Random Reminiscences of Men and Events | Page 5

John D. Rockefeller
sit at his feet and learn things about drawing
contracts good for them to know, but perhaps our legal friends might
think I was partial, so I won't press the point.
Another thing about Mr. Flagler for which I think he deserves great
credit was that in the early days he insisted that, when a refinery was to
be put up, it should be different from the flimsy shacks which it was
then the custom to build. Everyone was so afraid that the oil would
disappear and that the money expended in buildings would be a loss
that the meanest and cheapest buildings were erected for use as
refineries. This was the sort of thing Mr. Flagler objected to. While he
had to admit that it was possible the oil supply might fail and that the
risks of the trade were great, he always believed that if we went into the
oil business at all, we should do the work as well as we knew how; that
we should have the very best facilities; that everything should be solid
and substantial; and that nothing should be left undone to produce the
finest results. And he followed his convictions of building as though
the trade was going to last, and his courage in acting up to his beliefs
laid strong foundations for later years.
There are a number of people still alive who will recall the bright,
straightforward young Flagler of those days with satisfaction. At the
time when we bought certain refineries at Cleveland he was very active.
One day he met an old friend on the street, a German baker, to whom
he had sold flour in years gone by. His friend told him that he had gone
out of the bakery business and had built a little refinery. This surprised
Mr. Flagler, and he didn't like the idea of his friend investing his little
fortune in a small plant which he felt sure would not succeed. But at
first there seemed nothing to do about it. He had it on his mind for
some days. It evidently troubled him. Finally he came to me and said:

"That little baker man knows more about baking than oil refining, but
I'd feel better if we invited him to join us--I've got him on my
conscience."
I of course agreed. He talked to his friend, who said he would gladly
sell if we would send an appraiser to value his plant, which we did, and
then there arose an unexpected difficulty. The price at which the plant
was to be purchased was satisfactory, but the ex-baker insisted that Mr.
Flagler should advise him whether he should take his pay in cash or
Standard Oil certificates at par. He told Mr. Flagler that if he took it in
cash it would pay all his debts, and he would be glad to have his mind
free of many anxieties; but if Mr. Flagler said the certificates were
going to pay good dividends, he wanted to get into and keep up with a
good thing. It was rather a hard proposition to put up to Mr. Flagler,
and at first he declined to advise or express any opinion, but the
German stuck to him and wouldn't let him shirk a responsibility which
in no way belonged to him. Finally Mr. Flagler suggested that he take
half the amount in cash and pay 50 per cent. on account of his debts,
and put the other half in certificates, and see what happened. This he
did, and as time went on he bought more certificates, and Mr. Flagler
never had to apologize for the advice he gave him. I am confident that
my old partner gave this affair as much time and thought as he did to
any of his own large problems, and the incident may be taken as a
measure of the man.
THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIPS
But these old men's tales can hardly be interesting to the present
generation, though perhaps they will not be useless if even tiresome
stories make young people realize how, above all other possessions, is
the value of a friend in every department of life without any exception
whatsoever.
How many different kinds of friends there are! They should all be held
close at any cost; for, although some are better than others, perhaps, a
friend of whatever kind is important; and this one learns as one grows
older. There is the kind that when you need help has a good reason just
at the moment, of course, why it is impossible to extend it.

"I can't indorse your note," he says, "because I have an agreement with
my partners not to."
"I'd like to oblige you, but I can explain why at the moment," etc., etc.
I do not
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