Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-18
The IRON ORR TRUST.
HAS RAISED PRICES 1oo PER CENT,
THE nEssEMER ORE pRoDuC-
ERs' ASSOCIATION.
THOSE WHO COMPOSE 1T.
guprcmc Court Decision Disregardcd
by Those in Trusts and Combina-
tions.
ny Bolton Hall.

cided on December 4, that the comblna-
ton, or pool, of the six corporations
engaged in manufacturing water and
gas pipe was a trust and that, there
fore an agreement between them was
void. This case, known as the Addy-
ston pipe case, has been in the courts
since 1894. BY the agreement the six
leading pipe manufacturers divided the
United States among themselves. Each
company was allotted certain territory
IN which all the other companies were
permitted to make bids on contracts
but only under the supervision of the
company in charge of the district. In
unallotted territory the pool would de-
termine the price to be paid by the con-
sumer and would auction off, to the
highest bidder, the privilege of supply
ing pipe at this price. The bonus was
derived. which sometimes amounted to
SO per ton, and averaged about Sc, was
divided amongst the members.
Futiiity of Antitrust Legislation.
This famous case and decision is the
first under the antitrust act of 1890
which involves restraint of trade by
agreement between manufacturing COM
panies in different States. 1t is regard
ed as highly important. But what does
the decision affect? 1t does not touch
the big corporations that own factories,
and perhaps mines, in many different
States and without agreement with
other corporations arbitrarily fix pric-
es. Neither is it made to apply gen.
orally to all Interstate commerce
agreements between industrial con-
Germs. In fact it does not affect the
status of the original pipe companies,
which are now parts of big corporate
trusts; nor does 1t seriously alarm any
OF the p~rice-iixing combinations in
force between hundreds of producing
and distributing companies.
This decision, like nearly all former
decisions, whether based on common
or on statute law, is adverse to trusts.
Nevertheless all kinds of combinations
are more numerous and effective than
ever before. But little attention is
paid 70 either antitrust legislation or
antitrust decisions.
Thus the day after the decision was
announced the trust mill was grinding
as busily as ever. We read that the
sheet iron and steel manufacturers
were about to call a meeting to form a
trust; that the structural iron men
would soon hold a meeting for the
same purpose; that trusts were about
to be formed in naval stores, hats, etc.
A few days before we read that the
Bessemer Ore Producers Association
had advanced prices 100 per cent. This
association, like the Anthracite Coal,
Steel Rail and many other trusts ap-
pears to be essentially, if not legally,
very much like that of the pipe manu-
f~acturers which has just been declared
to be Illegal. Thus far no one has ev-
en- intimated that this ore combination
is to quit fixing prices because of this
decision. And why? Because all SEN
sible men recognize that it is in the
power Of q few mine owners, shippers
and sellers to fix prices and that while
they have this power they will exercise
it. This power comes first from their
monopoly. through ownership and
lease of the principle mines, and sec
ond from the tariff duty on imported
ore which prevents extensive competi-
ton from Canada, Cuba, and Spain,
where there were within easy reach
valuable mines of ore especially valu-
able for mixing with some of our At
lantic Coast ores.
The Ore Producers Trust.
The Bessemer Ore Producers Asso-
citation, which has annually fer many
years fixed prices and allotted outputs
10 various companies, usually meets in
Cleveland, Ohio. This year, they held
meetings the last week in November
and fixed as the basic price of Besse-
mer ore delivered at lake ports at $3.50
per ton. The past years price was
50. 80, which was Is cents higher than
1898 prices. Prices in 1900, therefore,
will be just double those OF 1898.
Some of the principal shipping and
selling companies which compose this
c~ompany-this ore association-are:
M. A. Hanna & Co.
Ogieby, Morton & Co.
Pickands, Mather & Co.
Corrigan, Mckinney & Co.
The principal mining concerns inter-
ested and represented In the associa-
ton are the
Oliver Iron Mining Company, FIVE
sixths OF which is owned by the Car
regie Steel Company and one-sixth by
the National Steel Company.
The Minnesota Iron Company, now
owned by the Federal Steel Company.
The Chaplin Mining C~ompany--the
National Steel Company interests.
The American Mining Company, the
mining end of the American Steel and
Wire Company.
During the same week the non-Bes-
semer producers OF the Lake Superior
region met In Cleveland and fixed a
base priea of s4.25 for 1900, as against
$500 for 1899. These producers are
largely the same companies which COM