Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1899-01-04
SUGAR WAR In CHICAGO
Scene Of Activities Changes Once
More to the West.
Immense Amount Of Money Lost by the
Fight = Arbuckle Selling Di.
rect 10 Retailers.

saws: Chicago has become the
chief battle-ground in the contest
between the trust and the Arbuc-
kles and the Doerschers, it's pow
erful rivals.
Yesterday the price of "outsides
sugar" was cut one eighth cent
below trust prices, reaching al
most the lowest quotation on re-
cord. The drop was accompanied
by developments that showed the
existence of a little trust among
Wholesale grocers to sup
port the sugar trust, and
also that new Richmond
was in the field in the shape of
beet sugar supply. The trust was
not ready to meet it's rivals prices,
but is expected to do so today.
The circumstances leading up
to the cut are these: Arbuckle
Bros. and the Doerschers own
sugar refneries on the Atlantic
seaboard that have a daily cspaci-
ty Of five thousand and $500 bar
rels respectively. Both plants
we're started less than six months
ago and both invaded Chicago
with their goods early in the fall.
The trust was ready for them.
In September, seeing that rival
goods were to be offered,
its representatives visited the
jobbing trade and sug-
gested that contract be signed by
which any amount of sugar, up to
stated quantity, might be pur-
chased by the jobber at given
price and that low one. This
was to cut the ground from under
the trusts rivals, but it was made
only to it's factors.
The latter are all the wholesale
grocers except two or three, whose
arrangement with the trust pro-
vides for rebate of from one.
eighth to one-sixteenth from the
list price, to be made periodically.
The Arbuckles and Doerchers
when they entered the Chicago
market, made cut in prices. 1t
did not bring the expected in
crease in sales, as the jobbers
were able under their contracts to
draw on the trust for sugar at the
same price. The contracts began
expiring a short time ago. Before
the date was reached the trusts
representatives visited the factors
and extended the agreement.
When the Arbuckles and Dvers,
cheers found this out they, on We'd
nesday last announced a cut to
$40, and coupled with it the no
tice they would do business direct
with the retail trade. Yesterday
they follow it up with further
cut to 5.15-a full one-eighth cent
below the II ust price. The local
houses of the Arbuckles and
Doerschers were bombsrded with
business. Statesmen for the jobbers
and wholesalers came in to report
the market was taken away from
the trust, that all the retailers in
Chicago we're dealing with the
opposition. No attempt was made
to meet the price, but there was
possibly q reason for this. A
meeting of the sugar committee
was called in the com mercial ex-
change, but adjourned until today
when it is expected the trust price
will be announced.
One year ago the difference be-
tween the prices of raw and re.
fined sugars was about $l.25.
Yesterday it was 81 cents, or
nearly 50 per barrel. If the
sugar trusts output is 10000 bar
rels a day, little figuring will
give a fair approximate idea of
the vast sum the fight has cost.
Within the last week or two
fifteen carloads Of beet sugar have
arrived in Chicago, the first to
reach this market. This sugar
was sold below the trust price, and
it is said arrangements are max
ing to handle an output of half a
dozen factories built and building
in near by States. All these
features create situation which
we'll informed men in the trade
said pointed to the conclusion the
war would be fought out in this