Page:The History of the Standard Oil Company Vol 1.djvu/357



[From "A History of the Rise and Fall of the South Improvement Company," pages 121-122.]

made and entered into this day of January,. 1872, by and between the South Improvement Company, a corporation under the laws of Pennsylvania, and embracing among its stockholders more than two-thirds (reckoned by their refining capacity) of the refineries of petroleum in the United States, parties hereto of the first part; and the Associated Producers of Petroleum, a corporation also organised under the laws of Pennsylvania, and embracing among its stockholders more than two-thirds (reckoned by the actual production of the crude petroleum at their wells) of the producers of petroleum in the Valley of the Allegheny and its tributaries, party hereto of the second part. .

That whereas, The party of the first part has entered into certain contracts, viz.: The first with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company; the second with the Erie Railway Company; the third with the Atlantic and Great Western Railway Company; and the fourth with the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, and the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company, which contracts secure certain advantages in relation to the transportation of petroleum and its products, which it is the purpose of the contracting parties to use for the promotion of the common interests of the producers, refiners, and transporters of petroleum.

To the end that the said object may be more fully attained the said parties hereto have covenanted and agreed, each with the other, as follows, viz.:

I. The party of the first part, that it will appoint five of its members to form, with a like number of the party of the second part, a joint executive committee, who shall choose some competent and discreet person not of their number who shall serve as the chairman and the eleventh member of the joint committee.