This particular scheme, therefore, never came to maturity.
Before the South Improvement Company ended its corporate existence, however, a great change had taken place in the oil situation.
Practically all the refineries in Cleveland had passed into the control of the Standard Oil Company.

The Standard has always denied that there was any connection between the purchase of these great refineries and the organization of the South Improvement Company.

But there is much evidence sustaining a contrary view, for many of these refiners afterward went on the witness stand and told circumstantial stories, all of which made precisely the same point.

This was that the Standard men had come to them, shown the contracts which had been made by the South Improvement Company, and argued that, under these new conditions, the refineries left outside the combination could not long survive.

The Standard's rivals were therefore urged to "come in," to take Standard stock in return for their refineries, or, if they preferred, to sell outright.