The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1907-05-08
FILTERS ARE
DELETERIOUS
That's the Opinion of DR..
B, B. Ross
DEALERS KNOW OF NO TRUST
Interesting Data in Testimony Be-
fore Fertilizer Committee.
state Chemist and Manufacturer Dis
agree Oh Question ~ to wheth-
er Material Used as Filler is
Damaging 10 Soil.

That the utilization of "fllers" in
commercial fertilizers decreased the eff
fectiyeness of the fertilizers, was the
sense of the evidence offered yesterday
by DR.. b. d. Ross. State Chemist, who
was witness before the Legislatures
Committee on Cotton Seed Oil Mill and
Fertilizer Investigation.
DR.. Ross in the course of his exami-
nation. said that all moneys paid to
him for analyses were paid to him
as an official of the laboratory at the
Alabama Polytschnic Institute and
were properly rendered by him to the
proper persons authorized to receive
the feeS
In addition to DR.. Ross. the commit
tee examined W. F. VaRdiver. Vice
President, and ]. W. Huger President
Of the Alabama Chemical Company, of
Montgomery, who denied the company's
participation In an alleged trust: and
other manufacturers who testified as to
the alleged combination and as to the
qualities of the fertilizers they offered
The meeting of the Committee yes.
terday was not greatly different from
It's sessions on Monday. More wit
nesses were examined but practically
no new points Of view upon the stu
alton were shown,
or the sessions to be held TODAY n
w Eotapie that senator NJ. l.. Leith of
walker. who Ia chairman of the Con,
mittee, will be absent on account OF
business IN JASPER, and that Senator
John W. Overton Of Randolph, one OF
the leaders of the Senate. will be chair
man in his place.
No Knowicdge of Combination.
W. F, Vandiyer. of Montgomery
wee president OF the Alabama Chemi-
cai Company was the first witness be-
fore the COMMITTEES yesterday. Mr.
Vandiyer said that he knew very lit
tie about the details of the workings
or the plant of the company of which
he Is vice president. He denied the
company was member of any combi-
nation or trust. In speaking of in
dependent plants" Mr. Vandver said
he meant by Independent plants those
which We're not under the control of
the trusts. He denied knowledge Of
any organization Of the independant
plants
j. w. Hugar president of the Ala
bama Chemical Company also denied
that the Company was a member of
any combination OF manufacturers. He
said he had never received any price
list from other manufacturers and
had never sent his own price list to
any other manufacturer. His eompa-
ny, he declared. had no agreement
with any other company in reference,
to prices.
Speaking of filters, Mr. Huger said
that all manufactuI ers of commercial
fertilizers used them and that the
farmer paid no more for them than did
the manufacturer He stated that If
the farmers would buy high grade fer
tilizers they would not buy filters.
s. NJ. C. Howell, president of the
Peoples Fertilizer and Gin Company
at Midland, said that the secretary of
his company had received a price list
from the Virginia Carolina Chemical
Company. but that his company had no
agreement with that or any other com
pany in regard to prices.
That his company was member OF
the Southern Fertilizer Manufacturers
sseciation was admitted by J. @.
whitfield, president of the Jefferson
Fertilizer Company, of Birmingham, but
he denied that prices had been dis
cussed at the meeting of the associa-
ton at which he had been present
1t was paid by the manufacturer, who
in turn made the consumer pay for
1t.
d. C. Cooper, of the Oxford Oil Com
pany, was the last witness in the morn
ing session. and his testimony was
continued into the afternoon session.
His evidence afforded no new phase of
the buDJetl.
Filters Hurt The soil.
DR.. B. B. Ross. State Chemist. was
the most interesting witness of the
entire day. DR.. Ross was questioned
at great length. He stated that he be-
lieved the employment of filters les
sened the usefulness of commercial
fertilizers, and he told the committee
of the details of the manufacture and
utilization of commercial fertilizers.
The fees paid to him for analyses,
he said, were In turn properly given
to the laboratory of the Alabama Poly
teehnic Institute Mt Auburn.
Following DR.. Ross was Manager
CASTOR, of a cotton seed oil mill and
fertilizer mixture plant in Wilcox
county, who testified that his plant
had utilized sand and other substances
as filler, but that he believed the
substances wers not deleterious. He
denied any knowledge of a comblna-
ton or trust in which his plant was
concerned.
Manaker Nuzum. of Tuscaloosa plant,
was the next witness. His testimony at
forded no new information.
The committee adjourned late yes
terday afternoon TO meet this NOM