The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-29
THE AMERICAN CAN TRUST
Thousands of Men Likely to Be
Thrown Out of Work.
The Combine Expected to Close Mt
Least Forty Per Cent of the Fac
fories-Other Industries TO Be At
fected by the Arrangement.

BALTIMORE. March Baltimore
brokers in cans and Gamers supplies are
disposed to regard the future of tie can
ming business here as very gloomy on
account of the American Tin Can Com
pany having obtained a practical mGnop-
oily of the Tin san trade IN the United
States.
J. l.. Rowland, well-known broker. at
is PostofFice Avenue, said yesterday 10
reporter that the tin can combine would
nave most serious effect not Only upon
the manufacture of cans. but upon the
canned goods trade.
The trust" said he. vii. result in
closing at least 46 per cent Of me country
canneries which have been operating in
Maryland and Delaware for some years
The reason for this is that such Gamers
viii no longer be able 10 obtain credit for
cans It was their custom TO buy cans on
time. pack their products, sell them. and
then pay for the cans out of the proceed
But now they viii have to pay for the
cans before they pack their goods, and
from IL 10 81 per cent of the small country
packers lack capital 10 do this
Moreover. the price of cans is now %
cents per leo more than Il was last tai-
and packers who have quoted prices upon
the belief that cans would remain at tie
old rate viii be subjected TO loss. The
trus, has advanced the price, but We have
no guarantee that il viii last u day or 4
week. and furthermore, in order ID
strengthen its grasp upon the people th"
combine has sent its agents abroad 90
prevent. if possible the shipment Of any
more foreign tin plate TO this country
Baltimore continued Mr. Rowland.
lis the great centre of the can tade, and
will consequently suffer more than any
other city from the operations OF the
trust BaltimOrs-maGe cans i'@eTv been
shipped everywhere throughout the United
States where canning is done, but the
plan of the trust Is 10 supply orders for
cans from the nearest factories. IhuS,
Chicago. for instance. viii fiji orders from
territory adjacent 10 that city. and BaIJl-
/ more which formerly shipped thIiher,
wiI lose correspondiugly, and she Viii not
: gain. because very few cans made III other
! parts Of the country have been sold in
! the territory close to Baltimore How
! many men will he thrown out OF WORK in
this city I cannot say, but their number
I y5fU run into the thousands. ] have heard
I it estimated that 1000 hands would be
made Idle here, Yet that figure seems to
/ me too high The total viii, however
{ be great
! In addition to the injury inflicted upon
! thu local tin can industry there viii be 4
! loss OF probably . per cent in the volume
/ of our canned goods business and also a
! corresponding dimiHution in the lumber
/ trade. which supplied material for the
/ cases in which the cans are packed Peo-
! pie do not Vet realize how serious mat
ter this can combine is IN its bearings
unon two great local industries
! Nobody knows yet how many can fac
/ tories are to be closed, but this much IS
! known. that the policy OF the trust Is 70
! operate 30 more plants here than are
/ necessary To supply orders from points TO
/ which freIghtS from Baltimore are cheap
: er than from other cities where it has fac
{ tories. y great m=Fy WOFknen are uu-
( doubtedly going TO suffer ia consequence
/ Another broker said that the loss 10 The
( can and canning industries here would be
/ come apparent only by degrees. as did tue
! loss resulting from the closing OF BATH
/ more's sugar refineries twenty-five years
/ ago
/ 1t Is a similar instance, IL went on TO
I SAY Not only our line of business, but
several others. will suffer Just how FAR
/ the harm viii extend can De learned only
/ by experience.
/ Thomas A Hand, an Independent manu-
faCtuEer Of tin cans, Ut 1f3l East LeNing-
/ ton Street said that he estimated Il loss
| of work for 200 to 1900 employees IN
/ Baltimore in consequence Of the Tin can
I combine
| only two trust can factories are now
/ being operated in Baltimore. and they are
/ making speciaIties, such as tobacco. bak-
! ing powder. olive oil and other cans which
are not used for either vegetables or fruit
| Some Of the closed factories are expected
To reopen in Il short time.