The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-17
RUMORS OF A TRUST
Are Denied by Men Interested
in Hay.
MARKET PRICE QUOTED
As Proof That Prices Have
Not Advanced.

The hay men say that there is nothing
to the rumor that is floating around town
that there is a hay trust movement on
foot among the local dealers"
For the past day or two there has been
a rumor that the dealers were preparing
to organize a combination and corner the
hay market of this city and tributary
territory. Several citizens were much ex-
ercised over it and demanded that an in
vestigation be made. saying that they
were "agin" trusts and combines. and
they did not want to see the price OF
hay advanced so high that when man
bought bale he would think ne was
buying a gold brick. or would force him
to feed his noble steed on sasdust or
go without the necessary fodder TO make
him step a fast mile to the family car
riage
zone hay merchant. when accused Of
having cornered the hay market. said:
IF the people in the city who think they
pay too much for hay W. investigate
the matter, they Will Ind that they are
buying hay on a strictly shipping basis.
For instance. the law of supply and de-
mand governs the price OF hay. We don't
have TO have any trust 20 make prices
here in Wichita on the balance of the
years crop. for it is a limited quantity,
not only here, but all over the country.
There was only half crop. TO start on.
raised this past season, and a great many
dealers have disposed Of their holdings.
Late market reports from st. Louis and
Chicago show very little western praisfe
nay in consignment at these places. and
it is expected by commission merchants
that the prices will go higher. on April
Is No. l hay was selling in Chicago for
from 81 to S12. so per ton, and the freight
from here is s. per ton. making from
>. TO 81 80 for the hay-about what we are
paying in this city"
There are several firms in this city in
the wholesale hay business, and the
rumor of the trust combination origin
ated in a dea! made by J. H Turner with
the Western Grain and Storage company
whereby Turner bought from the storage
company about 600 tons of this season
crop which, together with the 600 tons
he already owns, puts MIN in command
As the most OF the crop raised in the
eastern section Of the ate, several
thousand tons, was markete4 and shipped
out of the state early IN the season. in
order to protect the trade here.
Mr.. Dewing Of the Western Grain and
Storage company, says he is confident
that there is no trust or combination
formed by LIE local dealers. and that
though he expects the price of hay TO
advance some, it Will not be caused by
the efforts any trust but BY the natural
causes of supply and demand.
There is less hay in the stack now than
for any time in FIVE years at any season
of the year. Farmers have begun to
realize thai their alfalfa Is as valuable
as bran, and have not been selling but
feeding it. It has been found that J. II.
Turner. and Mr.. Cox. the East Douglas
avenue hay man, handle perhaps the
largest amounts of hay of any dealers in
this territory, and they aliege that there
is far from being any combination be-
tween them. or likely TO be. 1t is said
that Mr.. Cox has some 4our hundred
tons at Douglas Kan. some at Keighly
and some at other places. and it is known
that Turner has N the neighborhood
of a thousand tons. The claim Is mace
that as no one has monopoly OF the
hay there cannot be any trust and a
few are inclined TO the belief that what
seems to be a corner on the market IS
nothing more nor less than business
shrewdness. But be that as it may. the
rumor Of hay trust is on. and it was
the sole theme Of discussion among hay
consumers yesterday.