Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-30
Tending to Establish Ex-
istence Of Paper Trust.
John Norris Still on the Stand
Before Select Committee.
Asks For subpoenas and Forn,u'
latss Many Queries.

lcct committee of the House on wood |
pulp and print paper. John Norris'
business manager of the New YORK |
Times, furnished the committee Win
data showing that H. G. Craig Il COD
controlled the output OF seven lnde-
pendent mills. Until these mills were
combined into one selling agency, MI
Norris said, there was no cOncentfd-
ton uf control Of news print paper
mills Responding to series OF queA-
tions from Chairman Mann, Mr.. Nor
ris said that the bills controlled by
Craig & 90 did not undertake %
make safes Independently.
rs it your claim" Mr.. Mann asked
chat all these mills agree upon
price which Il. G. Craig Il Co carry
out, or alter conference, that they De
cine upon the price which they carry
out, so that there is no variation III
lrice-nu competition
.'Tht claim OF the publishers, the
witness replied. "is that in some way
either by di-.ctio of Craig < co. or
by arrangement with them, COM
mon price is agreed on among All the
mills"
Several original letters fronl pup
fishers were put in evidence giving IN
dicati0ns of the existence of paper
trust.
By way of fixing the date when the
paper companies refused to make quo
tat.one. Mr. Norris placed in evidence
y number Of letters from paper man
uracturcls in response to requests Tor
prices
"Was that because they did not have
any oaper on hand TO meet the demand
of the new spapers?" Nj. Stafford IN
qured.
"It shows" replied Mr.. Norris. that
IT. some way which we have not yet
uncovered. it ~as part OF program
by which they would not make quota
ticns." Most of the letters were dated
June ana July. 1907.
AS d part of the formulation OF the
testimony with respect to combinations
OF the various groups of paper makers
Mr. Norris at this point put in evil
dence a list of officers and bylaws OF
the new Sulplite Pulp ASSOCIATION,
which were published Nov %, 1900
These bylaws provided for the tabula-
ton of a monthly confidential report
on tonnage, agreed prices, names OF
buyers, terms of contracts. etc. The
association. he said, had been in the
habit of holding meetings at the Hotel
Aston, New York, at which prices were
fixed '"These new bylaws, SAID Mr..
Norris. "were devised so we charge
and expect to prove, Immediately FOL
lowing the complaints of the publish
e-s and in order that this association
might come within the federal stat
utes."
Resp )ndng to Il question hv Mr.
Mann, Mr. Norris said he did not know
in What proportion sulphite pulp was
made by newsprint paper manutdctur
ers for themselves lie thought. how
ever that most "f the news rri3t man
ufacturers did make their oWn sui
phite pulp.
"Our contention is, said he ":h;'; i
the extent that the Sulphite PULP y :
ISOLATION fixed the price for the mar
ket. it did affect the cost of n.ateria
entering into news print paper
The witness was unable to state The
amount Of suIphite pulp manufac-
tuled in Canada
When at ll.3a O'Clock three bells an
nounced that there was no quorum IL
the House. Mr.. Mann said well. Mr.
Norris YOU may suspend. we ar,
again Interrupted in the midst of tht
hearing by the demand in the Hous
for the senseless roll call We are re
uuired to go over to the Capitol. all o
us In order to make Il quorum.
4 recess thereupon was taken unit
O'clock.
At the afternoon session, Mr.. Norris
read a letter from G. II. Larke, Il
one time engaged in the Marscilles. III!
mi
Usher of the ST. Joseph (MoD Gazette
In 1900 or 1901. Mr.. l.arke said he made
an exhaustive investigation of thu
Northwestern pulp wood supply ans
in Il lesser degree into foreign rate:
and general trade conditions. Durin:
that period he travelled hundreds o
miles through the woods of Minnesota
wisconsin and Michigan.
In conclusion Mr.. Larle wrote, my
Judgment is that for a mill sanely 10
Gated under the changed labor condi
tions-three shifts a day, instead o.
two. 81 per cwt for Il thoroughly goot
quality of roll print, containing no.
less than ~ per cent. suiphitc tand 1
great many fancy tales are told about
Is and 80 per cent. sulphite) Is fan
price at the mill and that more thar
tnAl Is III lne Ddltue VI SAtol t''ti.
The letter was written Oct. -. 1907
and was addressed to the committee oi
paper of the American Newspaper
Publishers Association.
With the view, as he said. ITO sim
plifying matters" Mr.. Norris asked the
committee to Immediately ask the In
ternational Paper Co. to furnish the
information concerning it's operations
under Is heads. which he specihed
Mr.. Norris requested that subpoena
issue for each Of the following:
John Hanrahan. % Broadway. New
York; Mr., Dean of Dean & SHIRLEY
Is Broadway. New York: n. NJ. Jones
OF the Katahdin Pulp & Paper Co.
George Hardy. a paper mill architect:
w. l.. Hulburt. traffic manager of the
mills formerly associated in the Cen
eral Paper Co. in routing traffic; John
Davis of II. G. Craig & Co: Mr.. Hus-
sey, Boston. selling agent of the In
terrational Paper Co.: a. f. Wright.
New York. manager of sales. Jnterna-
tional Paper Co.
Ar Norris made the further request