The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1946-03-21

FROM SINAI ST ART
UNION OIL FORGED
TO RVSIi2 d l3;VIS3
OVERCOMING adversity-one misfortune. thu
another. eaeh Of different type-Lyman Stew.
art, who launched himself bravely in the ali
business near his Pennsylvania home when onIv
- years old. persisted in his enterprise despite
those many setbaeks. His first venture was ona
eighth interest IN 6ve-aere lease near Titusvile
Lack Of sufficient funds for operation required
that this lease Be sublet Later this property Ne
escaping with Ill the ready eash-bad luck to IN
with m interest in the holdings under the lease
sub-letting conditions.
However. Stewart didn't lose courage or Con.
hdence. New ventures in oil wells brought him q
tidy sum IN profit, but two years later he M
broke" again. a disastrous investment in q m.
ehiaesy plant 60 equip oil operations had stripped
him Of all he owned. He had to take lob q q
small weekly wage to provide necessities for bic
family.
In this period of tribulations came Stewarts
association in the oil business with Wallace
Hardison. IN old friend. Soon this partnershipr
found itself being forced to . subservient posi-
ton BY larger interests: Then came word of Cali.
tornia oil discoveries. Lyman Stewart somehow
got together two drilling rigs and shipped them
10 Santa Paula in the Golden State. Later h
went out there himself and quickly wired bic
partner, Harrison, to turn whatever they owned
into cash and come along.
-
Four dry holes near Pico Canyon cut deeply
into the Standardization meager resources The
fifth, Star No. I. came in for fair yield, but only
lift the hopeful partnership out of serious nan-
cial predicament, the event nevertheless was ca.
eouraging. On the strength Of il, q Los Angeles
banker advanced money for further drilling.
-.uaiay, thereafter, the partnership ex-
banded It's operations. On October IL, 1890 Stew.
art. Hardison and . number Of others engaged u
oil ventures got together in little Office Over
hardware store in Santa Paula California
They pooled their resources and their talents
and formed Union Oil Company of California
with more hope than capital.
Union ( ! g-ments have contributed ma
terially to auvancements Of the petroleum q.
dustry. To the advantage Of people everywhssss
advances in science, industrial invention andbus-
ness organization have been brought about 20 .
20 supply abundantly various products contribut.
ing greatly % the comfort and convenience Of
Inankind. Now Unioa OH Company Of California
largest independent oil company In the West, e
IN important. valued customer Of The National
Bank OF Commerce Of Seattle. Union Oils payroll
amounted to 900 for the year 1914 N avee'
age OF $500 per employees. Crude oil processed -
1874 approximated II, 100000 barrels, . stupen.
dous growth from It'd original miniature opera
tons
Prom such histories Of 10 customers, The
National Bank of Commerce has formulated
basic maxim that virtually ~ large businesses e
today were once small. Out Of this has grown ~
practice Of this hank % devote its full eoopscs'
ton to new business enterprises Of sound founda'
ton. regardless Of size the start Small business
hnds neighborly. friendly consideration here