Page:The History of the Standard Oil Company Vol 2.djvu/260

 be carried on in anticipation of the rise or fall. For instance, in January of 1904, when there were strong fluctuations in the water-white (150 degrees test) prices, the agent of an independent refiner, who was in Wall Street trying to keep track of markets for out-of-town competitors, reported the price as 9.20 cents a gallon. The refiners' goods were refused on the ground that this was above the market. The Standard Oil export man and a broker who worked with the company were consulted. The market was 9.20. Further investigation, however, showed that at headquarters the figure given out privately was 8.70 cents. The disadvantage of the outsider in disposing of his goods is obvious. The Standard makes the official market, and undersells it. The situation seems to be the same in practice as that described by Mr. Welch, in 1880, though now the fiction of a committee of brokers has been done away with. Of course there is nothing else to be expected when one body of men control a market.

Thus far the illustrations of Mr. Rockefeller's use of his power over the oil market have been drawn from export oil. It is the only market for which "official" figures can be obtained for the entire period, and it is the market usually quoted in studying the movement of prices. It is of this grade of oil that the largest percentage of product is obtained in distilling petroleum. For instance, in distilling Pennsylvania crude, fifty-two per cent. is standard-white or export oil, twenty-two per cent. water-white—the higher grade commonly used in this country—thirteen per cent. naphtha, ten per cent. tar, three per cent. loss. The runs vary with different oils, and different refiners turn out different products. The water-white oils, while they cost the same to produce, sell from two to three cents higher. The naphtha costs the same to make as export oil, but sells at a higher price, and many refiners have pet brands, for which, through some