out of what
was rapidly becoming a state of chaos. To accomplish all these tasks
of enlarging the market and improving the methods of manufacture in a
large way was beyond the power or ability of any concern as then
constituted. It could only be done, we reasoned, by increasing our
capital and availing ourselves of the best talent and experience.

It was with this idea that we proceeded to buy the largest and best
refining concerns and centralize the administration of them with a
view to securing greater economy and efficiency. The business grew
faster than we had anticipated.

This enterprise, conducted by men of application and ability working
hard together, soon built up unusual facilities in manufacture, in
transportation, in finance, and in extending markets. We had our
troubles and set-backs; we suffered from some severe fires; and the
supply of crude oil was most uncertain. Our plans were constantly
changed by changed conditions. We developed great facilities in an oil
centre, erected storage tanks, and connected pipe-lines; then the oil
failed and our work was thrown away. At best it was a speculative
trade, and I wonder that we managed to pull through so often; but we
were gradually learning how to conduct a most difficult business.

FOREIGN MARKETS

Several years ago, when asked how our business grew to such large
proportions I explained that our first organization was a partnership
and afterward a corporation in Ohio. That was sufficient for a local
refining business. But, had we been dependent solely upon local
business, we should have failed long since. We were forced to extend
our markets into every part of the world. This made the sea-board
cities a necessary place of business, and we soon discovered that
manufacturing for export could be more economically carried on there;
hence refineries were established at Brooklyn, at Bayonne, at
Philadelphia, at Baltimore, and necessary corporations were organized
in the different states.

We soon discovered, as the business grew, that the primary method of
transporting oil in barrels could not last. The package often cost
more than the contents, and the forests of the country were not
sufficient to supply cheaply the necessary material for an extended
time. Hence we devoted attention to other methods of transportation,
adopted the pipe-line system, and found capital for pipe-line
construction equal to the necessities of the business.

To operate pipe-lin