Standard Oil Company |
Standard Oil
The wholesale house of the Standard Oil Company at this point,
is one of the heaviest business enterprises in the city. A
distributing point was located here about eighteen years ago,
and since then the business has gradually increased, until it is
estimated by the manager that they handle over 100,000 gallons
of refined oils alone, every month. Two years ago the plant, a
picture of which we publish on this page, was built. In this
building all of this vast amount of oil is handled by steam
pumps which draw the oil from the tank on the cars through pipes
laid under ground to the tanks on the plant and from those, like
tanks are filled for local distribution. This point is the
distributing station for seventy seven towns in western Iowa.
Besides this there are six local tank lines in this vicinity
furnished oil, each of which furnish several other smaller
towns. Besides refined oils, they also handle all kinds of
lubricating oils, greases, candles and a full line of
specialties. Mr. Geo. W. Watts, the manager of this plant, was
born in Pennsylvania, July 17, 1864. He came to Des Moines in
1877 and made that city his home till coming to Carroll in 1894.
He has been in the employ of the Standard Oil Company since
1890, three years and a half at Des Moines and the same period
at Carroll. Mr. Watts was married in 1886 to Miss Mattie Kelsey,
of Albia, Iowa. They have one child, a little girl seven years
old. Mr. and Mrs. Watts are very prominent socially in our city.
Mrs. Watts being a lady of rare accomplishments and one of the
leaders of the Clio Club holding the office of treasurer. Her
portrait will be found on another page with the other officers
of the club.
~ Transcribed by: Sandra
Carter IAGenWeb volunteer |
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