The Washington herald., 1909-05-20

New York, May fs.-Few men have been
more prominent in the BUSINESS life OF
this country than Henry Huddleston
Rogers. Sixty-nine years old at the time
Of his death. he was the vice president
and director Of the Standard OIL Cor
poratOn, which very largely owed its
existence TO his keen intellect For fun
half a century he had been an active fac
tor n the commercial lIfe Of this country.
and the effect Of his sudden death viii be
felt on both sides Of the ocean.
he was born in Fairhaven Mass,
little fishing village. sixty-n:ne years ago.
His parents were poor. and the boy had
10 work fo- his own living almost as
soon as he was able to toddle His first
employment wss as a paper carrier for
The Fairhaven weekly newspaper. and he
al once displayed the hustling abilities
that later made him great He at once
added new subscribers 10 his list and
aided by the reputation thus gained. he
soon became active In the slight business
enterprises OF Falrhayen. When he was
fifteen years old he left that hamlet TO
get wider field for his activities. He
was in and out Of a dozen different bus
inesses before he was twenty years old.
but finally alighted upon the oil trade.
then il its infancy. He was nineteen
when he became fairly familiar with the
possibilities Of the production and re-
hnement Of oil
Originator of the Trust.
In Standard OIL circles IT has always
been held that he was the real originator
OF the Standard Oil Company. II was
Rogers who devised the plan Of consoli-
dating the rival interests. which was later
worked out by himself and others
Throughout the early DAYS Of the giant
corporation Il was Rogers WHO was con-
unually the inspiration OF the war made
upon the independents John D. Rocke-
feiler was the financial head Of the con
Cern. but Rogers vas the leader OF the
lighting forces Later in life he did not
attempt 10 deny that the charges laid
against the STANDARD Oil Company in
those early days were largely true. but
defended them on the theory that busi-
ness IS war. and that in war everything
is fair.
As he grew older he developed al as
founding respect for public opinion. He
shrank from publicity. and the bitter
criticism 20 which he was subjected hurt
him deeply In private conversation he
often took occasion 70 defend the course
Of himself and his associates
On his personal side M Rogers was al
ternately hard and soft. according TO his
friends he might al one moment display
a tenderness and kindness OF which 10
4 - -
next moment would be as hard and i'm
movable as one OF tn" granite powders
Of his native State
HIS Gifts to Native Town.
An instance Of this is in his treatment
OF his native town OF Fairhaven. That
hamlet has never done anything for him.
he had not even got a start there, except
ss he started 10 leave Il 10 20 10 a more
promising community. And yet he heaped
riches upon il, furnished Il with a mag
nifcent public library. and other public
works, built the roads at his own cost.
and reconstructed il so that from being
a rude fishing village. II IS now one OF
the show places OF the Massachusetts
coast
Another instance OF this inconsistency
was IN his dealings with Mark Twain.
L
life. Rogers had read story by Twain.
He happened 70 be dOwncast and despair
ing at the moment, but the hearty laugh
that followed the perusal so cheered him
that he re-entered the hattie with fresh
courage and Won. he told his wife then
that IL he ever had a chance TO do any
thing for the writer of that story ne
would do so Twain vas then an IN
known newspaper writer. Years later
Twain had made q fortune. which was
swept away from him by the failure OF
the publishing house in which he had in
vested all
Rogers came TO him utterly unknown.
asked Twain 70 irtrust lis affairs to him.
and out Of the wreck saved a substantial
remnant How much Of this came from
the business. and how much vas in effect
. clear gift from Rogers. WilI never be
known Ever since then tie humorist
and the capitalist had been sc warmest
friends, and the most constarc associates.
Rogers rarely left the city except Twain
was in his company.
Business Interests.
The list Of the companies in which ne
appeared as director does not nearly meas
Ure the extent 10 which Re was identified
Try. He was active as a stocknJider and
sr advertiser IN scores Of cu.npanfss in
which the face never became public. The
directory gives his business Affiliations
as known. as follows: One Of the large
stockholders and a vice president and di-
rector Of the Standard Oil Company.
president and director Amalgamated Cop
Per Company. National Transit Company.
National Fuel Gas Company. New York
and Brooklyn Transit COMPANY. Rich
mond Light and Railroad Company. vice
president and director Anaconda Conner
Company. vice president and director
Brooklyn Union Gas Company. United
Metals Selling Company. trustee MutuaI
Life Insurance Company, director United
States Steel Company. Atchison Railroad
Company, Chicago, Milwaukee and ST
Paul Railroad Company. Union Pacific
Railroad Company. New Jersey and Stat
en Island Ferry Company. Atlas Tack
Company, Farmers Loan and Trl,st Com
pany, Guaranty Trust Company. National
Bank OF Falrhaven. Tennessee C6nnar
Company. Staten Island Midland Railroad
Company, Atlantic Coast Electric PAN
road Company. and MANY others. He was