Evening star., 1914-02-15

whole country was stirred up as though
by series of earthquakes.
Trading was on the New York
curb" an outside adjunct Of the New
YORK Stock Exchange and the New
York Consolidated. Hundreds OF thou
shares were traded in daily. and wild
excitement was felt in every con-
siderable community in the United
States. recent estimate gave the
about $4,000. Where there was such an
amazing increase in the numerical
strength of holders there could be only
one answer to the question where the
strong boxes of the big insiders who
had been staying with the company
for an indefinite number of years.
Trading on Downward Trend.
Prices went to an average elevation
of at least twice the figures that ruled
when the big parent company nominal
~ went to pieces. The total value for
months ranged from $500 to $1,000 for
what was the equivalent of one share
of parent stock. Within the last few
weeks there has been break averag-
ing 20 to % per cent. and the certfl-
Gates and contracts for certihcateS are
still pouring in upon the market
There is occasional. rally, but the
underlying tfelu Is sun pelletCu LO NC
downward.
So far as can be ascertained no impor-
tant or revolutionary changes have taken
place in the management OF the minor
companies. They are practically all d.
rected from It Broadway, as was the
case when there was no pretense OF beng
more than one organization. 1t is more
than likely that actual ownership con-
troll has passed from the hands of the old
Standard Oil coterie. 1t Is still called
ROcEpfpllar L
been since the ''old man divided respon-
sibilities. That was about fifteen years
ago, when he retired from active business
to stave off death by drinking SKINNED
milk and eating crackers. He subsisted
on this diet for several years, but for
quite while back has enlarged his diet
and once more eats like other human be-
ings who have money enough to buy what
they want When he quit work. he was
living skeleton. He had worked him
self almost into the grave. He Is now
seventy-fve years Of age and doesn't
look to be over sixty When he went on
gave his attention to as he did all
through his life before to the one thing
on his mind. In this case 1t was to pro-
long his life. Since then he has spent
millions of dollars in paying for the best
chemical and medical talent that money
could buy. He has built hospitals and
enlarged the educational qualifications Of
corps of representatives of the highest
class talent in the world.
1t is understood that a great number of
remarkable discoveries for the prolonga-
ton of life have been perfected, and that
he feels he has only just begun on a very
wonderful campaign, the success Of which
will be such a monument as no other man
ever had. A great mass of stuff has been
picked up about Mr.. Rockefeller and
opinion of him has changed radically.
Rails Not Stirred by I. c. c. Action.
Railroads are not very greatly cha
grined over the recent action of the in
terstate commerce commission in requir-
ing of the private owners of small rail-
roads connecting their industrial estab-
lShments with the main lines the paw
ment of a freight rate as though the
spur" were owned by the corporation.
This will probably add to the net income
of the railroads between $12,0OO,Oo0 and
sl5,0Oo,OOO. At first blush it was thought
that the decision of the commission was
against the railroads, but such is not the
case. The point Is that the shippers who
have been getting their freight carried
from the mill to the main line of the
railroad free from now on will have to
pay.
Wall street is always in more or less
of turmoil over the doings of Washing
ton. Sometimes they think they are
very fond of the President for the nice
things he does and for other nice things
he expects to do; and then again there
is wave of discomfort because he
doesn't get along fast enough. On other
occasions 1t Is because he goes too fast
that complaint is heard around the
financial district. Meantime he Is in the
saddle and moving at a conservative
pace. AS a matter of fact attention is
concentrated on President Wilson more
than anything occupying the mind of the
financial district.