The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-14
WILL BUY OUT
WE[LS-WH|7'EHEAD
Rumors to That Effect in Rich
mond Yesterday Afternoon,
BRITISH TOBACCO MEN HERE
President Briggs. of the Carolina
Brights" Concern Also in the City.
The Move Would Be One of
Great Significance.

The arrival in Richmond yesterday
morning of three prominent members OF
me Imperial Tobacco Company OF Great
britain and Ireland has stirred up the
Richmond tobacco market to a hiSh
pitch of interest, and has put every
member of the trade here on the Qu1
vf.e for expected important develop
mcnts. The presence at the same tlnae
Of the head OF the Welis-Whltlock 10
bacco Company, OF Wilson, n. c., and
other facts in this line, have set aioot
new and exceedingly interesting rumors
OF a possible deal, which. though ilnpof-
1ant in itself, will be much more IN It's
significance.
The three gentlemen from England are
Mr. N. r. Clarke Of William Clarke
Son, of Liverpool; Mr.. j. u. Pleyer' oi
Nottingham, and M. Ernest H M. Gum,
of w, d. and II. Q. Wills, Of Bristol.
they reached New York Monday on the
steamer 6axonia and without delay came
IN to Richmond. Yesterday they spcn1
ihe larger portion Of their time at -Is
offices Of the Imperial Company mere
and held long conference with MT. MO
Donald, the resident director of the coi:.
paiIy In the afternoon they VISITED DIT
ferent points in the city. They spoons
last night at Rreeers Hotel. where they
nre staying for the present,
At the offices Of the Imperial abso-
lutcly nothing could be learned concern
ing the object Of the visit. The local
representatives of the company, Messrs
Thomas & Reed, admitted that the gen
tlcmeu had arrived from England, but
would say nothing further. On the out
side various and sundry rumorS were
afloat in connection with the matter.
In the main, these ru1nors took three
directions: One that the gentlemen had
come here with view to arranging to
establish manufacturing plants through
out the country; another that their mis-
sion was to buy out the Universal To-
bacco Company or else effect some CO.
operative scheme with that concern; and
third that the visitors had no definite
idea in view, but are here TO look over
the situation, consider various plans. and
hen decide upon SOME steps.
THE WELLS-WHITE>HE CO.
Late yesterday afternoon, however,
there developed a new phase Of the mat
ter, which gave it somewhat of a new
twist 1t was learned that Mr. Briggs.
president Of the Wells-Whitehead T'obac-
60 Company. of Wilson. n. c.. n1anufac7
ti;rers of the well known Carolina
R;sghts" brand OF cigarettes, was also
il The city, and later were heard rumoIs
TO the effect that something was up in
tits quarter. One of the local directors
peculiarly reticent about the visit Of the
Imrerial people, and limited at something
which might come out in day or two.
These several facts. combined with recent
r,mo-s concerning the North Carolina
concern. lead to the belief that the Wells
Whitehead Company will probably be
bought out by the Imperial Tobaccs
Company. and that deal is already be-
Ing made.
The special significance in such a move
would be in the fact that it would once
Tor all define the policy of the Imperial
Company, and would indicate plainly that
the British trust intended to manufacture
tobacco on this side of the water. 1t:
would hardly stop at one factory. but
with Its almost unlimited resources would
go on to do the thing on big scale,
establishing manufacturing plants in va
rious portions of the country. Apart
from the vast results of the mere estab-
iishment of the factories, this would mean
that new and potent factor had en-
tered the tobacco world of America, and
that no end of struggle between the
two giant trusts might be expected.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSAL.
Well posted tobacco men do not believe
that the Imperial win make any deter
mined effort to buy out the Universal,
as has been runlored from time to time
during the past three or four months.
The likelihood is that if any step is taken
in the direction OF the Universal, it will
be toward effecting some cooperative
alliance between the two concerns. Still
, it is by no means thought to be improb-
able that the Imperial might decide to
buy out the Universal entire. While 1t
is not regarded as likely, the thing might
occur, If for no other reason, that the
Universal claims to have a fairly good
stock on hand, and the Imperial will
need all the tobacco 1t can set if it in
tends to manufacture here.
AS stated above, the whole matter is
in fact a big system Of gucsswork,
wor ked out with great care by an inter-
selves thus far haven't said a Word. In
fact. they declare most empha ticaily that
While they are sorry to do it they have
adopted policy to do business otherwise
than through the newspapers.
HAVE FULL POWER.
In recent issue of the New York Com
mel cial Advertiser was printed mott
Interesting article in connection with The
visit of the British tobacconists. The
Commercial said in part:
"a committee OF three members Of the
Imperial Tobacco Company, all &c them
veterans in the tobacco trade, has left
England with instructions to at once
Rdupt such measures as in their judgment
will most surely and quickly give their
company foothold here. TIE New York
Commercial learns or the best authority
that this committee comes with full power
20 form any coalition for the Imperial.
aner fully considering the best methods
o. attacking the combine in the United
States, which is the profit field OF the