The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-10-08
GREAS|NG WHEELS
MADE II EASY
FOR TRUST
How Standard Oil Worked Lub-
ricating Contracts
GALENA SIGNAL HAD BIG PULL
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Paid
$4,000 Year More Than Was
Necessary.

NEW YORK, Oct. 8.-The difficulties
Of the New York Lubricating OIL CON-
pany In its fight with the Standard OIL
company for the business Of railroad
fabrication throughout the United
States were related by Philip Harri-
son Of the New York Lubricating OIL
company In the hearing Of the govern
ment's suit against the Standard. The
witness said that his company made q
contract with the Louisville and Nash
vile railroad In 1903 to supply the road
with lubricating oil for thousand mile
runs at the following rates: LocOmO-
tives, $1.53; for passenger cars, ~
cents, and for freight cars, 10 cents
Mr.. Harrison said that six months be-
fore the contract with the Louisville
and Nashville expired he asked Pres
ident Milton Smith to renew the con-
tract.
president Smith said he would look
into the matter" said Mr.. Harrison. Il
was Informed later that the contract
would not be renewed. l asked II
there was any reason that would pre-
clude any chance Of obtaining the con-
tract. Mr.. Smith said there. was, but
he did not specify"
Mr. Kellogg then placed In evidence
the statement Of the Galena Signal
OIL company. subsidiary Of the Stand
ard, showing that the Louisville and
Nashville at the expiration Of the con-
tract with the New York Lubricating
company made contract with the
Galena as follows: For locomotives.
$1.G9; for passenger coaches, 10 cents,
and for freight cars, 9 cents. Mr.. KEEL
lOgg tried to develop from the witness
why the Louisville and Nashville paid
the Galena company higher rates than
the New York company. Mr.. Harrison
said he had his own IDEAS The wit
ness said President Smith had stated
In letter that the oils of the New
York Lubricating OIL company were
entirely satisfactory.
did you ask the reason why the
contracts were not given to your CON-
pany?"
II did not think 1t necessary" an
swered Mr.. Harrison.
Mr.. Harrison said that the figures
showed that the railroad paid 1000
a year more for Its oil to the Standard
than 1t would have paid under con-
tract with the New York company.
Mr.. Harrison testified that the Central
Railroad of Georgia had purchased Its
oil from his company and that 1t had
been found satisfactory. The Stand
ard obtained the business, the witness
said, Notwithstanding the fact that the
oil combine charged a higher price
than the New York Lubricating Oil
company.
Mr.. HarrisOn's testimony was illu-
minated by several exchanges between
the witness and counsel Mr.. Rosen-
thai, one Of counsel for the defendants,
asked Mr.. Harrison II his attorney had
not informed him that the contracts
entered into between the Standard and
the steamship companies engaged In
trade to Africa were Of a private ma
ture and that the bureau Of corpora
lions under the law had no authority
to inquire into corporation business Of
that character. Mr.. Kellogg declared
that counsel had no right to ask such
a question and added:
II will tell you that there Is such a
law, and you will find 1t out IL you
look long enough"