Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-10
BEER GLASSES NEXT,
Likewise Other Tableware; 10 be
Controlled by Syndicate,
BUT NOT AN ENGLISH, YOU KNOW.
1t is in the Nature of Trust, but Glass
makers Talk Around.
A BREAD AND BUTTER sTRANGULATIoN

ries and output of Western Pennsylvania,
| West Virginia and q considerable portion
of Ohio. The scheme is alleged to be that
on October appraisers, one chosen by SELL
er and anothe. by buyers, will be appointed
| to estimate values Of real estate. tools, molds
and machinery, material and manufactured
stock on hand, orders and contracts held by
sellers and good will and the only difficulty
| expected to be met is when factories work
on specialties that yield large profits. Inter
ested firms are to provide fund of S., 900, :
900, 10 per cent-s3oo. OOO-to be paid into
the general fund, and plants as they stand
to represent 80 per cent of the total stock.
Each manufacturer is to have stock issued
to him in proportion to the value of his
plant, and $500, 900 added to the same
amount of manufactured stock on hand will
give working capital of $500, 200. This
fund is to be used for current expenses and
a certain amount retained as a reserve fund.
Each firm will be represented in the board
of directors 10 the extent of its stock. The
corporation is expected to be in shipshape
for operation by January 1, 1890. Finally
it has been said the move is made with the
object of defeating the designs of an English
syndicate.
WHEAT AND CHAFF MIXED.
From interviews with people interested it
will be seen that there is about the usual
mixture of truth and error in the report, but
several people smiled when the English syn
dictate indeed was mentioned. The truth
seems to be that o trust is to be formed, and
the error, that it is to defeat an English
syndicate.
John Bryce, of Bryce, Higbee & Co.,
smiled when asked for information, and
that was pretty nearly the extent of his
answer, though he said he had heard some
thing of such proposition a week or two ago
when price scales were being arranged.
James Bryce, of Bryce Bros, said that in
what had been reported there was some fact
and considerable Imagination. So far, how
ever. Mr.. Bryce sid the matter had only
been talked over. He said some action of
the kind had become necessity, and that it
was something he did not altogether like in
its multifarious aspects, as the public did
not take bindly to trusts, and the arrange
ment would necessarily possess more or less
the features of one. Mr.. Bryce stated that
the trouble grew out of so many weak firms
engaging in the business. In order to get
trade they were obliged to cut prices until
there was no money lett in the trade. The
proposition
LOOKED MERELY TO PROTECTION
OF an interest, protection that had become a
necessity. Mr.. Bryce said were the organi-
zation perfected it would include not only
Pennsylvania, but West Virginia and
Ohio. The life of the business depends
upon combination at present.
Mr.. William II. Alldred, of the Wind
sor Glass Company, seemed inclined to
scout the idea of any combination, though
he said he had heard it talked of. He in
timated that there might be something in
it after the nature OF the brewing syndicate
so much talked of. He agreed with Mr..
Bryce that the staple tableware factories
weak firms that had been formed. As
rule, the men forming these small compa-
mics lack business experience. and effect
little more than the decentralization of trade.
Jenkin Jones, of Jones, Cavitt & Co.,
stated that he had been approached so fire.
quently yesterday by reporters and others
on the subject that he thought it must be in
the air. Some had wanted to know whether
the combination could succeed with After
bury, the Rochester Tumbler Company and
some others left out, but he had uniformly re-
fused to be quoted for publication, Mr..
Jones talked quite freely, but evidently
with intent not to say anything. He treated
the matter jocularly, and used language of
the thought-concealing character.
DIFFICULTIES SUGGESTED.
The following named tableware firms
know nothing of the syndicate: The Ripley
Glass Manufacturing Company, the King
Glass Company. The Phoenix Company,
when q DISPATCH reporter queried the
Treasurer on the subject, said, 81 nave never
heard of the rumor to form syndicate; but
s., ,000, 900 would not begin to control it.
The glass interest, that is to say our special
line, could not be controlled by syndicate"
He then took the reporter back, and said:
'You see the immense variety we have in
this warehouse. Some ot these patterns will
every week, SO you see how Intellectual it would
be to try to make uniform prices. The syndi-
cate would have to name price for every
article. and to do that, with constant change
quire an army of men to name price alone
No, I don't think anything will come Of it.
Five years ago a syndicate tried to control the
opal glass, but it could not work it How much
impossible 1t will be to control SO intricate
a business as ours. Then, again, it requires SO
little capital to start glasshonse Companies
were a syndicate it would constantly have to be
buying mp these small concerns, and this would
eat up an enormous capital.
MR.. BoGGs BELIEVES IT.
A. w. Boggs, of the Bellaire Goblet
Company, said last night it was true that
the tableware men were attempting to form
a trust, but that the scheme. had not yet
been consummated. The plan has been dis
cussed for some time, and is liable to be
completed in the near future. HN believed
the manufacturers in Ohio, WesrVirginia
and Pennsylvania can easily be induced to
Join, and if the Rochester Tumbler Company
persists in refusing they will be glad after |
80 days to join the combination.
Instead of S3 600 600 he thinks the various |
plants will aggregate $1,000, 900. Some |
thing OF the Kind, he said, would have to
be done to improve the trade. He could |
not say how many of the tableware firms |
would join the trust
He thought it was time to stop selling |
glassware that cost So 80 to make for 81 go. |
The other day the agent of the Thompson |
Glass Company took an order 100 half-pint |
tumblers at % cents, when all glass men |
know, he said, that they cannot be made |
for less than q and % cents.