14. Rockefeller was roundly condemned in the press, though he made kerosene cheaper for consumers
When the press revealed the role played by Standard Oil’s manipulation of shipping costs for oil they vilified Rockefeller, in both text and cartoons, despite the fact that his actions led to kerosene becoming more affordable than it had ever been. Oil lamps lighted streets and homes, factories, offices, and stores, and for far less cost than before the Civil War, when most homes were lighted by candles. Whale oil had been affordable only for the relatively well-to-do. The press vilified Rockefeller but for the most part the public did not, and he decided to continue to grow Standard Oil despite the beating he took in the nation’s newspapers and the increased watchfulness of government entities, already growing wary of his wealth and power.