New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-25

The Tide Water Oil Companys Splendid Activity in the
VeOpment of Americas World Famed Petroleum Fields
and the Historic Rank Pipe Lines, the First
Projected Toward Seaboard

product is as familiar in Syria China South
America as il is in the land Of its birth
For nearly quarter Of g century after Colore
Drake, now Just nifty years ago. drove the first
American oil well. the principal source Of the
supply OF petroleum had its centre at the point
Of his world famed and world beneftng feat
OF pioneer work During that period the ad
venturous, tragic and romantic search Tor oil
covering history without parallel In th'
industrial annals of America had extended {
New York West Virginia, Kentucky and Ten
nesscc. Texas and the west were undreamed Of
Yet even to-day. among the most famous anC
productive fields remains that Of Pcnnsy lvania
Colonel Drake drovc has historic well at Oi
Greek in 1859. In the before mentioned pcriot
that followed thirty-fye thousand wells wer,
driven. cnc-Gfth Of which proved unrroductive
Nevertheless. the total product Of 1859 amount
quarter Of century TO practically twenty -four
million barrels. having value Of about $50
600 600 But those few years SAW = speculative
fever and magical making and losing Of fort
uncs probably never known on any stock e.
change IN the world Fires. oycrproduction. the
never ending problems Of labor and trnnsporta-
ton and the trckcry and tctnptings az the ever
present adventurcr-thcse long made the oil
business largely 4 gamble
Gradually these conditions were overcome. Nc
one organization ever absorbed all the great
established oil interests. but in time several dis
tnct groups evolved that were able to put an
end TO a monopoly Of speculation and sonselo-s
fluctuations In prices and TO bring about a
healthy and natural competition. chief fac
tor in this and every Improvement In the in
dustry has been the Tide water oil Company
One Of the presidents WAS notable In the Penn
syivaniI field within ak years after the dis
covcry Of oil. and the Tide Water Itself may
Justly be ranked among the earliest and most
historic Of the oil companies
Tide Water men have been identified In fact
with Che development Of the oil Industry from
the very discovery Of petroleum In this country
and the vital founding OF a business that Is not
only among the most gigantic in America, but
has also outrivallcd similar field In Russia
which at one tine held the worlds supremacy
II IS inadequate to say that Tide Water men
nave contributed. also. to the scores OF inyen-
TONS and improvements associated with the
refining processes OF Il half century and to M.
important and almost innumcrabie discoveries
OF ne" and useful elements or by-products
The company's founders. natives OF varons
sections Of the United States. were among the
most eminent. sturdy and courageous OF Penn
syiVanias oil pioneers. Chief among those who
projected the Tide Water pipe line and refinery
were Byron b. Benson. David McKelvy. Samuel
Q. Brown. A. A. Sumner and Josiah Lombard
TheSe are names that must always live in the
history OF American industrIals Also Mt one
time prominent and still memorable in the man
aGement Of the company were James II. Keene
Franklin b. Gowan and others whose business
and financial successes are familiar to the pub
lie.
Mr. Benson. the first president OF the compaDy
died In 1888. Mr.. McKeVy and Mr. Sumner are
still living but Mr.. Lombard. who was notable
among the pioneer renners. died last December
at his home. In BronxvIlle. Samuel O. Brown,
now for many years an active member of the
Union League Club OF New York. was tho sec
Ond to hold the presidency. and long carried out
the duties OF tho Office. 20 the great benefit OF
the company. On account OF I'll health he last
year asked TO be relieved from the active man
agement. and upon his retirement WAS elected
chairman OF the board.
Robert Dix Benson. OF PassaIc, NJ J., son Of the
cider II. d. Benson and a former student at the
University OF Pennsylvania, elected to the
presidency In May 1908 Through his father.
native OF Fabius N. Y. and one OF the pioneers
In the stupendous oil industry of Pennsylvania
having frst engaged In It at Tltusville In 1866.
the present president OF the Tide Water is the
descendant of ancestors who settled In this
country In 1888
w. 8. Benson. another son OF the first presi
dent. is the company's Vice-presldent and treas
urer. Dickson q. Brown. of the second
president and present chairman OF the board. Is
also active In tO-day's management and Is In
charge OF the producing interests Robert Nc
KelVy. son OF David McKeVy. another OF the
founders. Is one OF the managers. and Is notably
active I'm the companys operations OF its pipe
line. George Il. Baker, well known as the presI-
dent az the First National PanI ne Maui yo-,-