It was before the Committee of Commerce of the National House of Representatives in 1872 that the first authentic evidence was obtained of the cause of the singular ruin which was overwhelming so fair a field. This investigation in 1872 was suppressed after it had gone a little way. Congress said, Investigate. Another power said, Don't investigate. But it was not stopped until the people had found out that they and the production, refining, and transportation of their oil--the whole oil industry, not alone of the valleys where the petroleum was found, but of the districts where it was manufactured, and the markets where it was bought and sold, and the ports from which it was shipped abroad--had been made the subject of a secret "contract"[53] between certain citizens. The high contracting parties to this treaty for the disposal of an industrial province were, on one side, all the great railroad companies, without whose services the oil, crude or refined, could not be moved to refineries, markets, or ports of shipment on river, lake, or ocean. On the other side was a body of thirteen men, "not one of whom lived in the oil regions, or was an owner of oil wells or oil lands," who had associated themselves for the control of the oil business under the winning name of the South Improvement Company.[54] By this contract the railroads had agreed with this company of citizens as follows: 1. To double freight rates. 2. Not to charge them the increase. 3. To give them the increase collected from all competitors. 4. To make any other changes of rates necessary to guarantee their success in business. 5. To destroy their competitors by high freight rates. 6. To spy out the details of their competitors' business. The increase in rates in some cases was to be more than double.[55] These higher rates were to be ostensibly charged to all shippers, including the thirteen members of the South Improvement Company; but that fraternity only did not have to pay them really. All, or nearly all, the increase it paid was to be paid back again--a "rebate."[56] The increase paid by every one else--"on all transported by other parties"--was not paid back. It was to be kept, but not by the railroads. These were to hand that, too, over to the South Improvement Company.