The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-24
A T|N-CAN WAR ON HAND,
A CHICAGO COMPANY WITH MIL
LIONS Is READY TO
FIGHT.
NEW RIVAL IN THE FIELD.
A SAN FRANCISCO CONCERN, SUs-
TANNED BY AMPLE CAPITAL,
RESPONDS.
NEW RIVAL IN THE FIELD

A battle royal is now on between
Chicago firm backed by $5,000,000 and a
San francisco institution with equal re-
sources in cash. The objective point OF the
contest is control of the tin-can industry OF
the Pacific Coast in general and the Cali
tornla market in particular. This State
uses annually in the fruit and vegetable
packing industry about 1900, 600 tin cans.
For many years Norton Bros. OF Chicago,
through the Pacific Can Company, en-
loyed a monopoly of this lucrative branch
OF manufacturing. The first concern to en-
ter the field as competitor was the Eagle
Automatic Company of California. Liti-
CATION begun by the Chicago parties lmme-
diately followed the invasion, but alter
prolonged contest in the court the rival
interests coalesced and formed a com bina-
ton, which was described in THE CALL of
last Sunday. The consolidated institution
is sustained by millions ofmoney, and will
fight vigorously against all corners to
monopoliZe the trade.
Facts are now coming to light which eX-
plain the consolidation. new and for
! mida bic rival has appeared on the scene
| which expects to be able to supply the
California trade with Il, 00O,0 900 cans during
| the next packing season. The contest has
I >
! promise, and the natural result must be a
! great reduction in the price of cans, and a
! substantial benefit to fruit growers and
Gamers throughout the Pacific Coast.
/ Some time ago a remarkable mechanical
! invention was perfected III San Francisco.
! IG was practically tested and so satisfactory
was the result of experiments that Charles
! Josselyn, Z. f. Preston and the inventor,
! M. Johnson, proceeded to organize and in
corporate the Great Western Can Com
pany. Briefly described, the newly in
vented machine takes the sheet of tin plate
and produces without the touch of the
! human hand tin can, headed at each end,
| joined soldered ana ready for use.
In the commercial world rivalry for
| business is intense and alert agents keep
/ their principals posted concerning new de-
velopmentS and new discoveries. 1t was
not long before the Chicago corporation
was Informed that a powerful rival was
! preparing TO invade the field in California.
I The Chicago company at once dispatched
! leading attorneys and mechanical experts
TO San Francisco, and all the information
! possible was cleaned regarding the merits
of the new invention, the money resources
of the men controlling it and the probable
! production under the new process.
! Meanwhile E. F. Preston. the attorney
| of the Great Western Company, secured
! patents and called in other leading law
yers to examine the question of infringe
/ ment. When the opinion of the LAWYERS
was submitted the Great Western Can
! Company was inaugurated and REINFORCED
with ample capital.
! The Chicago concern in its preparation
for battle first effected a consolidation with
the Eagle Automatic Company. When
/ this concentration was accomplished Brad
| streets Agency was called in to furnish
data concerning the standing and credit of
! the men sustaining the California COM
AT I
camille circles and at the banks regarding
the cash and property resources OF the
leading men IN the home company. The
promoters of the new institution did not
place any obstacle in the path of inquiry
and in course of time the Chicago AGENTS
ascertalned that their opponents were not
! poor mechanics with a few impecunious
! friends but company of capitalists who
could command the support of millions
The Chicago capitalists then elected to
| fight in the courts, perceiving that they
/ could Eot crush the rival company by
competition in the open field. They have
| retained as counsel the law firm of Mum
/ day, Evarts & Adcock of their own city
The Junior member of the firm came to
San Francisco and few days ago sent a
letter 10 Charles Josselyn notifying him
that the machine used by the Great West
ern Can Company was an infringement
on certain patent granted 10 the Eagle
! Mr. Josse!yn to desist from the manufac-
ture of tin cans at the peril OF litigation
The communication was not unexpected.
as the promoters of the home company
knew that Chicago agents had been we'll
informed as to the new machine, and knew
also that trade involving 100000 cans
was worth a contest.
The communication was placed in the
hands of E. F. Preston, attorney of the
home company, who promptly replied that
his clients proposed to transact business in
their own way. He announced himself
ready to respond at once in court.
The litigation will take place in the
United States Circuit Court, Judge Nc
Kenna, and promises to become one of
the keenest controversies of the year.
The Great Western Can Company has
just ordered from London $100,0 worth
| of tin plate, and asserts that it will be able
to place on the market for the coming
seasons business at least Il, 000, 900 cans
Under the competition prices are sure to
come down and the fruit-growers will be
the gamers.