The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-26
PUTTING ON SCREWS
The Gypsum Combine Is After the
Smaller Plaster Factories.
MAY CLOSE A TWIN CITY PLANT.
Prices Are Now 40 Per Cent Under
Those Ruling Eighteen
Months Ago.

Il War between the United States Gypsum
company, otherwise known as the gypsum
trust, and the independent owners OF gyp-
sum beds, who are also manufacturers OF
gypsum products has resulted In six OF
the largest plaster manufacturing con-
Germs in the west being forced into the
trust. These are all located at Fort
Dodge, Iowa, which is the principal plas-
ter supply point for the northwest. Min
neapolis and st. Paul each have plaster
manufacturing concern and both are
closely related to Fort Dodge factories
which have been taken over by the trust.
Although nothing official can be obtained
as to the future policy of the trust to-
ward these factories, it is reported in
plaster trade circles that one will proba-
bly, be closed: The South st. Paul factory
is believed to be the better situated with
regard to some of the raw material.
A War of Determination.
The United States Gypsum company has
been in progress of organization for sew
eral months. It's promoters went to work
on the proposition Of securing control of
the concerns engaged in the manufacture
of the various plasters made from gypsum
and also of the large gypsum beds. From
what can be learned of the financing of
the corporation, little if any money
changed hands when the various plants
were turned over to the trust. The in
dependent manufacturers were given
stock in the new corporation for their
properties, the theory being that good
earnings on the stock would be assured
by the elimination of competition, better
prices and less expense in supplying the
trade. Many of the Independents turned
the proposition down and fierce fight in
the plaster trade was Immediately begun.
The present prices Of the various plasters
MADE from gypsum are about 40 per cent
less than the figures ruling eighteen
mouths ago. A single cut of 80 per cent
was made at one time by the trust. This
war has ragged with unrelenting fury but
without tangible result until within the
last few days, when all but one of the
plaster concerns at Fort Dodge, Iowa,
Went into the combination. The Adamant
manufacturing company of Minneapolis
and the North Star Zenith Plaster COM
pany of South st. Paul are said to be
closely related to Fort Dodge concerns
now in the trust. The South ST.. Paul
plant is one of the best equipped in the
west. It is the opinion of the plaster
trade that if either is closed it will be the
Minneapolis plant.
One Independent Left.
The Mineral City Plaster company of
| Fort Dodge is the single big independent
factory left at that point. In letter to
| the trade its officers announce their in
! tentlon OF Keeping out Of the trust. There
is much money back of this concern and if
the trust continues it's tactics of cutting
! prices in order to force in all of the indie
pendents, the Mineral City. is expected by
plaster jobbers to give the combination a
long hot chase.
! Jobbers and dealers do not view the
coming OF the gypsum trust with any
alarm. They believe that anything that
will tend toward more stable prices will
be blessing to all concerned 1t is ex-
| pected that one result will be more sta
| Bile conditions in the local trade Com
petition has been fierce here for the past
year. 1t is also pointed out that the trust
will never be able to push prices beyond
an unreasonable figure. There are many
| gypsum beds in the west which it does not
control and unduly high prices would en-
/ courage the erection of new factories. 1t
also has to meet, in many instances, the
competition of the oldfashioned plaster
| and finish made from lime, to which many
builders are yet partial. Jobbers do not
believe that the trust will attempt to
! eliminate them in the distribution of it's
| products as conditions in the trade do not
| favor such plan.