Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-05-09
ADVANCE IN PLOWS.
Northwestern Association Votes
an Increase of Is Per Cent
on All Products.
A MEETING HELD IN CHICAGO.

| Those Participating IN the conference
Persistent Talk That a Trust Has Been
Formed and C. IL. Deere. of Moline, Made
PresIdent-Story Is Denied.
AS a result of a meeting of manu-
facturers at the Great Northern hotel,
Chicago, yesterday afternoon there
will be an immediate advance in the
price of steel plows. The gathering
was a specially convened session of
the Northwestern Plow association,
called to consider trade needs with
reference to recent heavy increases in
the cost of raw materials. After five
hours deliberation behind the closed
doors of parlor l. SO, it was declared
the unanimous senselof the 81 fact
cries represented that at least Is per
cent should be added to the selling
price of all manufactured goods.
j. Harley Bradley, of the David
Bradley Manufacturing company,
Chicago, presided as chairman of the
meeting, and ). f. Prather, of the
Sattley Manufacturing company,
Springfield, ILL.,, was secretary.
Members of the association who are
said to have participated in the con-
ference are: David Bradley Manu-
featuring company, Chicago; Sattley
Manufacturing company, Fort Madi-
son, Iowa; Peru Pillow and Wheel
company, Peru, ILL.,; Deere e Co.,
Moline, ILL.,; Lacrosse Plow company.
Lacrosse. Wis; Kingman Plow COM
pany, Peoria. Ill. :; Grand Detour Plow
company, Dixon, H.; j. |. Case Plow
Works, Racine, Wis; Collins Pillow
company, Quincy, ILL.,; Pekin Plow
Pekin, ILL.,; Parlin IL Orendorf com
pany, Canton, ILL.,; Rock Island Plow
company, Rock Island, ILL.,; Moline
Plow company, Moline, ILL.,; Oliver
Chilled Plow company, South Bend,
Ind; Il. & II. Smith company. Pekin,
ILL.,; Buscher & Gibbs Plow company,
Canton, o.; Fuller IL johnson Manu-
featuring company, Madison, Wis;
St. Joseph Manufacturing company,
St. Joseph, Mo.
The proposition to make their pro-
duct more of luxury was taken up
by the manufacturers after several of
their mum Der had told doleful tales of
reduced profits incident to the booms |
in the steel and iron market. 1t was
asserted that self-protection not only |
warranted but demanded radical re- |
vision of the pillow price list. Much |
ensued rs to how heavy the
increase should be, resulting in
of ID per cent, with
a tacit agreement to make figure
higher if conditions suggest.
Deny the Trust Story.
The officers of the meeting denied
that the pillow men had been summon
ed to Chicago to talk trust" or that
the subject of the proposed combina-
ton had ever been preached. The
Chicago Record saws that two lead
ing figures in the days affairs,
however, were j. Harley Bradley and
Z. III. Deere, of Moline who attended
the New York conference last week, at
which details of the new organization
are said to have been outlined. That
they failed to take advantage of dis
the project with such n rep
gathering of kindred in
Lerests is not thought probable.
The Times-Herald sticks to the
claim that pillow trust has been form
ed and G. II. Deere, of Moline, elected
is president.
Upon inquiry at the Rock Island
'low company's office today it was
earned that +. A. Head. vice presi-
lent of the company, had attended
he Chicago conference and had gone
rom there to Minneapolis but how
seriously the arrangements entered
nto yesterday would aft ect the local
concern was not known. As is
,nown to ARGUS readers, Mr.. Head
las been heretofore positive in his
declarations that the Rock Island
Flow company had not gone into
rust and would not be affected by
my that might be formed.
G. ii. Deere returned to Moline this
morning from Chicago, where he
ttended yesterdays meeting. He
tates there is no truth in the asser-
ions as to the formation of 4 trust;
hat the gathering was simply for the
purpose of raising the prices of
Implements ID per cent. which was
lone, and that so far rs his particular
ompany is concerned, it had given
ptiOn on certain amount of its
took in New York for what is to he
allied a ''Public company"
Glorious News