The Penn's Grove record., 1907-08-09
sflli aF1ER Fill POWDER TRUsrs
Gheekmated by Dissolution
The Government Files
An Amended Bill

Inc TACT that GHo ldTSeSb SIloheleSs
powder plant in this country owned by
the Dupont Powder Trust, is located two
miles below Penn's Grove where about
250 men of this region work, makes the
suit of the Government against the Pow
der Trust of home interest.
Two weeks g the Government filed a
bill in the U. S. Circuit Court at Will
mington against the E. l. Dupont de Ne.
mours Company OF Delaware. Evidently
the Company gained knowledge OF the
suit and Lad the Company legally dissol-
we'd on July 9th.
On last Tuesday, 9th, the Government
filed an amended bill, alleging conspiracy
and restraint of trade.
The amended bill contains additional
allegation to the effect that the DUPONT
Company of New Jersey, the Delaware
Company and the Latin 4 Rand Com
pany have obtained a monopoly OF 50
per cent. of the business in the manu-
facture and sale of gunpowder and
blasting powder throughout the United
States, and that the Eastern Dynamite
Company enjoys a practical monopoly
i'll the dynamite business. The amended
bill gives the full names CT the defendants
instead of their initials.
1t charges that on or about July n
the E. 1. duPant de Nemours Powder
| Company of Delaware, transferred a
large part of its unsold products and raw
materials, as well as other things neces-
sary to the operation of its business, to
the E. |. DUPONT de Nemours Powder
Company OF New Jersey, whereupon the
last named Company became an oper-
ating in addition to a holding company.
1t is further charged that during the
past four years the manufacture and
sale of gun and blasting powder In the
United States has been and is being
placed under the control OF the New
Jersey corporation, the Delaware con-
| Germ and the Latin & Rand Powder Com
pany. During this time the dynamite
uGlllCG has pCCh ulSOA uhS Nv "a
the Eastern Dynamite Company, and
the petition makes the additional charge
that both the New jersey and Delaware
DUPONT corporations, and the Latin q
Rand Powder Company have obtained
a monopoly OF IS per cent, OF the powder
business in the United States, and that
the Eastern Dynamite Company enjoys
a practical monopoly OF the dynamite
business.
BASIS OF THE ACTION
The present action OF the Government
in proceeding against the powder trust is
partly due to the long and persistent
campaign waged against the trust, car
ried on by Robert S. Waddell, of Peoria,
ill. He supplied the Department of JUS
tice with much data, which has been
verified, apparently, by the Investigations
OF special agents employed by the At
torney General. Mr.. Waddell has claim
ed that the prices charged the Govern
ment for powder were excessively high
and yielded a net profit OF 1l5 per cent.
to the powder monopoly. Besides Great
ing a monopoly III smokeless ordnance
powder, it is alleged that the DUPONT
trust had sought TO establish a monopoly
in dynamite, blasting and smokeIess
porting powder. There is some competi-
ton in these products. but the trust, it is
asserted, has combined and pooled to de-
stroy it.
1t had been intended by the Go vernment
t file its bill at Cincinnati, but this move
swas frustrated by the trust, which dis
posed of its subsidiary plant at that paint.
The Government then determined to at
tack the trust at Wilmington. Del, which
is the home of the E. l. dupont de Ne.
mours Company, of which Senator II. A
DUPONT is the President.
The holding company is known as the
DUPONT International Smokeless Powder
Company. Ii this company should be dis
solved by order of the court, the bust
ness would be carried on by five subsi-
diary companies, all of which are in per-
feet agreement by reason of the presence
| Oh the board Of each OF the same officers.
GOVERNMENT IN NEED of POWDER
An important reason why the Govern
ment does not want to stop the operations
OF the plants controlled by the trust is its
need of powder, both for the navy and
cost artillery. These plants now are
inadequate to supply the Governments
demand, being able to make only about
$4,000 pounds of powder per day. A first
class battleship carries about 76, OoC
pounds of smokeless powder, and, with
all it's guns blazing away, would dispose
of every ounce in half an hour. More.
over, a joint army and navy board, O
which Secretary Taft was president, re
ported that the Government, in order tc
be in a position properly to defend itsel
in case of war, should have on hand {
reserve OF more til al 80, DOC, 900 pounds. L
would be the height Of folly to endeavo,
to close the plants.
Crop Bulletin
George R. Kirby, at W~oodstown, sen