The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-07-31
AFTER POWDER TRUST
Government Begins Suit to Dis
solve Existing Monopoly.
RECEIVERS MAY BE NAMED

Court Asked to Determine Whether
Public Interests Would Not Be Bet
ter subserved by Such Action-His-
tory Of the Combination.
Washington. July 31.-The govern
msnt has filed in the United States
circuit court for the district Of Della
ware, at Wilmington. a petition
against q. I. Dupont. De Nemours &
Co., the E. I. Dupont De Nemours
Powder company (of New Jersey and
twenty-four other corporations and
seventeen individuals connected with
tho corporations which are made de-
PENDANTS In the petition.
The petition relates that all OF the
defendants are engaged In interstate
trade and commerce in gunpowder
and other high explosives and are
violating the act Of July 2, 1890. CON-
monty known as the Sherman anti
trust act. It seeks to prevent and
restrain the unlawful existing agree
ments, contracts, combinations and
oonspiracies in restraint of such trade
and commerce, to prevent and restrain
the attempts on the part Of the de-
PENDANTS to monopolize such trade and
to dissolve the existing monopoly
therein.
The court is asked to determine
whether public interests will be bet
ter subserved by the appointment Of
receivers to take possession Of the
property of the alleged trust with q
view to bringing about conditions in
trade and commerce that will be in
harmony with the law. The prayer
In this respect Ia Identical with that
In the so-called tobacco trust petition.
It is stated In the petition that in
1872 all except three Of the concerns
selling high explosives In the United
States organized with the object of
regulating prices at which such COM
modities should be sold and of driving
the other corporations out of business
BY unfair competitive methods. This
association enjoyed an uninterrupted
operation. 1t is said, until 1881, when
q new agreement was entered into
with the object of preventing new
manufacturers from engaging in the
powder business. In the meantime
the three would be" competitors are
declared to have been compelled to
join the monopoly. 1t Is shown that
there were succeeding associations in
1889. in 1891 and In 1896, each with
the same general object and com.
posed OF the same members and their
successors. The 1895 association con-
tinued until 1902 and during the whole
period OF time from 1872 until 1902
the members Of the association, it is
asserted. by various unfair business
methods, forced substantially all com.
petitors out Of the powder business
until at the latter date they controlled
% per cent of the business.
History Of the Combination.
The petition recites many Of the
operations of the so.called powder
trust leading up to the organization in
May. 1908. under the laws In the state
of New Jersey of the E. I. Dupont De
Nemours Powder company, with a
capital stock Of $4,000. 900. as hold
Ing company for the purpose of &C.
curing the capital stocks Of every
corporation In the United States in
manufacturing and dealing in high OK.
ploelves. This New Jersey holding
company, It is alleged, did acquire
control Of the companies operating in
high explosives In the United States
until alt~of the business of shipping
and selling such commodities of sub
etaltlally seventy companies. which