Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-04-19
The formations Of the Associated

The formation Of the Associated
Merchants Company, chartered in
Connecticut for the purpose of acquir-
ing various dry goods businesses in
New York and other large cities, in
cluding tie d. B. Clefiin Company, the
Adams DRY Goods Company and James
McCreery & Co., has naturally attract
ed . great deal of attention in trade
circles, ell over the country, and there
has been some expression Of a fear that
this big corporation, with its capital Of
twenty millions, was but the beginning
Of a series Of such aggregations Of cap
ital which, within a comparatively short
time, might extend their influences to
the smaller cities and merge under one
general control the leading retail dry
goods houses of the entire country, just
as sundry manufacturing concerns have
been absorbed.
Yesterday a representative of the
Register interviewed a number of local
dry goods men with reference to to the
consolidation. He found a lively inter-
est in the subject, but no evidence that
any Wheeling interest was concerned,
nearly or remotely.
Mr.. F. C. H. Schwertfeger said:
mo Wheeling business is involved in
the proposed consolidation, but I don't
like it. We have too much of that
sort of thing now, and nobody can tell
where it is going to end. 1t puts too
and squeezes the little fellows out. A
corporation like that could buy cheap
er than small firms, because in larger
quantities, and could sell certain lines Of
goods at prices no competitor could
touch. The end would be the bust
ness anihilation of the individual mer-
chant, and the Strengthening of the
combine. One combination appears to
beget another, and for n l don't like
to see the thing started in our bust
ness"
Mr.. George r.. Taylor said:
II don't believe the trust idea can
be applied to the dry goods business to
advantage. The business is too diver
sified. The plan will work very well
when but one commodity is made or
handled, such as glass, nails, structural
iron, ETC., but in the dry goods bust
ness as at present conducted there is a
great diversity of goods in the stock,
as well as a constant change. You will
handle a line this season with great
success, and never handle it again,
while tomorrow you may put in a line
OF goods you never handled before.
There is a constant change, and for
that reason, and for others, / do not
think the conditions are favorable for
a combination in the nature of a trust
in our line of trade"
Mr.. George M. Shook, when spoken
to about the matter, said:
81 have looked over the proposition
dS maui ny MI. SldHlu, anu uO uOC COLL
slider it a good business proposition. OF
course, such a combination could be
made, but whether or not 1t can be
successfully carried out upon sound
business principles is a proposition l
very much doubt. There is a tendency
on the part of big concerns to break
into the New York market, and also
a disposition on the part Of firms and
corporations owning manufacturing
plants to secure a wider and more ex-
elusive market for their good. This is
exemplified in the opening of branch
houses by John Wanamaker and Siegel,
Cooper & Co. in the metropolis. Sew
eral Philadelphia firms have evidenced
a disposition to do likewise, among the
Shallenberger and ~Strawbridge & Cloth
Ter. The proposed combine is not a
good thing, in my opinion, and our
tss