the present prac-
tically useless fire test of burning at
100 degrees Fahrenheit. Hence the in
dependents assert that the Minnesota
law should be changed that the people
may get better oil from the STANDARD
as well as from them, putting com
>petitors on an equal basis. =, +,
In a number of the St. Paul Offices
Of the independent oil companies OF
lamps are kept burning. A lamp filled
with independent oil will be burned
alongside of one filed with kerosene
which it is asserted was: purchased
from the Standard. There is striking
difference. The so-called Standard oil
lit is declared, gives a more yellow
light, and also clouds the chimneys al
a result. Of the alleged sulphur.
h The independents plan, before long
to reach out with their plants to Min
neapolis and other large sales point
outside Of st. Paul. This will precipi
tate bitter fight. 80 :@., ~
, The Standard company no longer de
MES owning the plant built last yea
at Eva and Morrison streets, St. Pau,
, This plant was at first named the Elee
| trio Light Oil company, but the in
dependents t'tumbled' and let e tn
r public know the truth. More recent
8 the wagons of the "Electric Ligh
4 Oil company" have been reprinted an
8 are now labeled in fully as large le,
9 tiers as before, "Standard Oil Can d.
f partment.' r. =. 3; s.....~.s. .> ~.
r The; leader of the battle in St. Pal
: against the Standard Oil company
Joseph Bartles Of the Bartles o
d company. He says he knew and worke
s for John D. Rockefeller when tia
= magnate was worth not over 100000
0 He says he made the paint whic
Rock efeller used to paint his oil ba
= rels and tanks. Later he became NAL
n ager at. ST. Paul for the STANDARD
|, then at Winnipeg, and finally again
! st. Paul. sa.as :. TX -. ~ ID: :..;98-E' ~