The Minneapolis journal., 1902-02-27
GYPSUM CO.'S PLAN
It's Not Out to Cut Prices or Wage
War.
so SAYS IT'S GENERAL MANAGER
minneapolis Plant to he Opera ted at
Its Full Capacity-Fargo May
Get Mill.

c. G. Root, general manager of the
promoting and developing department OF
the United States Gypsum company, VINO
! came to st. Paul from Chicago, Monday
morning, for the purpose OF invoicing the
stock Of the Baker Cementico company OF
+! that city and OF taking over its real
| estate, reports the closing OF the deal
which makes the Baker Cementico COM
| pany and the Baker Wall Plaster company
a part of the United States Gypsum COM
pany. Mr.. Root would not give the exact
| figures, but says the prices of the differ
ent plants taken over have run from
( $4,000 to 100000, one costing even more
He states also that the plants will be
! operated With renewed vigor. For the
present there will be no change in the
local management. The output Of the
two plants runs from IS to 100 carloads
a month. One Of the factories makes
high-priced wall finish, the other simply
a wall plaster.
| The United States Gypsum company
contemplates putting in, mixing plant
| at Fargo this summer or fall for the
| manufacture Of materials for distribution
| in tributary territory.
| Mr.. Root says:
Contrary to statements published there Is
no attempt, nor will there be, on the part OF
the United States Gypsum company, to apply
screws to any company manufacturing gyp-
sum products.
| There has been no reduction nor change
| in the prices Of gypsum products since the
| United States Gypsum company has been an
| organization. -e., .sz,-
! In view of this fact the statements that
single cut of 80 per cent was made at one
time by the trust and that this war has
| ragged with uurelenting fury but without
| tangible result until within the last few
i days, when all but one OF the plaster con-
Germs at Fort Dodge, Iowa, went into the
combination are SO utterly absurd that a
Tefutation seems scarcely necessary. There
has been no attempt in any instance from any
mill owned by this company to make any
| break i'll prices to change former methods
| OF doing business since the United States
| Gypsum company has assumed control. Fur
| ther than this the United States Gypsum
| company is in no sense trust, as the natural
conditions controlling this product are SUI
| fcient guarantee that such a condition is i'm
possible. Not one penny of new capital has
| been put into the business. 1t is simply a
! coming together Of some of the prominent
gypsum manufacturers in'the hope of being
able to sell goods without a loss.
| So long as the United States Gypsum COM
pany is permitted to run it's own business
| the adamant plant al Minneapolis will be one
! of its leading factors.
! In regard to our South St. Paul plant
| just purchased, it will not be our purpose tc
| make its business at least any less than il
is at present, We hope to increase yer!
| largely it's output. Up to the present time
it has done one third as much business aS
the adamant plant in Minneapolis, but We
think this can be largely increased.
We organized Dec. y under the laws o
New Jersey, with a capital Of $7,500,000. W.
| have twenty-eight companies in our organi
| Zation, with seven more that are either undel
contract have sgnihed a desire to join us
! When get these in we shall have no de
sire, and do not expect, to take in any more
This leaves some Of the largest mills in tht
| United States out, including all eastern sea
board mills and several in Ohio, Michigan
| the southwest and the Black Hills. ~.
The object is more especially to combin
the plaster interests against the encroach
ments Of their natural competitor, lime, ant
to endeavor SO far as possible to eliminate
the causes that have compelled the manufac
turers of gypsum products to do business
an absolute loss for the past two. or thre
years.