By Sandy Vasko

The high cost of gasoline, the dangers fossil fuels poses to our environment, the effects on the economy and the monopolies holding our country hostage because of it are all part of our everyday conversation. You may be surprised to find that all of this is not new.

In the 1870s it became apparent to all that the supply of whale oil for fuel in lamps was declining. Several substitutes, in general called burning fuels, had been invented. Most of them were so volatile that even shaking them a little, caused an explosion. After trial and error on the part of the public, kerosene, sometimes called coal oil, was decided as the best.

When oil was found in Pennsylvania, its primary use was to be distilled into kerosene, and an entire industry was born. Standard Oil quickly became the number one driller and refiner of this black, sticky substance. Through shady business practices, they created a monopoly with the result that kerosene went up drastically in price.

Even though electric lights had started to be used widely in the 1890s, most suburban and rural areas still did not have access to electricity, so the high cost of kerosene was a concern to everyone. As new oil fields were discovered, Standard Oil continued its monopoly, creating subsidiaries to pipe the refined kerosene to urban centers for distribution. By 1900, newspapers across the country depicted Standard Oil as the demon that would ruin our economy.

Fast forward to June of 1905. Oil wells in Kansas were pumping crude oil at a tremendous rate. While there were refineries in Kansas, there was a need to build refineries elsewhere as well. One of those places was south of Chicago.

In June of 1905, the Prairie Oil and Gas Company started acquiring the right of way across Will County for their pipeline that brought Kansas kerosene and crude oil to the facilities in Cook County. They hit a definite bump in the road when they reached Florence Township.

We read about it in the Joliet Republican: “An injunction suit started in the circuit court a few days ago by property owners in the town(ship) of Florence, near the Jackson township line, seems to have been the first gun fired in the struggle, and since the filing of the bill there has been numerous other rumors of impending trouble.

“The company has been paying the sum of 25 cents a rod for the use of the right-of-way through the farm lands, and as the pipes are but six-inch tubes, the damage was supposed to be so small as to be unworthy of consideration. Then the rumor was current that the company is promoting the enterprise for the purpose of fighting the great octopus, the Standard Oil, and many of the farmers were influenced to permit the route through their lands because of sentiment.

“Investigation showed the pipes often leak, and that the kerosene and other oil products are most injurious to vegetation. The requests of the company are not fully set forth, and by the wording of the contracts, the property owners are doubtful of some of the important parts.

“Then, again, they are becoming suspicious of the new concern, and have learned that it is part of the Standard Oil, and they say they will have to be shown that ‘the system’ is not encouraging the enterprise with the view of eventually gaining possession of the plant and operating it as part of its great system, thereby gaining another monopoly.

“The more they talk it over with their neighbors, the more are they becoming suspicious and dissatisfied, and the outcome is that not only injunction suits will be started in the courts against the further work of the company, but in some of the towns the Highway Commissioners have been induced to fight.

“Unless a settlement is made, it is expected that there will be some serious trouble along the route, for the farmers are getting angry and rumors are current that they will protect their rights with guns if necessary.”

The end of the story can be guessed. Prairie Oil increased its offer and eventually offered enough money that the injunctions were stopped.

On September 15, 1905 we read in the Wilmington Advocate: “The Prairie Oil and Gas Co. completed the purchase of right-of-way through the Town of Florence last week. The oil company has had considerable trouble in doing so, but now have made a fair settlement with the Florence citizens and will start to work at once laying pipe through the township. The company contemplate purchasing three acres of land north east of the pumping station for the purpose of building residences on same for the station employees.”

Those same residences can still be seen just north of Wilmington on the west side of Route 53 near Prairie Creek.

About a year later, we read in the September 28, 1906 Wilmington Advocate: “Fred Corbin of Wilmington Township has entered suit for $10,000 ($355,000) damages against the Prairie Oil and Gas Company. He charges that the above company has permitted crude oil to leak from its recently constructed pipe line and vats into Prairie Creek, which runs through his farm, with the result that the ingredients have poisoned the water and rendered it unfit for use and caused serious damage to his property and livestock. One of the above company’s pumping stations is located but a short distance from his farm.”

The suit was reduced to $1,999 ($68,500) when it was learned that any suit over that amount could be appealed to a higher court. The lower amount was granted by Judge Marshall.

Suits continued to be filed for leaky pipe lines but most of them paid out little or nothing. That was about 120 years ago. Seems we are still fighting the same old fight – and losing.

Sandy Vasko is Director of the Will County Historical Museum & Research Center and President of the Will County Historical Society.