The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-09
WORKS TO CONSOLIDATE,
The California Wire Works
Combine With Big
Eastern Firm.
SALE OF THE CABLE PLANT
The Washburn g. Moen Manufacture
ing Company to Operate In
This City.

Within the next three days two of the
largest wire, wire-rope and cable manufac-
turing companies in the United. States will
combine in partial consolidation. They
are the California Wire Works of this city
and the Washburn & Moen Manufacturing
Company of Worcester, Mass. For the
past month negotiations have been pend
ing between these two large rival manu-
featuring companies, and within the past
three days their representatives have
reached an understanding which will re-
suit in combine in their line of business.
v the terms agreed upon the California
Wire Works will sell out its entire wire,
rope and cable plant to the Eastern firm,
the price being about $500, 600. The East
ern firm will take up locally the manufac-
ture of ropes and cables in the California
Wire Works premises at the foot of Powell
street.
The building and land now occupied by
the rope plant will be leased for long
term of years to the purchasers of the plant.
While the local company will continue to
make other goods as heretofore, there is a
posi- bility that the company in the near
| future will consolidate with the Massachu-
setts corporation.
| The Washburn & Moen Manufacturing
| Company is one OF the largest manufac-
| turers of wire. wire cables, ropes and SINH
| lar products in the United States. While
| its headquarters are in Worcester, it has a
| branch and plant near Chicago and an
agency at s Pine street, in this City.
Frank L. Brown is the local agent. Years
ago the corporation shipped its goods to
| this coast and built up considerable bust
ness. The California Wire Works came
| into the Western field and in time became
a formidable rival, turning out wires OF all
kinds, nails, wire cloth, barb wire, and at
| last heavy wire ropes and cables. The lat
/ ter products were specialtles OF the W ASH
! burn corporation, and when the California
| Wire Works entered the field there was a
| lively rivalry for local business.
| By putting in improved machinery the
/ local concern soon had the best of the
fight in supplying street cable railway
companies and ships supplies upon the
Pacific Coast. While the other home
products-wire, nails, wire cloth, barb
wire, etc.-were in good demand the East
ern corporation cut into its trade to con-
| siderable extent and lively business
| rivalry usually tends toward lowering
prices.
Acting upon the truism that in union
there is strength and profit, the managers
of the two concerns got together and dis
cussed q proposition TO consolidate. 1t is
stated that by the Washburn & Moen
Manufacturing Company purchasing the
| local concerns wire cable and rope plant
| it will not interfere with the California
Wire Works Pacific Coast trade in its
other products. The directors of the Cali
fornia Wire Works and Agent Brown are
extremely reticent as to the terms upon
| which the transactions are to be based.
1--WE got our price, remarked a number
| of the local firm last evening. "but what
it is l am not at liberty to state. As to q
complete consolidation of the two manu-
| featuring industries | am not in a position
to discuss that, either. 1t may be that We
will combine, but for some time to come
the California Wire Works will continue
| business as before. We have our price fol
our business, as for our goods, and it is il
the line of possibilities that the Eastern
people may desire to pool with US. II they
do we will probably do something in thai
direction, if the others agree to our terms
"As it stands the arrangements for the
sale of the wire cable plant and the lease
of the property are about complete, and
! within a day or two the Washburn
Moen folks will probably be in possession
| l doubt if the terms of the transaction viii
ever be made public"
A S. Hallidie, the president of the Cali
fornia Wire Works Company, positively de
clined to discuss the transaction, although
he admitted that certain negotiations were
about complete whereby the interests o
the two corporations would be console
| dated.