The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-04-10
TIL II T'OSPQS ED TRUST
For Makers of Baskets, Casket Trim
mings and Undertake rs' Supplies.


Concerning the proposed trust, in
which manufacturers of trimmings and
undertaking supplies all over the coun-
try are interested, yesterdays New
York Herald says:
1t is expected that coffin trust,
which will represent 80 per cent. Of the
manufacturers of this country, will be
in operation on May /. The trust will
have a capital of s2O,OOO,OOo.
Efforts to organize the trust were be-
gun in August last. John Fl. Parks Is
the promoter. In order to get the man
ufaeturers in the combination, many in
ducements were made and every wire
was worked. The organizers even have
gone to the stockholders of coffin and
casket companies in order to force a
company into the project.
There has been the keenest kind of
competition between coffin manufacture
ers for several years. The condition of
the trade is said to be unsatisfactory,
owing to the great competition. The
project to combine all the manufacture
ers is meant to bring about better con-
ditions in the trade. l was informed
that the trust will mean advanced
prices and a reduction of about one-half
in the working force.
AS such reduction in the operations
will mean loss of employment to about
six thousand persons and greater ex-
pense to the public by reason of the adj
vanced prices for undertakes supplies,
the trust will appeal to popular interest,
particularly as its operation will mean
a big tight against smaller combina-
ton Of independent manufacturers.
There has never been attempted a
combination of this kind before. In this
country the number of manufacturers
is about one hundred and ten, of which
80 per cent. are represented In the conn
bination,
Among those who are in 1t are the
National Casket company of this city;
the New York and Brooklyn Coffin COM
pany, Fl. e. Taylor e Co.. Erie Burial
company, of Erie; Hornthal Burial COM
pany Of Chicago: c. G. Curtis company
Of Chicago, the Chicago Coffin company,
the Cincinnati Coffin company, Sargent
s. Co., of New Haven; the Textile Man
ufacturing company, the Crane &
Breed Manufacturing company, of Gin
cinnati; the New Haven Casket COM
pany, the Ohio Valley Coffin company,
of Lawrenceburg, Ind; the Dubuque
Casket company, f. G. Riddle &
Brother, of st. Louis the Chattanooga
Coffin and Casket company, of Chatta-
nooga Tenn; the Mount Coffin COM
pany and the Kregel Casket company,
of st. Louis.
The only two New York manufacture
ers not in the trust are j. & j. Stolts
and Hornthal g. Co. Altogether only
about one dozen coffin making concerns
of the country have not accepted the
chance to join in the project.
About ninety concerns were represent
ed at meeting in the Waldorf-Astoria
on Thursday. A committee represent
ing twenty Eight of the leading manu-
facturers was appointed to attend to the
formation of the trust ]. T. Crane of
Cincinnati presided at the meeting.
The proposition, 1t is said, Is to raise
a cash capital for the combination out
of the concerns. At first 1t was sug-
gested that bankers be enlisted in the
formation of the trust, but this plan has
been abandoned. [ was informed that
when the trust shall be In operation
many plants will be closed. Already |
the books of the concerns in the COM
bination are being audited, so that the
business of each plant can be deter
mined.
The undertakes at the present time,
It is asserted, are making more money
than manufacturers of undertakers' |
supplies. There is a good profit in their |
business, particularly as most of the |
very poor persons are insured for suf-
icent sum to obtain a good burial.
Among undertakers there will be great
interest in the trust, for it may mean
liminution of their profits.