The morning news., 1899-12-22
AGAIN SAID TO BE A FAILURE.
NAVAL STORES COMBINE STILL AN
UNCERTAIN QUANTITY.


Efforts Have Been Unsuccessful for
the Present Anyway-Hunter,
Pearce a Battcy Feel That They
Have Been Unfairly Dealt With in
the Use of Their Firm Name-Marl1-
ed Copies of the Morning News
Containing Il RumOr of Their En-
tcring the Combine Sent Out to
Their Customers by a Competitor
and Followed by Circulars Solicit
ing Business-They Never Had Any
intention of Joining the Move
ment.
1t is claimed by the opposition that the
effort to form a combination of the lead
inc naval stores factors of the city has
uroven a failure. Those who took a lead
ing part in the movement viii not admit
that such is the case, but the indications
point that way and there have been inu-
nations from those in position to know
that the movement has been, or is about
10 be- abandoned A factor, whose firm
was expected to enter into the combine,
said yesterday that the schema had
dropped through.
While the efforts to form a combina lion
have undoubtedly been unsuccessful so far
the scheme may not have been abandoned.
Mr. j. X. Garnett who was in the city
this week, said that efforts will be resum-
ed after the holidays and intmated that
the trouble was with some of the Savan-
nah factors who would not agree 10 enter
the combiue upon the plan submitted.
While the movement may have failed The
eddies which it inaugurated in the COM
mercial current among the naval stores
people have not subsided. Messrs. Hun
Ter, Pearce & Battey, a well-known fac
forage firm. feel that they have a consid-
cradle grievance, growing Immediately out
of the combine agitation. In an article
published in the Morning News Dee. 2
when it appeared that the combination was
about 10 become a fact, the name of this
firm was mentioned among those who
would likely be included in it.
Messrs. Hunter, Pearce & Battey entered
q prompt and emphatic denial, which w S
given prominence in the Morning News
the following day. A number
Of marked copies of the issue of Dec.
. were sent to naval stores operators
throughout the country, including Gus
toners of Messrs. Hunter, Pearce & Bat
tey il is said, by Savan-
nan factorage firm which had
been prominent in opposition to the
trust Later circulars were sent out by
the same firm, announcing its opposition
to the trust, explaining its methods of
doing business and stating its willingness
TO take over the business Of any of the
operators so inclined.
Messrs. Hunter, Pearce & Battey thinR
that a wrong advantage has been taken of
the light in which they were placed by
beng mentioned among those who were
fkey to enter Ghe combination, and that
an effort is being made to divert business
from them in the face of their prompt de-
NAL Of the statement. The following state
ment of the matter was made yesterday
by Mr.. F. @. Battey, with the approval
of the other members of the firm:
We have never had any connection with
the movement for a combine of the naval
stores factors" said Mr.. Battey. eve
did not approve of the movement, and
would not nave given any countenance 20
any proposition of the kind submitted to
US. We felt justly indignant at the use
OF our names in this connection, having
previously issued a circular to our GUS
TONER'S in which we stated our opposition
10 the movement, and that we would have
no part in it. We wrote the Morning
News, strongly denying this report, and
our denial was published in the issue of
Dec. 8. Unfortunately for us, one of our
competitors sent out marked copies of the
Morning News of Saturday, Dec. 2, to our
customers, and this in the face of our
denial in Sundays issue. These marked
copies were followed by circular letter
presumably from the same concern, setting
forth it's opposition to- the trust, and its
willingness to accept customers who de-
sired to make a change. The party who
sent out the false information did not take
the trouble to send out papers containing
the correction. The result has been to
place US in very disagreeble attitude be-
fore the people of the state, and our Gus
toners in particular. We simply wish to
reterate what we have already told our
customers in persons, and by circular let
ter, that we have never mad any intention
Of entering the proposed combine, and that
we have no sympathy with the movement.
We have been consistent in opposition to
the movement. We might have rushed
into print to advertise ourselves ad libi-
tum and ad nauseam but we did not
choose to do so.''
Mr.. Battey's statement is sufficiently
to the point, to set his firm right, not only
with his customers, but with the naval
stores world.