The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-09-01
Charles Commons, Manager
of Dairy Company, Says
that Women Led Fight Be-
cause of Price Boost.
LOSS WILLaAMOUNT TO
$4,000 He BELIEVES
And Creditors Will Receive
About IS Cents on the DOL
Iar-Company Had Asked
for Investigation.

company will loose about $4,000 in
the venture while there are approxi.
mately 1900 creditors who will realize
only about seventy-five percent on
their claims. The concern which
made a voluntary assignment late
Wednesday to J. A. Spekenhier will
be closed at once and the plant dis.
posed Of by the trustee to the best
possible interests Of the creditors.
A boycott instituted by the women,
merchants and others on all depart.
ments OF the plant, after August 10,
when the price of pasteurized milk
was raised from 6A cents to s cents
quart, was alleged by Charles Com.
mons, manager of the concern, to be
responsible for the failure.
For the next week or ten days 1t Is
probable milk shortage will exist In
this city as the company served no
tice on its customers Thursday morn
ing that the delivery Of milk hereafter
would be discontinued. The company
used what products were on hand
and that which remains unused will
be thrown away.
Compelled 70 Raise.
Manager Commons Of the plant
stated that from January 1. 1870 20
August /, the company lost $1,000 nc
cording to the books. The loss was
entirely In the milk department and
the company was compelled to raise
the price in order to break even in
this department. The higher price be.
came effective on August 10.
Immediately, Mr.. Commons said
the plant was boycotted In every de
partment. He knows Of no organized
effort along this line except that wom'
en- would talk boycott with their neigh
bors and the movement progressed in
this manner until the trade was al
most entirely ruined. Mr.. Commons
said merchants and business men as
sumed the same attitude and there
was no local market for the concerns
ice cream or butter and cheese. al
though the old prices In all produIs
except milk remained the same.
Amount Of Loss.
He announced that the plant would
discontinue business after Thursday.
He estimated the loss OF the stock.
holders at $4,000 and believes that
the assets of the company will only
pay creditors about Is cents on the
dollar The creditors include many
farmers from whom the company pur.
chased milk.
Realizing that the plant was "up
against it." owing to the boycott. Mr..
Commons said that the stockholders
decided to assign the property to a
trustee and have the court ofhcials
dispose of it to the best interests OF
the creditors. This will be done as
soon as possible and at as small an
expense as possible in order that
creditors will profit greater Every.
| thing will be turned into cash. He
does not know what will become o1
the plant although he believes there
is good opening here for such bust
ness.
The force Of seventy-five. including
ONCE help. drivers. solicitors. EN-
ployes in the mechanical department
and others were notified Thursday
evening that they would be needed nc
longer
Charles Commons made 4 request
Of William Dudley Foulke. . member
of the municipal research bureau
Thursday afternoon that the bureau
make its contemplated inspection ol
the books and determine for itseli
whether the company was right in its
action in raising the price Of pasfeur
lied milk
A result Of the voluntary assign
ment Of the concern win be felt ii
once as the old rate on milk OF 6H
cents quart win prevail again.
Mr.. Commons declared that the
plant was most modern and could moi
be replaced for less than $50. 900 The
company spent $4,000 last winter II
improvements IT. capital stock wal
i$25, 900 The plant ID located on
South Fifth street in the nrst square