Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-23
MAINE WOODEN MILLS
Who will Not Enter Trust will Form 0rsani-
zation Of Their Own.

PittsfieId. Me-, March 22.-tSpeclai).--
The wooden manufacturers who viii
not sell their plants to the proposed
trust are contemplating forming COM
bination of the manufacturers in this
State. The plan is as yet only in an
embryonic state but there is excellent
prospect that it will be carried
through.
When the meeting of the WOODEN
manufacturers was held in WaterViile,
about a month ago, it was the adVlce
of the men who wish to form COM
bne to include all the manufacturers
in New England. At that time the
manufacturers talked over the matter
but nothing definite was decided on.
Thomas Sampson. of the Nassalooro
Wooden Mills. and Lewis Anderson of
the Coburn Wooden Mills in Skowhe-
gan. were delegated to go to Boston
and make an investigation of the pro-
posed dealings of the trust.
On their return from Boston some
of the manufacturers who were seen
said that they did not think that any
of the manufacturers of wooden goods
i'm this section of the State would go
into the trust. One of the principal
objections to going into the trust was
that the prices which the men at the
head of the plan proposed to pay for
the plants were not high enough and
the manufacturers came to the con
clusion that they could make more
money out of running their plants
themselves than by selling at such a
low figure.
Since that time several of the manu-
facturers of worsted goods have been
seriously contemplating selling their
plants to the trust. In fact there have
been rumors that the plants have been
sold.
Thomas Sampson when interviewed.
last evening. said that as yet the plant
of the Vassalboro Wooden Co. had not
been sold to the trust although there
was probabilit that the plant would
be sold A similar report comes from
other places. The companies which
are thus far talking most seriously of
going into the wooden trust are those
engaged In the manufacture of worst
ed goods.
Those companies who have not yet
sold to the trust and do not propose
TO do so on account of the low prices
offered for the plants have received an
invita- ton to go into another trust
composed of strictly wooden manufact-
urers. That invitation was received
some time ago and representatives
were sent to Boston to look into the
matter. OF late nothing has been
heard of the plan and the Maine man
n n
opinion tina; the plan has fallen
through.
At the same time the manufa cturers
of wooden goods feel that there is j
possibility that they may be able 4"
compete with the trust and its methods
and that something may nave to De
done by them to protect their own IN
serests To carry out that plan 1t Is
proposed to form combination among
wooden manufacturers i'll this state
AS vet the plan has not yet reached a
definite form. When the trust is 10
be formed and when il is to go into
operation are things too far off to be
definitely thought of.
Only one thing has yet been definite
Is decided and that is that the combi-
nation Will include only those plants
engaged exclusively in the manufac-
ture of WOODEN goods as opposed to
those engaged in the manufacture OF
worsted goods. 1t is the manufactur-
ers of the latter class of goods who are
thinking of going into the larger trust
There has been talk and dispatc hes
sent out that the Dobscn Wooden Mills
in Skowhegan. have gone into the
larger wooden trust. One of the own
ers of the mill when seen, yesterday at
ternoon. said that there was no truth
in the report and that there was not
the slightest probability that the mills
would go into the trust. When asked
The reason why the mills would not go
into the trust the Journals informant
said that it was because the owners
could not afford to sell out their plant
at the price offered.
There has been talk, also. that the
roburn Wooden Mills would go into tbs
trust Lewis Anderson. the principal
owner of the plant, when interviewed
last evening. said that there is no
truth in the rumor that the mills have
been sold to the trust. When asked II
here was any possibility that the mills
would be sold to the trust he said that
there was. When it would take place
he could not say. In further speaking
If the matter he said that if the mills
were sold to the trust that they would
continue under the same management
he said that he thought they would
As vet nothing is far enough along in
he movement for anything definite to
be learned.
With the Maine trust formed it is un-
derstood that the movement will not
effect the ownership of the mills but
that they will. remain in the same
hands that they are now in. The COM
bination will be for the purpose of pro-
.ecting themselves against the methods
which may be used by the larger trust
so that they may continue business at
fair profit as at the present time.