Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-09-01
Tho Tack Trust.

The Iron Age OF July IA, 1892, said
that trusts almost universally advance
prices whenever the business is suf1-
GENTLY consolidated to warrant such q
course. This is somewhat at variance
with the teaching Of the New York Trib-
slne, and other high-tarif papers that feel
4 called upon to defend the legitimate off,
@spring OF protection" but that it is true
|Ets evident from o consultation of the
Efles of the Iron Age in regard to prices
8BSSof iron and steel goods in and out Of
Ntrusts. Those out Of trusts show O
steady and general decline. Those in
trusts show no decline in prices, unless
tho trusts are losing their grip on the
market, but ordinarily show great adj
8vances in prices, while the trust is SO.
#sure and supreme.
~ The prices Of axes, cartridges, shot,
slead, steol rails, cutlery, etc., will illus
trate this point, but the advance in the
prices Of tacks noted in the last Iron
Age, July 81, will make it pertinent to
consider tho subject of tacks in connec-
ton.
About 1881 great tack trust was
formed, called the Central Tack Co., :"
with headquarters at Boston. All, or
nearly all, tacks made in the United
States are made in New England.
There were then about forty -five manu-
facturers, mostly small ones. They
were all included in the trust, which
closed many of them. Prices were ad-
,yanced greatly and the trust made big
profits for two or three years. despite
the fact that it.paid considerable sums
to the new factories rapidly called into
existence by the high prices to keep
them idle. After four or five years
there were eighty or ninety manufac-
tories, and the trust could not SUBJ
]. sidize them all and had to go to the
wall. Prices took a headlong tumble Of
4 about so per cent, and for several years
I the process of evolution was at work
In this industry, closing up oil factories
that could not stand severe competition,
or annexing them to larger and more
favorably situated concerns, so that in
1890 there we're comparatively few
manufacturers doing the bulk OF the
business. But among these few were
several Of those who Differed the Gen.
trail Tack Co., and who had ever
/ since been dreaming of again making
those old-time profits. Five Of
! these NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., Hobart
! 4 Co., Of Whitman, Mass; Loring l.
& Parks, Of Plymouth, Mass; the Ameri-
sscan Tack Co., of Fairhaven, Mass; and
the Albert Field and the Taunton Tack
I5Companies, both OF Taunton, Mass
s.gQtf Ssyether in 1890 and formed the
S%ck Corporation" with head
;aalaHI # Boston and warehouses in
y cities. These are all large
hrers and are said to make
Il ree.Iohsth Of our total product, which
~ estimated as being over So, o00, 900 per
4 Jar. By closing up some Of their
aces, and by advancing prices, which
q reduced output enabled them to do,
ey soon began again to reap big
q pitts. Besides previous ones, two i'm
rtant advances have been made since
ptember, 1891, as is shown by the
lpwing sample discounts, the price,
remaining the same:
and Ms. Sept. 81. June 90. July9o. a
carpet tacks.
s5.f.,a : !; soss &S 7a%&as sess% &s
81 ssst. ss 81 81 * * 81 81 g ss, g 8
ana lace sos< ~ caalx q *
bus tacks listed at 81 sold for Is
in September, 1891, and sell for
nts at present. The advance then
d of one year. 1t Is noticeable that
De manufacturers keep pace, in the
sro Of advances, with trust prices,
ing that there Is some secret con-
81 not understood by the public
CONSUMER. Another remarkable
that wholesale dealers make no
Hon to these increases. but. on the
nry, they consider 1t healthy
las 1t enables them to get their
deeper into the consumers pocket
s0k them puts IT., We add the
per cent. to the first cost of the
and IL tackss cost ius instead Of
ts q package, we make just twice
lob profit, because family only
% Or 80 cents, worth Of tacks a year
nj buy just as many no matter
fhe price. :