Evening star., 1923-02-13
SAYS STANDARD !
FIXES GAS PRICES
Chicago Oil Man Tells of In
stances When Rates Were
Boosted After Talks.
ACTED AS GO-BETWEEN
Head of Western Petroleum Com.
pany Testifies at Senate Hear
ing Of Increase in Charges.

Charges that the Standard Oil Com
pany of Indiana fixed prices were
made to the Senate committee investi-
eating the oil business yesterday by
Thomas S. Black, president of the
Western Petroleum Company of Chi
cago. Mr.. Black testified that he was
for twenty-five years with the Stand
ard Oil Company. Prior to the or
ganization of his company in 1916
Mr.. Black was with the Cudahy Re
fining Company. His own company is
at present in the process of Iiquida-
ton.
The hearings yesterday were the
last of the oil inquiry, it was an
nounced, and the Senate committee
will start work on its report SO that
it may be filed with the Senate before
adjournment of Congress.
Mr.. Black said the Cudahy company
sold Oil products in the territory of the
Cudahy company. he told the commit
tee. he had conversations very often"
with Standard of Indiana officials as
to the maintenance Of prices.
Charges Prices Adjusted.
What was the nature of those con-
versations that you had with regard to
prices?" asked the committees attorney.
found that certain Jobbers were market
ing with their prices not in line with
those OF the Standard OIL" replied Mr..
Black, and i called on those jobbers,
or had them come in to Chicago, and
familiarized them with the prices over
the territory in which they were market
ing. And they, in all cases, agreed to
adjust their prices to meet conditions
over their territories, claiming that they
had no way of ascertaining just exactly
what the prices were in all the terrific
ries in which they marketed"
Dealt With Standard OIL.
AT whose request did you call these
men in, il any ones, to inform them of
the Standard Oil prices?" the attorney
further inquired.
'"rhe Standard Oil Company's." the
witness replied. adding that usually
he dealt with p. c. Crenshaw, then
manager of the Standard company
The witness, continuing, said that
later. as president of the Western
Petroleum Company, he had occasion
to take up again the matter of the
jobbers' prices, this time with s. c.
Drake, general manager OF the STAN
dard of Indiana In this case. he de-
clared. he brought about a meeting
between Mr.. Drake and Grant Collins.
president of the Cedar Rapids Oil
Company of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Agreed to Boost Prices.
81 took Mr.. Collins over to the
Standard Oil Company's office and we
discussed the price situation over his
territory" Mr.. Black testified. "He
said he would be very glad to advance
all his prices in excess of the Stand
ard Oil Company's If they wanted him
to, to keep from having any trouble.
So he left. and got from the records
of the Standard Oil Company all their
prices over his territory and mailed
them out to him, and he mailed me
his prices back, showing Atisat they
had been adjusted to the prices that
had given him.
Mr.. Black also asserted that "very
often" he had received from the
Standard Oil Company officials. while
he was with the Cudahy interests.
"a request to inform the Mid-Conti-
nent refineries that If they would put
up their prices the Standard Oil Com
pany in it's territory, would put up
it's tank wagon price"