The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-10

Another big trust scheme is atoot
and about to be closed i'm this ana the
Wyoming valley. 1t involves the pur-
chase Of seven cracker and fancy cake
concerns by the American ana New
York Biscuit companies. of New YORK
city and the United States Biscuit COM
pany, of Pittsburg. For several years
each of these big companies has peen
a trust i'm itself but recently they nave
been gradually combining their an
terests into one gigantic concern.
Agent Dakc, of Buffalo, representing
the three maj)r companies, has maze
two visits in this city and NlclhltS'
He has succeeded in closing deals with
two of the seven bakeries, has options
on the purchase of two and has nego-
tiatiGns with the other three well un-
der way.
1t is proposed by the trust to build
a mill of large capacity in this city OF
Wilkes-Barre for the manufacture OF
cracker and biscuit foods for Consump-
ton in this part Of the state. The COM
binc will not affect the bread bakeries
as it only manufactures stock goods.
The bakeries in this city and vicinity
with which The trust representative
has been dealing are: Michael }. Kelly
and SchCu uer B"Cs., of this city; lltch-
ner & co, of PittstOn; }. B. Carr II
Sons, II. =. Moore, the Walters bakery
and the Murphy bakery of Wilkes
Barre. Negotiations are about to be
closed with the HitChncr and Murphy
concerns. options have been given by
NJ. ]. Kelly and II. l.. Moore. What
stages have been reached with Schcuer
Bros, Carr & Sons and the Walters
bakery are not known.
WILL OWN THE CONCERNS.
It is not the plan of the trust to give
the present owners Of the small con-
Germs any interest in the big combine.
AS rapidly as the smaller properties
are acquired they will be placed in
charge Of managers employed by the
trust and will be operated individually
until only such time as a big mill and
bakery are built in Scranton or its vic
| Unity.
The plant will be built with a
capacity for turning from 125 to l5l
ba-rels Of flour into food products
every daV.
According to Agent Dake. the trust
| has already acquired property and
| business valued at $50O0O,0O0 This
| large sum includes the total interests
| of the combines three big parts, the
! American. New York and United States
! companies. This joining of forces real.
! ly began about ten years ago in q
noted fight between the American ant
the New York companies. The former
| finally absorbed q large number O
| smaller concerns which put it in a po
| SitiOn to dictate terms and resulted in
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the fold. The end was not vet how
ever. The big United States compan!
of Pittsburg was an unlocked for fac
tor and, by adopting the same com
bine policy in the West as had the TIVE
| eastern companies, was interfering
! with the growth of the latters' busi
ness. A thrCe-Corncred trust which in
cludcd the United States company wa
the outcome.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN.
1t was not the original plan of tn
triple alliance to absorb local com
panies but it was found that the latte
were making good profits on small bu
many sales in fields that the trus
coulG not give attention to. a pla
has been hit upon to force the smalle
concerns to disgorge. 1t was decide
to make reasonable offers for purchas
Of all bakeries in thickly populated ter
ritOries, If these OVertures are refus
ed, the combine proposes to erect it
own bakeries in local territory, Civ
them local color uudersell the sma
concerns, make a bid for patronag
and force the little fry out Of tn
field Of competition.
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