The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-10
GIGANTIC SOAP TRUST
STANDARD OIL COMPANY BEHIND ONE
WITH WIDE INFLUENCE.
Small establishments to BE Frozen
Out of Business-TemPorary Fac
tory started Here.

One of the biggest trusts. or. at least, one
whose influences will be more widely felt
than any vet organized, is about to be
launched from this city By the Standard OIL
Company, through representative whose
name cannot be given until next Monday
for business reasons.
The preliminary steps in the organization
were taken some time ago when the Stand
ard Oil Company closed p deal for the pur-
chase of the two soda ash factories which
supply all the alkali used in the country
for the manufacture of soaps. One was 10
Gated at Detroit and the other at SYRIA
cuse. n. Y, the latter, known as the Sol
way Company, being the largest in the
world
The plan for the organization, while SIM
pie, is alarmingly comprehensive in its
workings. 1t does not contemplate the con-
solidation of interests of the other soap
manufacturers OF the country in one big
corporation, but instead, the killing off of
competition without paying a cent for the
purchase of plants
1t is announced that, instead of using
animal or vegetable fats in making the soap
the Standard Oil Company will use hydro
carbonate or petroleum oils TO extent
never considered possible heretofore. In
forming the plan OF killing competition 1t
was understood that the task would be a
hopeless one TO attempt to corner the mar
ket on soap greases, as there were so many
kinds which could be readily utilized for the
purpose that no monopoly could be secured
Then 1t was that the plan Of buying up all
the soda ash factories was formed with the
Idea OF making 1t practically impossible to
buy alkalis at competing figures with the
Standard Oil Company. 1t was realized that
soap, being one of the great commodities
was constantly in demand and that this de-
mana must be supplied by some one,
and the soap which could be mar
keted at the smallest price would logically
be handled almost exclusively II was de-
clded that II the salt deposits from which
the soda ash is made could be secured and
the price of soda ash increased to practi-
cally prnhibitive prices to all but the Stand
practically destroyed. Aside from the salt
deposits which the Standard Oil Company
secured there is none from which soda ash
can be extracted pcofitably.
II is contemplated making concessions to
such firms as Armour & Co.. Swift & Co..
and a few others. whose capital is large
deposits, so that they can market their
output 1T about the same figures as at
present, but ii is proposed to put the prod
uct of the Standard Oil Company on the
market at figures slightly below those of
the firms mentioned, but so much lower
than the others that the innumerable small
Ter concerns will be compelled to go out of
business.
The experimental work on the petroleum
oil soap was done in this city by DIR. John
F. Gels, the chemist of the city Board of
Hea tn, who found 1t was possible to make
soap which would contain 20 per cent Of
hydrocarbonate OIL which gives the soap
all the cleansing qualities of gasoline COM
lined with free lather. A temporary fac
torv was located in the city two weeks ago.
where lots Of 100 pounds of soap have been
run off every few days for experimental
purposes. A complete statement of the Or
ganizaticn will be made next Monday.