Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-29
nV[ HUNDRED LET { OUT
Decrease in Consumption OF
Meats Causing Dull Times
for the Packers.
One Chicago Firm Discharges
500 Employees Because OF
Lack of Work.
Denial Of Rumor That a Billion
Dollar Taust Will Be
Formed.

Chicago. April 29.-Fi.e hundred en-.
moves of the packing firm of Libby,
Mcneil and Libby We're released, owing
to dull times" today. Superintendent
Morrow said the proposed government
investigation Of the packing business
had nothing to do with the letting or
Of employees and that the plant would
be by no means closed. Representa-
tiyes Of Armour and Company, swift
and Company, and other large packers
today denied there was the least foun-
dation for the rumor that adverse ac-
ton Of the government might result
in the packers forming billion dollar
trust.
United States Attorney Bethea and
Special Counsel Day, with their as
sistants and clerks, began their regular
daily session Of preparations for the
injunction suit behind closed doors al
9 o'clock in the morning. 1t was given
out unofficially that the federal at
torneys had not yet began work on
their bill. but were epnfining their at
tention to an investigation and con-
alteration of the evidence in their
possession.
The extreme care with which the
attorneys are preparing for the draft
Ing of their bill for an injunction is
said to be due to their fear that they
will meet with an adverse ruling on
demurrer as soon as the bill is pre-.
sef1fed tn Judge KOhlSaat
Even If Mr.. Bethea does not send his
bill to Washington for Attorney Cen
;eral Knox's approval before filing, 1t
will not be in shape until the latter
part Of the week. Next Monday is
thought to be the earliest date on which
1t will be fled.
Chicago. April 2s.-The Tribune
says:
A billion dollar packing trust is
smong the possibilities If the United
States government should succeed in
maintaining its contemplated injunc-
tion proceedings. The prediction was
made In La Sale street financial circles
yesterday that the large packers who
may. be made defendants in the federal
court will be forced formally to COM
bine II the prosecution against them
under the Sherman antitrust law
should be successful.
The combination would be formed
along the lines followed by the United
States Steel Corporation, and would be
made to comprise practically all the
beef packing companies in the country.
In the formation Of such combination
nll the powers now denied the packers,
with one exception, could be legally ex-
ercised. The single exception, in the
opinion Of corporation lawyers, would
be. the adoption Of an arbitrary and un-
reasonable schedule of prices
Many attempts have been made in the
ras. to form such combination, but
ell have been unsuccessful. During the
life time of F. d. Armour the question
of the formation of huge packing
combina ton to include all the Chicago
firms was discussed. but Mr. Armour
stood firm against all such proposals.
It is claimed that at one time the
Project went so far as to be considered
by the heads of all the large Chicago
firms, but tho question 0. the allotment
of capital stock is understood to have
been the rock on which the plan went
to pieces.