fire-proof safes. It is at the meeting "upstairs"
that the "melons are cut," and if one of the retired captains were asked
why he was in such a rush to be on hand each day when in town, and if he
were in a talkative mood--which he would not be--he would answer: "They
may be cutting a new melon, and there's nothing like being on hand when
the juice runs out."

If a new melon has been cut--an Amalgamated Copper, for instance--it is
at one of these meetings that the different "Standard Oil" men are
informed for the first time that the scheme, about which they may have
read or heard much outside, is far enough along for them to participate
in it. Each is told what sized slice he may have if he cares for any. It
is a very exceptional thing for any one to ask for more than he has been
apportioned, and an unheard-of thing for any one to refuse to take his
slice, although there is absolutely no compulsion in the connection.

And here, perhaps, may not come amiss an incident which illustrates what
may happen in a few minutes "upstairs."

Before Amalgamated was launched, in bringing together the different
properties of which it was composed I negotiated for the acquisition of
the Parrott mine, the majority of whose stock was held by certain old and
wealthy brass manufacturers in Connecticut. They had never seen any of
the Rockefellers nor Henry H. Rogers, but we were several months getting
the deal into shape before it was finally arranged, and they became
familiar with the great "Standard Oil" institution. So much so that the
chief of the owners--to whom was delegated the duty of turning over the
securities to my principals--looked forward with much eagerness to the
time when he must necessarily meet the mysterious and important
personages who guided 26 Broadway's destinies. Finally the day came, and
at precisely a quarter of eleven I let him into one of the numerous
private offices which are a part of Mr. Rogers' suite. He had under his
arm a bundle of papers representing the stocks which he was to exchange
for the purchase money, amounting to $4,086,000, and I think he fully
expected that in their examination, in the receipting for so large an
amount of money, and in the general talkings over, which he thought must
of course be a necessary part of the delivery, the greater part of the
day would be taken up. It took me some six or seven minutes to get him
located, and it was close on to five minutes of eleven when Mr. Rogers