The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-20
SYNDICATE WANTS
RICHMOND BAKERY
american Bread and Bakery. CO.
Approached by Antitrust
Concern.
s4,o00,0oo BEHIND SCHEME.
Officers Of Richmond Company
Considering OffcrSand Will
Decide Shortly.


dollars a New York syndicate, which
is preparing to combine all OF the Lead
ing bakeries In tho South and East
under one head, has submitted a prop
osition for the purchase Of the Amer
lean Bread and Bakery plant, In Rich
mcnd. which began operations two
weeks ago. The negotiations have
been conducted quietly, but further
than the statement that the Richmond
company has the matter under con-
sideration, nothing further could be
learned of tho deal. 1t was said, how
ever that decision would be given one
way or the other. within the next few
days. a.
Starting in New York, the promoters
OF this gigantic enterprise are reaching
out over wide territory, and may
includes the largest establishment I'M
New Orleans. At present the plan
calls forlthe control of at least twenty
five establishments, located in as many
cities. The main idea of the sSndic cate
is to fight the National Biscuit Com
pany for the trade Of the various sec
tions, and it was agreed that no pro-
gress in that direction could be made
the combination.
Plant May BE Sold.
while / am not at liberty to dis
close the nature of the negotiations"
said a man closely identified with the
American Bread and Bakery Company
here, "there Is no improperly in say
ing that we have been approached and
an offer submitted which has not been
accepted or rejected For business rea-@
sons the promoters We're anxious to
move quietly, but with the report from
New York to-day l do not hesitate in
saying that the combination Is after
the Richmond concern.
Stock Owned by Local People.
The suggestion that the esta blish-
ment here is owned and controlled by
similar companies in Baltimore is err
roneous. This capital stock is $4,000
and practically all of 1t is owned in
Richmond. small part Of the stock
is held by Baltimoreans. but the con-
troll, absolutely. is vested here. There
fore, the question Of selling mus be
determined in this city, at what time
l am not exactly prepared TO say.
Not After Others Here.
Il know, moreover, that this is the
only bakery in Richmond which has
u
Norfolk. the branch Of a. Philadelphia
house, I think but l understand that
! no effort is being made to purchase 1t.
at does not rank as high as the
!. Richmond property in the matter of
output South OF Richmond New Or
/ leans is the nearest city with a big
bakery. and that will be taken in, pro-
/ vided the owners are willing to sell"
/ AS to possibility of a deal here,
4 dc thf, re : l,n
| directors 1t was explaiaed yesterday
| that at the time the company was
/ formed there was no thought of enter
/ ing a combination and no suggestion
/ of an early transfer.
But when business people are offered
| good sum of money for that which
they contro1' said the gentleman
/ quoted above, st cannot be turned
| aside lightly"
New Trade Grows Rapidly.
The plant of the American Bread and
! Bakery Company has a capacity at
| present of thirty thousand loaves Of
/ bread and from eight thousand to ten
thousand pies a day. The capacity can
4 be doubled without Increasing the size
Of the buildings.
Thus far the bulk of the trade has
been local, but a week ago the COM
pany began shipping on limited scale
i and this has been growing very rapid
4 ly. The fact has been repeatedly
stated that the plant is independent, and
/ the aim of the directors was to keep
i ii so. Naturally, however, they are
4 gratifed that the success already has
attracted favorable attention from out
side quarters.
Wanted to- Locate Here.
This being an important business
centre the experts who had been look
Vised the men back of the syndicate to
locate in Richmond, not for the local
trade alone but in order TO reach a
rich section with this as the shipping
centre.
1t happened that Richmond had 4
plant sufficiently large to answer tn,
requirements OF the combination ani
an offer was accordingly submitted
One fact not fully understood is thf
possibility OF a rival bakery being
opened here by the syndicate In The
event that the American directors re-
fuse the offer.
Officers OF Home Company.
!, w. Creed Davis Is president of tn.
S American Bread and Bakery Company
I: Il. G. Il. Jenifer. vice. president: Kirk
(; wood Mitchell, secretary and treasurer
a land Is. X. Dudley, general manager
: The directors arc Fritz Sitterding, w
a C. Davis. Kirk wood Mitchell and b. Il
!, Dudley, Of Richmond, and NJ j. Fltz
q simmons and T. G. r. Jenlfer, of Bal
q timore.
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HARD TO GET MEN FOR ARMY,
= Soldiers Object to Overalis ana TO Lon