Chapter II: Preface: Pages vii–xi

CHAPTER ONE

THE BIRTH OF AN INDUSTRY

PETROLEUM FIRST A CURIOSITY AND THEN A
MEDICINE—DISCOVERY OF ITS REAL VALUE—THE STORY OF HOW
IT CAME TO BE PRODUCED IN LARGE QUANTITIES—GREAT FLOW
OF OIL—SWARM OF PROBLEMS TO SOLVE—STORAGE AND
TRANSPORTATION—REFINING AND MARKETING—RAPID EXTENSION
OF THE FIELD OF OPERATION—WORKERS IN GREAT NUMBERS
WITH PLENTY OF CAPITAL—COSTLY BLUNDERS FREQUENTLY
MADE—BUT EVERY DIFFICULTY BEING MET AND OVERCOME—THE
NORMAL UNFOLDING OF A NEW AND WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY
FOR INDIVIDUAL ENDEAVOUR. Pages 1003–1037

CHAPTER TWO

THE RISE OF THE STANDARD OIL COMPANY

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER’S FIRST CONNECTION WITH THE OIL
BUSINESS—STORIES OF HIS EARLY LIFE IN CLEVELAND—HIS
FIRST PARTNERS—ORGANISATION OF THE STANDARD OIL
COMPANY IN JUNE, 1870—ROCKEFELLER’S ABLE
ASSOCIATES—FIRST EVIDENCE OF RAILWAY DISCRIMINATIONS
IN THE OIL BUSINESS—REBATES FOUND TO BE GENERALLY
GIVEN TO LARGE SHIPPERS—FIRST PLAN FOR A SECRET
COMBINATION—THE SOUTH IMPROVEMENT COMPANY—SECRET
CONTRACTS MADE WITH THE RAILROADS PROVIDING REBATES
AND DRAWBACKS—ROCKEFELLER AND ASSOCIATES FORCE
CLEVELAND REFINERS TO JOIN THE NEW COMBINATION OR
SELL—RUMOUR OF THE PLAN REACHES THE OIL REGIONS. Pages 1038–1069

CHAPTER THREE

THE OIL WAR OF 1872

RISING IN THE OIL REGIONS AGAINST THE SOUTH IMPROVEMENT
COMPANY—PETROLEUM PRODUCERS’ UNION ORGANISED—OIL
BLOCKADE AGAINST MEMBERS OF SOUTH IMPROVEMENT COMPANY
AND AGAINST RAILROADS IMPLICATED—CONGRESSIONAL
INVESTIGATION OF 1872 AND THE DOCUMENTS IT
REVEALED—PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND GENERAL CONDEMNATION
OF THE SOUTH IMPROVEMENT COMPANY—RAILROAD OFFICIALS
CONFER WITH COMMITTEE FROM PETROLEUM PRODUCERS’
UNION—WATSON AND ROCKEFELLER REFUSED ADMITTANCE TO
CONFERENCE—RAILROADS REVOKE CONTRACTS WITH SOUTH
IMPROVEMENT COMPANY AND MAKE CONTRACT WITH PETROLEUM
PRODUCERS’ UNION—BLOCKADE AGAINST SOUTH IMPROVEMENT
COMPANY LIFTED—OIL WAR OFFICIALLY ENDED—ROCKEFELLER
CONTINUES TO GET REBATES—HIS GREAT PLAN STILL A
LIVING PURPOSE. Pages 1070–1103

CHAPTER FOUR

“AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE”

ROCKEFELLER AND HIS PARTY NOW PROPOSE AN OPEN INSTEAD
OF A SECRET COMBINATION—“THE PITTSBURG PLAN”—THE
SCHEME IS NOT APPROVED BY THE OIL REGIONS BECAUSE ITS
CHIEF STRENGTH IS THE REBATE—ROCKEFELLER NOT
DISCOURAGED—THREE MONTHS LATER BECOMES PRESIDENT OF
NATIONAL REFINERS’ ASSOCIATION—FOUR-FIFTHS OF
REFINING INTEREST OF UNITED STATES WITH HIM—OIL
REGIONS AROUSED—PRODUCERS’ UNION ORDER DRILLING
STOPPED AND A THIRTY DAY SHUT-DOWN TO COUNTERACT
FALLING PRICE OF CRUDE—PETROLEUM PRODUCERS’ AGENCY
FORMED TO ENABLE PRODUCERS TO CONTROL THEIR OWN
OIL—ROCKEFELLER OUTGENERALS HIS OPPONENTS AND FORCES
A COMBINATION OF REFINERS AND PRODUCERS—PRODUCERS’
ASSOCIATION AND PRODUCERS’ AGENCY SNUFFED
OUT—NATIONAL REFINERS’ ASSOCIATION
DISBANDS—ROCKEFELLER STEADILY GAINING GROUND. Pages 1104–1128

CHAPTER FIVE

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS OF A TRUST

EVIDENCE OF REAPPEARANCE OF REBATES SOON AFTER
AGREEMENT OF MARCH 25 IS SIGNED—PRINCIPLE THOROUGHLY
ESTABLISHED THAT LARGE SHIPPERS SHALL HAVE ADVANTAGES
OVER SMALL SHIPPERS IN SPITE OF RAILROADS’ DUTY AS
COMMON CARRIERS—AGREEMENT WORKED OUT BY WHICH THREE
ROADS ARE TO HAVE FIXED PERCENTAGE OF EASTERN
SHIPMENTS—OIL REGIONS ROBBED OF THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL
ADVANTAGE—THE RUTTER CIRCULAR—ROCKEFELLER NOW
SECRETLY PLANS REALISATION OF HIS DREAM OF PERSONAL
CONTROL OF THE REFINING OF OIL—ORGANISATION OF THE
CENTRAL ASSOCIATION—H. H. ROGERS’ DEFENCE OF THE
PLAN—ROCKEFELLER’S QUIET AND SUCCESSFUL CANVASS FOR
ALLIANCES WITH REFINERS—THE REBATE HIS
WEAPON—CONSOLIDATION BY PERSUASION OR FORCE—MORE TALK
OF A UNITED EFFORT TO COUNTERACT THE MOVEMENT. Pages 1129–1166

CHAPTER SIX

STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATIONS

FIRST INTERSTATE COMMERCE BILL—THE BILL PIGEON-HOLED
THROUGH EFFORTS OF STANDARD’S FRIENDS—INDEPENDENTS
SEEK RELIEF BY PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF
PIPE-LINES—PLANS FOR THE FIRST SEABOARD
PIPE-LINE—SCHEME FAILS ON ACCOUNT OF MISMANAGEMENT
AND STANDARD AND RAILROAD OPPOSITION—DEVELOPMENT OF
THE EMPIRE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY AND ITS PROPOSED
CONNECTION WITH THE REFINING BUSINESS—STANDARD, ERIE
AND CENTRAL FIGHT THE EMPIRE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY
AND ITS BACKER, THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD—THE
PENNSYLVANIA FINALLY QUITS AFTER A BITTER AND COSTLY
WAR—EMPIRE LINE SOLD TO THE STANDARD—ENTIRE PIPE-LINE
SYSTEM OF OIL REGIONS NOW IN ROCKEFELLER’S HANDS—NEW
RAILROAD POOL BETWEEN FOUR ROADS—ROCKEFELLER PUTS
INTO OPERATION SYSTEM OF DRAWBACKS ON OTHER PEOPLE’S
SHIPMENTS—HE PROCEEDS RAPIDLY WITH THE WORK OF
ABSORBING RIVALS. Pages 1167–1207

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE CRISIS OF 1878

A RISE IN OIL—A BLOCKADE IN EXPORTS—PRODUCERS DO NOT
GET THEIR SHARE OF THE PROFITS—THEY SECRETLY ORGANISE
THE PETROLEUM PRODUCERS’ UNION AND PROMISE TO SUPPORT
PROPOSED INDEPENDENT PIPE-LINES—ANOTHER INTERSTATE
COMMERCE BILL DEFEATED AT WASHINGTON—“IMMEDIATE
SHIPMENT”—INDEPENDENTS HAVE TROUBLE GETTING
CARS—RIOTS THREATENED—APPEAL TO GOVERNOR
HARTRANFT—SUITS BROUGHT AGAINST UNITED PIPE-LINES,
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD AND OTHERS—INVESTIGATIONS
PRECIPITATED IN OTHER STATES—THE HEPBURN COMMISSION
AND THE OHIO INVESTIGATION—EVIDENCE THAT THE STANDARD
IS A CONTINUATION OF THE SOUTH IMPROVEMENT
COMPANY—PRODUCERS FINALLY DECIDE TO PROCEED AGAINST
STANDARD OFFICIALS—ROCKEFELLER AND EIGHT OF HIS
ASSOCIATES INDICTED FOR CONSPIRACY. Pages 1208–1240

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE COMPROMISE OF 1880

THE PRODUCERS’ SUIT AGAINST ROCKEFELLER AND HIS
ASSOCIATES USED BY THE STANDARD TO PROTECT
ITSELF—SUITS AGAINST THE TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES ARE
DELAYED—TRIAL OF ROCKEFELLER AND HIS ASSOCIATES FOR
CONSPIRACY POSTPONED—ALL OF THE SUITS WITHDRAWN IN
RETURN FOR AGREEMENTS OF THE STANDARD AND THE
PENNSYLVANIA TO CEASE THEIR PRACTICES AGAINST THE
PRODUCERS—WITH THIS COMPROMISE THE SECOND PETROLEUM
PRODUCERS’ UNION COMES TO AN END—PRODUCERS THEMSELVES
TO BLAME FOR NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR
LEADERS—STANDARD AGAIN ENFORCES ORDERS OBJECTIONABLE
TO PRODUCERS—MORE OUTBREAKS IN THE OIL
REGIONS—ROCKEFELLER HAVING SILENCED ORGANISED
OPPOSITION PROCEEDS TO SILENCE INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINT. Pages 1241–1262