Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-11
BREWERS REFUSE An OPTION
Principal Omaha Dealers Decline to Let
Syndicate Take Their Plants.
CAN GAIN NOTHING BYA CONSOLIDATION
General Absorption of Brewing Inter
ests Believed TO Have Been the
Plnn-AEcnt Feels His Mission
Has Been UnsuccessfuI.

There will not be any combination Of the
Omaha and South Omaha breweries accord
ing to the statement made by three Of the
most important OF the quartet The man
ayers OF all the firms have been approached
with an offer for a ninety days option on
their plants, but three have declined to
grant 1t, preferring to manage their busi-
ness themselves to selling 1t to eastern per-
sons, that they may profit by the untiring
work and years Of labor Of the local brew
ers.
Archibald Oracle OF New York came to
this city as a representative of an eastern
syndicate said to have its headquarters in
the great metropolis. He presented him
self to the four principal firms Of brewers
in the city and offered to take their plants
off their hands II they would give him
ninety days in which to perfect the deal.
He wanted to make similar arrangements
in Kansas City and spent several days there
for the purpose. He returned to Omaha Sat
urday morning for the final answer of the
brewers, whom he had met there. Mr..
Oracle was seen at the Mllard last even
ing, but he declined to give out any in
formation. He said If he had anything in
future he would be glad to contribute the
knowledge to the public, thus giving cred
ence to the report that he was here for
the purpose of consolidating the business
OF the different firms.
81 do not think 1t anything concerning
which the press should publish a story at
present" said Mr.. Oracle IL desire, how
ever, to deny in its entirety any report
that has been given out to the effect that
combination OF the breweries of Omaha is
about to be made. / decline to say whether
or not l have received any refusals today
to grant me an option on any plant"
Regardless of this plain statement Mr..
Oracle did receive two refusals yesterday.
One came from Charles Metz of the firm
of Metz Bros. and the other from Gottlieb
Storz of the Omaha Brewing association.
Mr.. Oracle sent for Mr.. Metz in the after
noon to obtain his answer. Mr.. Metz called
on him at the Millard and, finding him out,
left a note declining to consider any request
for option the plant of the firm Of
Metz Bros.
Metz's Version.
Il was unable to find wherein we were
to be benefited by such offer as Mr.
Oracle made u.s." said Mr.. Metz. II under
stand he represents the Manhattan Trust
company and should it fail to make good
its offer for the plant at the end of ninety
days 1t would be out nothing, while we
would simply have placed ourselves in the
position of man who made a bad bar
gain. My understanding is that the syndi-
cute which Mr. GraCe represents desires to
obtain an option on all the breweries con-
soidate them into one or two plants and
thus lessen the expense of production one
half or one-fourth in case all the plants
were closed except one. AS far as we are
concerned my answer to Mr.. Oracle was
final and will not listen to another offer"
Mr.. Storz OF the Omaha Brewing associa-
tion was equally positive in his statements
Il have built up strong association and
We are making good money said Mr.. Storz.
II have home near the brewery and have
given the best years Of my life to making
the business study. Supposing sold out
what would / do with my money? II
invested 1t in something else l would be
taking UP vocation perhaps in which l
have had no experience. We have put over
H,O0O,C00 in this plant and it is now in
excellent condition"
In response to a query as to the amount
he thought it would be necessary for syn
dictate TO raise to purchase the four plants
in the city Mr.. Storz said he did not be-
lieve $3,500,00 would do it. "All these
plants have made money during late years"
said Mr.. Storz, land the prospects are good
for the future. Why should they sacrifice
their present advantage for the sake of an
eastern syndicate, which simply sees an op-
portunity to make good thing out of it.
AS far rs the Omaha Brewing association
is concerned I can tell you emphatically
that 1t will not dispose of its plant"
Krug Declines.
William Krug of the Fred Krug Brewing
company stated last night that he had been
approached by Mr.. Oracle and asked for
an option of ninety days He declined to
consider it for the present at least
1t is claimed in brewing circles that the
object of the visit of eastern agents to
Omaha and Kansas City is for the purpose
of forming western adjunct to a national
absorption of brewing interests. Inadver-
tently Mr. Oracle dropped the remark while
talking to reporter last evening that one
Of the great brewers was in favor of such
a consolidation of western interests and this
is looked upon as significant. While he
was dealing with the four large breweries
in Omaha, that Is the Metz Bros, Omaha
Brewing association, Fred Krug Brewing
company and the South Omaha Brewing
company, Mr.. Oracle did not disdain to pass