The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-04
THE w HEN
THE SUGAR TRUST.
Two More Refineries Ordered Shut Down
Troubles in the Path Of The Combination.

NEW YORK, Oct 3.-It transpired, late yes
terday afternoon, that Theodore Hsvemeyer.
the president OF the Sugar Trust, had ordered
the extensive sugar refueries Of DeCastro s.
Donner to be smut down to-day or tomorrow.
The firm has two refneries in the Eastern DIS
trics of Brooklyn. They employ something
like one thousand men, and produce many
thousand barrels os sugar. A reporter called at
the principal Office o. the rehneries. but couid
none Of the firm The cashier, Mr.. Russell.
admitted thai the firm bad been ordered to
close their reinsries. aud that they would shut
down as soon as practicable, probably to-day.
He contended, however, that tne shutdown was
IN 20 way influenced by the combination Of re-
fneriss or trust and that the refneries would
have to stop working even If the trust had no
existence. The time during which
the rehneries will remain closed
is indefinite. Theodore Havsmeysr could not
be seen ct the Office Of Hsvemsysr 6 Elder.
When the nsws of the ordered shutdown bs.
came generally known, 1t created consid cradle
excitement among the employees, as IL was un-
expected. 1t was stated By officers of the con.
cern that many OF them could convent
emily te placed at work would be taken care OF
during the time the refneries were closed. The
IimeS says: 'EslQenIiy some lmportant changes
are at work IN the plans OF the trust, looking 20
a probable further concentration OF plant The
new structure in of erection near the
Havemeyer re5nsry In Brooklyn points To such
o plan, and certainly does nol indicate that
So gar refining is to be curtailed here. There is
q suspicion that ths strong members OF the
trust are putting themselves in a position
where they will not need to place a premium
ideness. When that position shall have been
reached they again apply the freezing -ous
n ha tr,e
now pays to shut down and do nothing. The
trusts sky does not appear, however, 70 be
cloudless Clans Sprecke.s is giving them some
trouble, and already max es them feel uneasy for
the future. When Spreckles refused TO JON the
trust at its organization, the trust started the
American Sugar Refining Company in San
Francisco, which set out to deprive Spreckes OF
tins Pacific slope trade. OF which, for years, he
enjoyed a monopoly. One OF the first acts of
the trust in this move Was 10 buy about three
fourths of the sugar crop of the Sandwich
Islands, where Spreekels always got bis supply
before. This move sent him to Manila for
sugar, and increased his fret expenses enor-
mously. Determined to punish bin both ways
the trust put the price OF the product of the
American company lower than sugar had ever
before been offered on the Pacific. This meant
that the trust sustained the American company
as constant loss, relying on the excessive
drain or Spreckels to bring. him 10
terms or drive him out of business
In either case the trust would acquire
a monopoly of the Pacific slope trade. and make
up for present losses by future high prices. The
trust counted without It's host in this case, and
Spreckes came here ready TO fight the trust by
making sugar for the East At the lowest prices.
1t is now understood among the trade that he
intends to drain the trust In the East by the
same pi ccsss that he has prevailed In the West.
aud that he will spend million, If necessary. to
do it, remaining in the feld until he breaks
the trust entirely, or compels the trust To buy
him out a. his own price, which shall include all
losses, and also the American company, leaving
him again in sole control of the sugar market ou
the Pacific slope Another factor, of compara-
lively small Dimensions, but yet large enough
to give the trust some concern in view OF
threatening trouble, Is the announcement that
the Electric Sugar Company viii enter the mar
ket as rival about the middle Of the present
month