Page:The History of the Standard Oil Company Vol 2.djvu/413



[Report of Special Committee on Railroads, New York Assembly, 1879. Volume III, pages 2613-2618.]

Q. Was your firm's business sold out to the Standard Oil Company?

A. I would like to have the question explained.

Q. Was there a sale or transfer made of your business to the Standard Oil Company, by which practically the Standard Oil Company really controlled your business?

A. I will answer this much of the question, by saying that the Standard Oil Company does not practically control our business.

Q. Do they control the rates at which your business gets the transportation of oil?

A. That I don't know anything about; I don't know anything about the rates of transportation.

By the Chairman.

Q. Was not your firm taken in with the Standard Oil Company upon some agreed basis or arrangement, whether you regard it as a purchase or transfer or not?

A. We worked in harmony with the Standard Oil Company for a number of years.

Q. Upon an agreed basis of general business?

A. Our interest was in common, to a certain extent.

Q. Has your firm any contract with the Standard Oil Company?

A. That I cannot answer.

Q. What member of your firm would be able to answer that?

A. I think Mr. Pratt would, if he were here.

Q. When was it that your firm began to work in harmony with the Standard Oil Company?

A. I cannot say exactly how long ago; seven or eight years ago we got up a refining association here; that was the first, and then we got up another, and we got up another, and we have always been trying to get into some relations with all the refiners, so that we might make some money out of the business.

Q. Had you difficulty before you entered into relations with the Standard Oil Company to make money out of the business?