The morning call., 1891-04-14
SUGAR AND SUGAR.
The American Refinery Closed
for Over a Week.
Rumors on the Street That Combination to
Be Known as the Western Sugar Com.
pany Is Being Formed.

The American Sugar Refinery has not
manufactured any sugar since week ago
last Saturday.
AT the refinery 1t is said that this is due
to the establishment being closed for the
annual cleanup, and that the closing has
nothing to do with any pending arrange
ment between Messrs. Spreckels and Elder
q Havemeyer.
Inquiries made among the men who have
been at work in the refinery showed that
they believe that the shutdown was not OF
an ordinary character, and they gave some
good reasons for their belief.
About 800 men in all were at work when
the refinery was running up to its full
caI acity. Two hundred of these were let
out week ago last Saturday and 200 more
on last Wednesday, and these two reduc-
lions of the force Of employees left the small
number of 100 men at work. The men claim
that only about third of the usual force
are laid eff during the operation Of cleaning
up, and that these are always notified when
work will be resumed No intimation has
been given to any of the men when the
work will be restarted, and any inquiry only
receives the unsatisfactory reply, I'VE don't
know"
WILL MANAGE BOTH
1t was learned further that Mr.. Spragne.
the Superintendent of the American Re
fnery, is engaged all the morning at the
California Refinery. Mr.. Sprague, 1t is
said, is to assume the management OF both
concerns when the combination Is effected,
and the TACT that he has already entered
upon his double duties seems to show that
an agreement of some kind had been entered
into.
A member of a prominent downtown firm,
who wished his name to be withheld from
Dubip4tiun vUh Epl for in formation
The matter, said: I'VE are like the rest OF
you've wait to find out what Is going to
be done. But l can tell you what are the
rumOrs which are flying about. 1t is said
that Claus SpreCkels is practically going TO
retire, and that he intends to 90 to Europe
shortly, nOminally for the benefit OF his
health. The old names of American and
California Sugar Rehneries are TO be
dropped and a combination formed under
the title of the Western Sugar Company,
with j. ID. Sprecke!s as President and
Robert Oxnard as Vice-Presidtnt. Mr..
Sprague, the Superintendent of the Amer
lean Refinery, is to run both concerns, and
the men working for Spreckels will; as
rule, be quietly dropped, and the Have
meyer men will take their places.
NO BENEFIT TO THE COAST.
ut doesn't make any difference to the
jobbers, but it concerns the consumers and
retailers to know that the market price for
sugar ON the Pacific slope, that Is, in cities
like San Francisco, Sacramento and Port
land, is cents Ound, while it is selling
for cents in New York and Tor 434 cents In
interior cities like Salt Lake and 81. Joseph
in spite of the freight charges. This Is due
to the railroad companies shutting off East
ern competition by advancing the freight
charges on sugar from 81 20 to 81 hundred
pounds, while sugar can be shipped from
San Francisco to Kansas City for only
90 cents hundred. This raise was made
lust before April ISt,"
A call was made at the California Sugar
Refinery, and j. D. Spreckels was asked
about the rumOrs.
There is a report the street that
new combination, to be known as the
Western Sugar Company, is to be formed.
with yourself as President and Mr.. Oxnard
as Vice President"
THAT is not perfected"
Then such an arrangement is being dis
cussed9"
That cannot say. That is all can tell
you"
Mr. Spreckels added that Claus Spreckels
was going TO Europe; he had been con-
templating such a trip for some time, but
he refused to make any further statement.