The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-11-19
SUPPLY Of RAW
MATERIAL Big
THING \ IN OIL
Rockefeller Says That No One
Knows When II May Give
Out Entirely
SUCH event W0UlDlEAVE THE
NGpROPERI|EsWoRTHlEss
Had an Important Bearing on the
Early Development Of Standard Oil
y - the Producing Field Was Limited
Almost to One County

New York, Nov. 19.-John D. Rookie
feller's own story of tho upbuilding
of the great Standard Oh company
and hise tmnasnse personal fortune has
given a tremendous public interest to
long. drawn out, and often tedious
hearings in the governments suit to
dissolve the so-called oil trust.
Although Rockefeller was on the
witness stand more than two hours
yesterday. it appears from the pro-
gress that he had made at the ad-
journment, that he had only fairly
started in his narrative. He had told
only Of the early days when as q
pioneer III the refining Of petroleum
he had started on almost nothing and
soon outstripped all his rivals. He
declared that it was through the in-
PRODUCTION of economy, BY taking sd
vantage of every favorable legitimate
opening to extend his business, by
the borrowing and intelligent invest
ment ct large sums of money and by
close, intelligent, constant application
to the oil business alone that the COR
poration, of which he is the head, Was
built up.
Rockefeller went ,on the witness
stand when the Standard oil hearing
was resumed this morning. Ills coun-
sci said that he will probably be on
the stand all day.
1t was announced that after Rookie
feller.s cross-cxamination ny tie gov
ernment counsel, John d. Archbold,
vice president Of the Standard Oil
company, will take the. witness stand.
The hearing was transferred today
to larger room in order to tl.:cOmmO-
date the numerous cotnselt and report
Asg.e4 Policemen were stationed In the
corridors !. and only those having
friends connected with the proceed
ings were permitted to enter. Rocke-
feller was smiling as he tool: the wit
ness stand and resumed his testimony.
His counsel again callei his attention
to the uncertainties of the old bnsi-
ness in the early '70's and asked him
what bearing the supply of raw mater
ial had thereon. "It had All important
bearing and must always have such
Importance, as we never know when
the supply may give out, rendering
the properties for the refining of oil
comparatively valueless,' replied Mr..
Rockefeller. He added that in the
early oil business, the supply Of crude
oil was limited to small AREA Conn
ing principally from VeDango county,
Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Rockefeller said that the oil
business was made hazardous
proposition because of the apprehen-
sion that the supply of crude oil would
be exhausted. Some of the oil would
be exhausted. Some of the oil wells
were short lived. Mr.. Rockefeller's
counsel then asked him If he recalled
that producers union was formed.
Mr. Rockefeller explained the organi-
cation Of the union and then was TAX
en- along over a period of several
years during which many oil concerns
were absorbed by Rockefeller. He
told of the organization Of the refining
companies, the pipe lines and cost Of
transportation. Rockefeller's counsel
asked him II 1t were true that the
rates obtained by him during the per-
iod for the Standard Oil company with