The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-05
Government Charges Steamship
Companies With Combining
on Steerage Traffic.
SAYS COMPETITION WAS
RUINED BY AGREEMENT
Alleged That Members of "Con-
ference" Violating Contract
We're Heavily Fined.

NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-The federal gov
ernment brought suit today IN the United
States circuit court upder the Sherman
antitrust law against thirteen of the
principal trans Atlantic carriers, which
are estimated TO control 80 per cent OF
the stcerage traffic worth TO them
S55. .000,0 i year. Twelve officers of the
defendant companies. all resident In
America, are named as co-defendants
These companies. the government
charges. entered into an Illegal contract
February 3. 1908. at London. England. by
which they constituted themselves the
Atlantic conference. with power to ap-
portion ali traffic pro rata, impose heavy
fines on members OF the conference for
violation of any article of agreement and
wage competition against all lines out
side the conference, AS a result. it is
alleged. the Russian volunteer fleet. ply
Ing between New York and Lihau. was
driven out of business and the Russian
American line was forced to make terms
with the conference and enter its men,
bcrshlp.
Injunction Is Asked.
Suit was brought by Henry a. Wise,
United States district attorney acting
eral Wickersham. In its petition the
government prays the court to "enjoin
the defendants from further agreeing,
combining and conspiring 10 inJure or
destroy the business OF any person or cor
poration engaged In the business OF car
rying steerage passengers between points
In the United States and Europe. Fur
ther, that each. every and all OF the de-
fendant steamship lines be forbidden
either TO enter or clear any OF their ves-
sells at or from the port OF New York
or any other port OF entry In the United
States or any Of its possessions, so long
as they shall continue TO operate under
the aforesaid alleged unlawful combina-
ton or conspiracy"
Companies Defendant.
The defendant companies are: Allan
Steamship company. capitalized at 1920. =.
600 plies between LIVERPOOL Boston and
Philadelphia; and Glasgow and Montreal.
International Mercantile Marine com
papy. a holding company. capitalized at
s120. 000. 600.
international Navigation company. a
subsidiary OF the International Mercantile
Marine company.
Anchor Line. capitalized at s2S75.Ooo;
Canadian Pacific Railway company,
capitalized at 5000 100000. which operates
between Montreal and Liverpool,
EHaarT nf so a Soo wbInb has w sery,ce
between Liverpool and New York and
Boston.
British and North Atlantic Steamship
Navigation company. n subsidiary OF the
International Mercantile Marine COM
pany.
Hamburg American line. with a capt.
tai OF s5l .250. 900. whose service Is from
Hamburg to New York. Boston, Phla-
delphia and Baltimore
Holland American line. capital unavail-
able. which runs steamers between Rot
terdam and New York.
The North German Lloyd company.
capital unavailable which runs between
Bremen and New York.
The Red Star. a subsidiary OF the Inter-
national Mercantile Marine company
which operates between Antwerp and
New York.
White Star line. a subsidiary of the
International Mercantile Marine company,
with Il service between New York and
Liverpool.
Russian East Asiatic Steamship com
pany. capital unavailable. which piles be-
tween I.ibau and New York.
officers Are Included.
The individual defendants, all officers
of the defendant companies, but not all
OF them possible OF identification here to-
night. are: Philip a s. Franklin. Vice
president International Mercantile Marine
company. Emil l.. Boas. general man
aeer in America and a director of the
Hamburg American lno and other trans
portation companies; Gustav H. SChwab.
general manager in America and drcc-
tor OF the North German Lloyd Dock
company; Gustav ~. Schwab, Jr.. Charles
p. Sumner, American agent OF Cunard
Steamship company: Alexander Il. John