marika wrote:

“Through the 1870s and ’80s, Standard Oil invested in the construction of pipelines to connect the wells of the oil fields with the refineries. Enormous profits gave the firm the capital to invest in staying steps ahead of the competition. A gang of twenty-eight men could bury a six-inch pipe
in a ditch at a pace of two-thirds of a mile per day. By this method, Standard Oil built a pipeline network connecting Philadelphia, Baltimore, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland to the oil fields of Pennsylvania. They even connected Bayonne, New Jersey, to a refinery on Long Island with a
pipe that ran under the Hudson River, across the southern edge of Manhattan’s Central Park, and under the East River.
Anyone looking to move crude oil from the wells had to go through Standard Oil.
Rockefeller then moved into the retail market in the 1880s. Standard Oil wagons pulled by horses moved across country lanes and city streets
bringing kerosene for cooking and lighting directly to people’s homes.

By the early 1880s, the goal of monopoly in America was complete. Though Rockefeller declared his ability to make money was a gift from God, he was very careful “not to show it off. Secrecy was tantamount. Once when Rockefeller was riding a train back to Cleveland, a fellow passenger
remarked on a beautiful and extravagant mansion on a hill, visible from the train. The home was owned by a senior executive at Standard Oil.
Upon arrival at the Cleveland office, Rockefeller reviewed the payroll
books, determined the executive was overpaid, and reduced his salary. Rockefeller knew that great wealth attracted competition, negative coverage in the press, and the unwanted attention of the federal government. Rockefeller invested enormous capital to build the infrastructure that
would ensure the massive and steady supply of oil to the world. What he relied upon, but could not control, was the world’s steady demand for his product.
”

Excerpt From
The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel
Douglas Brunt

Interesting marika. I wonder if you have any info about Diamond Jim
Brady? He was also super rich and led an amazing life.

Here's an excerpt from wiki, just to keep this thread relevant to a food
group and to prevent her royal Majesty, Queen McCrone from jumping in
your shit:

"For breakfast, he would eat "vast quantities of hominy, eggs,
cornbread, muffins, flapjacks, chops, fried potatoes, beefsteak, washing
it all down with a gallon of fresh orange juice". A mid-morning snack
would consist of "two or three dozen clams or Lynnhaven oysters".
Luncheon would consist of "shellfish...two or three deviled crabs, a
brace of boiled lobsters, a joint of beef, and an enormous salad". He
would also include a dessert of "several pieces of homemade pie" and
more orange juice. Brady would take afternoon tea, which consisted of
"another platter of seafood, accompanied by two or three bottles of
lemon soda". Dinner was the main meal of the day, taken at Rector's
Restaurant. It usually comprised "two or three dozens oysters, six
crabs, and two bowls of green turtle soup. Then in sumptuous procession
came six or seven lobsters, two canvasback ducks, a double portion of
terrapin, sirloin steak, vegetables, and for dessert a platter of French pastries." Brady would even include two pounds of chocolate candy to
finish off the meal. "

Naturally, as Master Bruce would say, Brady was a typical American,
except he had money.

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