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The History of the Standard Oil Company/Volume 1/Appendix/Number 36

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NUMBER 36 (See page 254)

AGREEMENT BETWEEN B. B. CAMPBELL AND THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY

[From "A History of the Organisation, Purposes and Transactions of the General Council of the Petroleum Producers' Unions, and of the Suits and Prosecutions instituted by it from 1878 to 1880," pages 45-46.]

This agreement, made on the twenty-seventh day of April, a.d. 1880, between B. B. Campbell and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.

Whereas, It having been alleged by persons engaged in the production and shipping of petroleum and the products of petroleum, that discrimination had been practised in the rates of freight and in the distribution of cars by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, in such manner as to be injurious to the business of such producers, and bills in equity having been filed in the name of the Commonwealth in the Western District of the Supreme Court of the state of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of restraining such discrimination; and

Whereas, In pursuance of an agreement signed on the twelfth of February, 1880, by the said B. B. Campbell, representing the oil producers, at whose instance such bills were filed, and Thomas A. Scott as president of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, the said bills were withdrawn; and

Whereas, In said agreement the Pennsylvania Railroad Company agreed, upon the withdrawal of said bills, that it would enter into written contracts with the said B. B. Campbell, representing said producers, and all such producers as should within sixty days after the date of said agreement signify their assent to said agreement by signature to the same or duplicate thereof, which contracts should stipulate as therein mentioned, and as hereinafter provided; and

Whereas, On the twenty-fifth of February, 1880, the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company approved the action of the president in signing said agreement, and authorised the president or one of the vice-presidents to execute such further and formal agreements as might be deemed necessary to carry out the terms of said agreement,

Now therefore, this agreement witnesseth, That in consideration of the premises, and other good and valuable considerations to them thereunto moving, it is covenanted and agreed between the parties hereto as follows, to wit:

First, That the Pennsylvania Railroad Company shall and will make known to all shippers of petroleum and its products all the rates of freight intended to be charged to all shippers upon such petroleum and its products.

Second, That the said Pennsylvania Railroad Company shall not and will not pay or allow any shipper of petroleum or its products any rebate, drawback or commission upon the shipments of such petroleum or products different from or greater than that which shall be paid to any other person shipping or offering to ship like quantity; and that any discrimination that may be made in favour of shippers of the large quantities shall be reasonable, and shall, upon demand made, be communicated to all persons shipping, or who are now or may be hereafter engaged in the business and desire to ship petroleum and its products.

Third, That the said Pennsylvania Railroad Company further agrees that upon its own road, and upon any other road or roads upon which it shall furnish cars and engage in the business of a common carrier of petroleum and its products, it will not practise any discrimination in the distribution of its cars, but will make fair apportionment in such distribution among all applicants for cars having actually in their custody and ready for shipment at the time of their application the petroleum or products for the shipment of which they ask facilities.

In Witness Whereof, the individuals parties hereto have hereunto set their hands and seals, and the said Pennsylvania Railroad Company has caused its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed, duly attested, the day and year first above written.

The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, by

Thomas A. Scott,
President.
Attest: John C. Sims,
Assistant Secretary.
B. B. Campbell.
(Seal)