The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-06-13

systematic price reduction campaign
on gasoline and the refners are hold
ing a meeting to determine whether
they shall meet the competition or de
mand the same prices they are get
ting nwo Two reductions have been
made recently. A dangerous situa-
tion couIronts the renneries The
standard has been buying vast
amounts of oil during the past year
while the production has been so
heavy. All the southern storage was
filled and more was built. Lines were
built to the north and it is said that
the northern storage is full, or ap-
proNimately so, II is also said that
the Standard has enough oil on
hand to supply its clients for a period
of two years. 1t has bought most of
this oil at a cheap price, and it can
afford to sell gasoline cheap, if it
were TO decide to do so. The laws
against trade cut throat business will
deter the company from making local
reductions in price to defeat com
petitors but if this is the plan adopt
ed by the big company to whip out
the small retineries the price reduc-
ttons will apply to all the country and
Will be q very expensive piece of bus
mess for the Standard. The fact that
while prices have been lowered in
the northern states, the price in Texas
has been raised one cent by the Mag
nolia Petroleum company which might
he taken to indicate that the Standard
does not have in mind general
price-cutting that will take the profit
from the refinery business.
The Gainesville refinery is protect
ed,-in a way. The residuum has
been sold to the Santa Fe on con
tract and the kerosene can go with
the residuum for a certain period Of
time at the option of the refinery.
The plant is not protected in any way
on the gasoline that it will manufac-
ture.
The Independent refineries of the
country have organized the Export
Oil association. Offices are maintain
ed in New York Shipping stations
have been built at New Orleans. Or
ders have been made for the con
structiOn of oil steamers. Within the
past year orders have been booked
by the company for more than
million barrels of refined products,
from European markets alone Wheth-
er the Export company will be pro
tected by trade competition laws
abroad as it is projected here, is not
known and the Standard might have
in mind to put it out OF business
F. II. Thwing, who is at the head of
the refinery being built in Gaines
vile, owns two-sevenths of the STOCK
of the Export Oil company. c. F.
Martin of the Ardmore Refining com
pany is also a member of the Ex-
port company.
The time has been in this country
when the Standard gave away gaso-
line and not only that, but furnished
the people with cans free to take
it home with them In other words,
it paid for an opportunity to get to
give it away. 1t is not apprehended
that this will be done now There
is wider market for gasoline now
than ever before. Laws will restrict
them in such acts. Profits that were
made in the early days of the bust
ness cannot be made now. 1t costs
mere to do business, and the big oil
companies must keep up an expensive
legal fight at all times. But there
is one result that will be manifested.
Until such time as it is determined
what the object of the Standard is
there will be fewer small refinery
companies organized