The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-22
Standard Oil Company Up to
Its Old Tricks.
Buys Out the Independent Re-
finery at PaOla
THEN CLOSES UP SHOP.
Refuses to Take Products From
the Field Wells.
Leases Are Rendered Worthless
as There Is No Market.

Paola. Kan, Aug. 22.-The Stand
ard Oil company is said to be up to its
old tricks in Kansas, and Paola is the
field upon which it has used its meth
DDS this time. Recently the indie
pendent refinery in this town was
bought out by a new firm, and since
then the local oil from the field has
been reduced from the Independent
price to that paid by the Standard in
other Kansas towns, and the pumping
station on the Sugar creek pipe line
located at Paola has been abolished.
Inc greatest complaint made by
local oil producers is that the new oil
company refuses to buy the crude oil.
IN hundred tanks in the Paola field
the oil is standing ready to be deliv-
cred to the refinery. Since the market
mas been abolished the leases are
worthless. The Standard, it is said,
has caused loss of hundreds of
thousands of dollars to the investors
who put their money into the de-
velopment of this field. -.- 4.5
Three years ago when the Stand
ard Oil company was paying $1.32 per
barrel for Kansas oil and causing the
territory to be developed, the Paola
field entered into the list of the high
grade oil producing centers. The
town had on a general boom. caused
by the incoming investors. Derricks
dotted every farm in Bull creek val
ley
The Sugar creek pipe line passed
through the city of Paola, carrying its
10000 barrels of Kansas oil every day
to the Kansas City refinery. A pump
ing station was erected to receive the
oil from the local leases. 1t was
claimed that this field produced the
highest grade of oil in tho state.
Attracted by the state laws protect
ing Independent refineries. one of
these Independent industries was built
at Paola. A number of gentlemen put
their money into the concern, and
they paid ten cents more per barrel
than the Standard for the local oil.
Several of the producers sold their en-
tire output of oil to the Independent
refinery, and the rest sold theirs to
the Standard pumping station.
Then the prices of crude oil were
reduced by the Standard. The Paola
field suffered like every other COM
munity of producers in the state.
These conditions continued the
same until this spring when the Paola
parties. The new owners came from
Whiting, Ind. The laborers came
from Whiting, Ind, and the man
ayers and chemists came from Whit
ing, Ind.
The Standards largest oil refinery
is at Whiting, Ind.
Immediately following the purchase
of the Independent refinery. the
Standard Oil company took its pump
ing station away from Paola- This
left no market for the local oil field,
except at the refinery. Then the re-
fnery refused to take the OIL
Upon nearly every lease in the field
every tank is full of oil. The wells
continued to pump until the supply of
tanks ran out, and then they stopped.
1t ruins an oil well to stop pumping,
even for a week, and that is what has
happened to this field. 1t is ruined
Following the change in the owner
ship of the refinery stock. great
many improvements were made in the
equipment These are nearly COM
pIeted, and they will make refinery
of four times the capacity of the old
one The refinery is located within
twenty-five feet of the great Standard
pipe line, and it is said that in few
weeks this will be tapped, and it will
be refining oil from southern Kansas
and Oklahoma. The capacity of the
Sugar creek refinery has been over
taxed lately. Meanwhile the Paola re-
finery has been supplied with oil from
the southern Kansas field shipped in
tank cars. 1t has been refined and
then barreled.
The local oil producers in the Paola
field can do nothing except take the
result created by the Standard They
complain that the Standard. has
ruined the field, and that the hum
dreds of thousands of dollars which
were spent in developing it. is a loss.
No cause is given for the action of the
oil trust.